Written comments on student evaluations often seem idiosyncratic, lacking the power of numerical statistical data. These statements, however, may sometimes reveal intellectual challenges common to novice learners in our disciplines. Instructors can use these insights as part of a scholarly approach to teaching, making meaningful adjustments to…

"Although the description of mentorships can be traced back to ancient Greek history," most of the empirical research on mentorships has been conducted within the past two decades. Such research has tended to focus on the relationship itself--an intense, personal bond that spans a spectrum of activities and time. This article, however,…

This article offers an overview of the method of narrative inquiry and explores competing trends in the use of the approach. It not only examines the theories relating to the method but also offers practical guidance on using narrative inquiry, including an exploration of what might count as a narrative and ways of analysing narrative data. The…

A cursory review of academic headlines would suggest that educational institutions can be perceived as formalized, regimented and systematic--intellectual factories that reward those staff and students who conform best to rigid systems which ensure the efficient processing of quantity. Is this the reality? Do prevailing economic and bureaucratic…

Peer assessment provides a powerful avenue for students to receive feedback on their learning. Although student perceptions of peer assessment have been studied extensively in higher education, little qualitative research has been undertaken with medical students in problem-based learning (PBL) curricula. A qualitative study of students' attitudes…

This study examined the strategies used by pre-service teachers when responding to number sense related questions. 15 pre-service teachers from one University in Southern Taiwan were interviewed. Results indicated that about one-third of these pre-service teachers were able to use number sense strategies (such as understanding the meaning of…

This article describes how the promotion of purposeful mathematical discussions can enhance young mathematicians' construction of knowledge and their explanation of strategy use.

Last year, the author worked with a group of Key Stage 3 (KS3) consultants at a regional roadshow devoted to the topic of information and communications technology (ICT), "Embedding ICT in mathematics teaching." The roadshow was organized by the Association of Teachers of Mathematics (ATM) and the Mathematical Association (MA), and the…

This article describes the work of outreach mathematicians introducing the topic of complex variables to eighth and ninth grade students (13- to 15-year-olds) in the US. Complex variables is an area of mathematics that is not typically studied at secondary level. The authors developed seven lessons designed to stimulate students' interest in…

A novel approach for teaching interpolation in the introductory course in numerical analysis is presented. The interpolation problem is viewed as a problem in linear algebra, whence the various forms of interpolating polynomial are seen as different choices of a basis to the subspace of polynomials of the corresponding degree. This approach…

The origin of this article is an investigation of an academic course, "Graphic Arts and Design for students of natural and social sciences." The article describes the benefits of attending the class for the science students, which were an increased ability to solve problems, new and different ways to observe the environment, greater self…

This commentary observes that the contributions to this special issue of this journal not only show that the question of the relationship between research and practice is still very much alive today but they are also testimony to the persistent nature of this question. This suggests that the issue of the relationship between research and practice…

Different computational tools may offer teachers and students distinct opportunities in representing, exploring and solving mathematical tasks. In this context, we illustrate that the use of dynamic software (Cabri Geometry) helped high school teachers to think of and represent a particular task dynamically. In this process, the teachers had the…

In this article, we take a rapid journey through the history of algebra, noting the important developments and reflecting on the importance of this history in the teaching of algebra in secondary school or university. Frequently, algebra is considered to have three stages in its historical development: the rhetorical stage, the syncopated stage,…

Physics is perceived by many students to be a difficult subject, and misconceptions about it are quite common not only among school students but also among undergraduates and pre-service postgraduate science teachers. In teaching the topic of gas pressure to primary student teachers studying in the Bachelor of Education programme at my institute,…