Conceptual and procedural instruction order may affect students' learning and generalization of math skills. This study compared two instruction sequences, concepts-first and iterative, and their effect on fraction performance through a class-wide intervention. Fourth-grade students (N = 114) were randomly assigned to the concepts-first,…

Background: Digital game-based learning is gaining increased attention from both researchers and educators for improving mathematics instruction. However, the evidence for game-based learning is mixed and research with rigorous research design and analyses are limited. Objective: Here, in a pre-registered randomized controlled study, we…

The intention of the study was to examine the effects of a fraction intervention in a whole-class environment. The intervention aimed to enhance students' conceptual fraction knowledge, with a major focus on fraction magnitude understanding. This study included 120 fifth-grade students in standard classroom settings. Utilizing a cluster randomized…

Effective math instruction is crucial for developing students' problem-solving abilities. This Spotlight explores key strategies and approaches to enhance math teaching and learning. From laying the foundation for algebra in kindergarten to improving understanding of fractions, these articles offer valuable perspectives. Discover how to help…

This study aimed to examine the effect of using Excel in teaching fractions in a 6th grade mathematics course on students' academic achievement and attitudes. To achieve this, a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was implemented. The research involved 62 students from a public secondary school in a central province of…

Background: Providing students with worked out problem solutions is a beneficial instructional technique in STEM disciplines, and studying examples that have been worked out incorrectly may be especially helpful for reducing misconceptions in students with low prior content knowledge. However, past results are inconclusive and the effects of…

Fractions remains a difficult topic for primary preservice teachers (PST). This paper analyses a PST teaching episode using the "Refined Consensus Model" (RCM) of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) to explore challenges faced by PST in acquiring specialised knowledge for effective fractions teaching. Data include semi-structured…

This study tested a novel approach to capitalizing on the benefits of play for informal math learning. Two experiments evaluated a platform called "Fraction Ball," that provides an embodied, playful, and physically active learning experience by modifying the lines on a basketball court to support rational number learning. In the Pilot…

Fraction proficiency is a critical milestone for students to reach, as fraction knowledge strongly predicts later math achievement. However, fractions are notoriously difficult for students to learn. The first study in this dissertation reviewed commonly used math curricula to determine if their fraction lessons used evidence-based instructional…

This study aims to investigate the effect of gamification on fifth-grade students' academic achievements and attitudes towards mathematics course. For this purpose, the teaching process of the "fractions" as a subject of the mathematics course is equipped with gamification elements. The quasi-experimental design is preferred as the…

Background: Many teachers for different reasons recognise the teaching of fraction as a challenge. This research explored the teaching of fraction in Grade 5 by three experienced teachers (Ben, Greg and Will) in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of different approaches to the…

Mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) is a professional knowledge crucial for effective mathematics instruction, encompassing both content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The purpose of this study is to investigate the hierarchical structure of PCK for fractions by seeking further evidence for the PCK-Fractions…

The current study assessed whether adding worked examples with self-explanation prompts focused on making connections between mathematical principles, procedures, and concepts of rational numbers to a curriculum focused on invented strategies improves pre-algebra students' fraction number line acuity, rational number concepts and procedures.…

Fractions are an important mathematical concept for elementary students. However, students with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD) struggle with learning fractions. Research has demonstrated that concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) instruction is an effective practice for students with learning and developmental disabilities. Here we…

Fractions are an important mathematical concept for both more advanced mathematical concepts and daily living activities (e.g., cooking) and thus are important for all students to learn. In this study, researchers explored the use of the virtual-abstract (VA) instructional sequence to teach three middle school students with disabilities three…