The goal of this article is to propose a framework for understanding the nature of "how people construct problems" by interacting with situations and subsequently to offer implications for instructional design and future research. We propose that people must interactively frame the components of a situation in order to establish the…

This scholarly inquiry critically examines the pedagogical aspects pertaining to the instruction and acquisition of Abstract Algebra within the realm of University Mathematics Education (UME). Drawing upon multiple lenses, including epistemological, cognitive, phenomenological, and institutional perspectives, this study investigates the formidable…

Research suggests that most college and beginning graduate students lack the cognitive complexity required to engage in effective practical and ethical reasoning. Studies on cognitive development support the view that how people approach complex problems varies significantly depending on the underlying epistemic assumptions they use to guide their…

Problem solving plays an essential role in all scientific disciplines, and solving problems can reveal essential concepts that underlie those disciplines. Thus, problem solving serves both as a common tool and desired outcome in many science classes. Research on teaching problem solving offers principles for instruction that are guided by learning…

Contribution: This paper qualitative research delineates the thinking and behavioral patterns that reflect students' advanced level of epistemological thinking in project-based learning (PBL) activities and the associated impact factors. Background: PBL has been widely adopted in engineering education for its effectiveness in improving students'…

The theoretical and methodological model of Mathematical Working Space (MWS) is introduced in this paper. For over 10 years, the model has been the object of collaborative research among various researchers, generally coming from French and Spanish speaking countries. Articulating epistemological and cognitive aspects, the MWS model is aimed at…

Evidence from psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience suggests that cognition and emotions are coupled. Education researchers have also documented correlations between emotions (such as joy, anxiety, fear, curiosity, boredom) and academic performance. Nonetheless, most research on students' reasoning and conceptual change within the…

Background: Problem solving is considered to be a central activity of engineering practice. While some studies have shown how various beliefs affect students' abilities to solve problems, studies are needed that explicitly examine the beliefs and assumptions students bring to the problem-solving process. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this…

The relevance of the problem under study is conditioned by the socially important need of the contemporary university education to train highly qualified personnel in all directions of activity, to form and develop a professional person of a high intellectual, moral and spiritual culture. The objective of the paper consists in giving theoretical…

Learning to solve "complex problems"--problems whose solutions require the application of more than basic facts and skills--is critical to meaningful participation in the economic, social, and cultural life of the digital age. In this paper, we use a theoretical understanding of how professionals use reflection-in-action to solve complex…

Whereas some educational designers believe that students should learn new concepts through explorative problem solving within dedicated environments that constrain key parameters of their search and then support their progressive appropriation of empowering disciplinary forms, others are critical of the ultimate efficacy of this discovery-based…

The purpose of this study is to understand the nature of pre-instructional knowledge transferred by students into problem situations and the change process on students' knowledge system during classroom discussions. This study was framed by two interrelated theoretical frameworks on knowledge structures, phenomenological primitives and…

This study explores the relationships among Taiwanese high school students' scientific epistemic beliefs (SEBs), conceptions of learning science (COLS), and motivation of learning science. The questionnaire responses from 470 high school students in Taiwan were gathered for analysis to explain these relationships. The structural equation modeling…

This research study aims at exploring the use of some dimensions and theoretical-methodological tools suggested by the model of Didactic-Mathematical Knowledge (DMK) for the analysis, characterization and development of knowledge that teachers should have in order to efficiently develop within their practice. For this purpose, we analyzed the…

Democratic problem-solving necessitates an active and informed citizenry, but existing research on service-learning has shed little light on the relationship between pedagogical practices and civic competence outcomes. This study developed and tested a model to represent that relationship and identified pedagogical catalysts of civic competence…