Despite the prominence of analogies in mathematics, little attention has been given to exploring students' processes of analogical reasoning, and even less research exists on revealing how students might be empowered to independently and productively reason by analogy to establish new (to them) mathematics. I argue that the lack of a cohesive…

An important approach for developing children's algebraic thinking involves introducing them to generalized arithmetic at the time they are learning arithmetic. Our aim in this study was to investigate children's attention to and expression of generality with the subtraction-compensation property, as evidence of a type of algebraic thinking known…

This paper shares a flexible activity for engaging people in mathematical inquiry that does not depend on fixed prior knowledge built on a famous property of Möbius strips. The discussion includes the implementation of the activity and its extensions, facilitator moves and common participant thinking, suggestions for adaptation and integration…

Researchers have recommended using tasks that support students in reasoning covariationally to build productive meanings for graphs, rates of change, exponential growth, and more. However, not many recent studies have been done to identify how students reason when engaging in covariational reasoning tasks in undergraduate precalculus courses. In…

How we should teach mathematics has long been debated by advocates of different instructional approaches. These debates can lead to tensions that are difficult to navigate for those who are new to (or even veterans of) the profession. Educators often propose a "balance" of different approaches as a solution. Charles Munter considers…

The study of mathematics is often described as the science of patterns (Resnik 1981), and the cognitive tasks involving the search, recognition, and assessment of patterns are fundamental to learning mathematics. Patterning activities lead students to a better understanding of dependent relations among representations, create a transparent way for…

Classification is a complex process that involves scientific concepts and higher-order mental processes such as abstraction, generalization, and pattern recognition. Even though it is an important competence for understanding the world, dealing with data and information, and solving complex problems, the education system embeds just its simplest…

Computational thinking and activity are vital aspects of what it means to conduct scientific and mathematical work. In light of this, some propose that students' mathematical education should include an integration of computing into their mathematical experiences, giving students opportunities to engage with computational tools as they reason…

The aim of this study is to examine if differentiated instruction benefits the mathematical thinking process of gifted and talented students in Malaysia. Differentiated instruction is a student-centered technique in which instructors act as facilitators. It is doubtful, however, if differentiated instruction has a beneficial effect on the overall…

Professional noticing of children's mathematical thinking (Jacobs et al. in J Res Math Educ 41(2):169-202, 2010) is a construct that is used frequently to understand the ways in which teachers attend to, interpret, and respond to children's mathematical thinking. In this paper, we present our analysis of prospective elementary mathematics…

This paper presents Big Ideas of Measurement as a framework of students' thinking about measurement. Drawing from research-based evidence, the framework is a collection of key concepts that students must develop for a robust understanding of measurement and, as such, are key aspects of students' thinking teachers should learn to notice. In a case…

Immersive spatial diagrams (three-dimensional diagrams rendered with immersive stereoscopic displays) offer learners the opportunity to extend practices of diagramming in school geometry into a human-scale, spatial context. Learners can use two or more hands to inscribe simultaneously with digital spatial painting tools, a spatial analog of the…

Background and Aims: There is currently a dearth of tools to assess parents' use of effective interactive strategies for supporting early mathematics learning. One potential such strategy is sustained shared thinking. This study therefore constructed and validated a scale for measuring parents' use of sustained shared thinking during joint…

Fluency in mathematics is more than adeptly using basic facts or implementing algorithms. Real fluency involves reasoning and creativity, and it varies by the situation at hand. "Figuring Out Fluency in Mathematics Teaching and Learning" offers educators the inspiration to develop a deeper understanding of procedural fluency, along with…

Fluency in mathematics is more than adeptly using basic facts or implementing algorithms. It is not about speed or recall. Real fluency is about choosing strategies that are efficient, flexible, lead to accurate solutions, and are appropriate for the given situation. Developing fluency is also a matter of equity and access for all learners. The…