Worked examples are effective learning tools for algebraic equation solving. However, they are typically presented in a static concise format, which only displays the major derivation steps in one static image. The current work explores how worked examples that vary in their extensiveness (i.e., detail) and degree of dynamic presentation (i.e.,…

Most learner achievement studies tend to focus on identifying individual characteristics, ignoring the learning strategies that promote mathematical resilience. The focus of the study is on the assets embedded in an individual and their interplay with the environment. It is expected that resilience plays a deciding role in learners' foreground…

Understanding fractions is critical to mathematical development, yet many children struggle with fractions even after years of instruction. Fraction arithmetic is particularly challenging. The present study employed a computational model of fraction arithmetic learning, FARRA (Fraction Arithmetic Reflects Rules and Associations; Braithwaite, Pyke,…

In this article, we provide a novel view of mathematics learning disability (MLD) by studying a student with an MLD (Dylan) who had compensated so effectively that she was able to major in statistics. We push back on the dominant deficit model used in studies of MLD, and consider issues of access and compensation from a Vygotskian theoretical…

This paper reports on one part of a large study which attempted to identify the linguistic and hierarchical characteristics of van Hiele theory amongst grade 10 learners. The sample consisted of a total of 359 participants from five purposively selected schools from Mthatha District in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The performance of…

This paper presents a number of case studies in Oceanography, an optional module in the third/fourth year of a Master of Science programme at Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The main objective was to gain more thorough insights into student learning by examining two sets of individual oral examinations. In addition, all students…

The 10th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2017) is held under the auspices of the International Educational Data Mining Society at the Optics Velley Kingdom Plaza Hotel, Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China. This years conference features two invited talks by: Dr. Jie Tang, Associate Professor with the Department of Computer…

The focus of the present experiments was to examine the effect of adapting the context of a presentation to a student's background. The results showed familiarity of context to be an influential factor in learning quantitative material. (Author/PN)

A review of relevant cognitive research in mathematics is presented and applied to instructional practice with students with learning disabilities. The review focuses on the role of three principles of curriculum development in facilitating procedural competence in mathematics: the nature of examples, explicitness, and parsimony. (Author/JDD)

Discussion of the use of virtual reality (VR) to help students learn highlights the use of VR with elementary algebra. Learning theory is examined, including knowledge construction; knowledge representation is discussed, including the symbol systems of algebra; and spatial algebra is described and illustrated. (34 references) (LRW)

Accurate and automatic production of the basic number combinations is a major objective of elementary mathematics education. Typically, it is not an objective that is easily and quickly attained. Indeed, teachers regularly lament about how difficult it is to get their students to master the basic "number facts." This problem may be due,…

It is well known that math phobia is a common problem among young school children. It becomes a challenge to educational practitioners and academic researchers to figure out ways to overcome the problem. Collaborative team learning has been proposed as one of the alternatives. This study was part of a large and ongoing research project designed to…

Discusses misconceptions about constructivism by identifying related myths such as students should always be actively and reflectively constructing, manipulatives make learners active, and cooperative learning is constructivist. One central goal of constructivism should be that students become autonomous and self-motivated in their learning.…

The effects of teaching strategy, relevant knowledge, and strategy length on high school students' mathematical learning ability were studied. Performance was found to increase as levels of relevant knowledge increased. Characterization strategies were found to be more effective than exemplification strategies for students with high relevant…

This article draws together three papers (EC 603 155, EC 603 157, and EC 603 158) on metacognitive theory in literacy, writing, and mathematics acquisition of children with learning disabilities. Topics discussed include self-regulation, the reciprocal relationship between self-regulated learning and motivational beliefs, and the classroom role of…