Slinkies and soft springs readily lend themselves to experimental and theoretical investigations which are extensions of the usual high school material. We describe both the static and dynamic properties of these springs and suggest that some may be used in regular class work, while other aspects are ideal for individual projects. (Contains 9…

Problem statement: Although there is agreement on the potential of project based learning (PBL) and virtual manipulatives (VMs), their positive impact depends on how they are used. This study was based on supporting the use of online PBL environments and improving the efficacy of the instructional practices in PBL by combining the potentials of…

While the Common Core State Standards and state learning standards guide teachers in what mathematical content knowledge should be addressed as well as the processes and proficiencies necessary for developing mathematical competence, several student- and teacher-related factors may hinder student access to the general education curriculum for…

A continued and ongoing call for improvement and change in mathematics teaching and learning suggests a need for re-visioning the ways in which mathematics teachers are educated. Suggestions include incorporating reform teaching in university courses that integrate mathematics content with pedagogy and perturbate mathematical beliefs. The context…

The concepts and ideas of mathematics is a major element of educational curriculum. Many different instructional strategies are implemented in mathematics classrooms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an instructional model utilizing hands-on learning and use of manipulatives on mathematics achievement of middle school…

The primary purpose of this classroom experiment was to examine the effectiveness of concrete (hands-on) manipulatives as compared with virtual (computer-based) manipulatives on student review of fraction concepts in third grade and introduction of symmetry concepts in fourth grade. A pretest-posttest design was employed with a sample of 91…

Introduction: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of reading racetracks and direct instruction flashcards with two students with behavior disorders. A token economy with a response cost component was also implemented to increase on-task behavior during data collection. Method: The participants were two eight-year-old males.…

Finding patterns, and making and justifying conjectures are considered the building blocks of mathematical reasoning and proof. Curriculum revisions in the United States and Australia place increased emphasis on problem solving and reasoning in the primary school curriculum. A number of curriculum resources for teachers are available but under…

This study investigated the effects of two generative learning activities on students' academic achievement of the part-whole meaning of rational numbers while using virtual manipulatives. Third-grade students were divided randomly in two groups to evaluate the effects of two generative learning activities: answering-questions and…

Making constructions with paper is called "origami" and is considered an art. The objective for many fans of origami is to design new figures never constructed before. From the point of view of mathematics education, origami is an interesting didactic activity. In this article, the authors propose to help High School students understand new…

It is instructive and interesting to find hidden numbers by using different positional numeration systems. Most of the present guessing techniques use the binary system expressed as less-than, greater-than or present-absent type information. This article describes how, by employing four cards having integers 1-64 written in different colours, one…

Research on literacy instruction for students with multiple disabilities is limited. Empirical research on braille instruction for students with multiple disabilities that include congenital blindness is virtually nonexistent. This case study offers initial insight into possible methods of early braille literacy instruction for a student with…

This article focuses on the development and problematization of a task designed to foster spatial visual sense in prospective and practicing elementary and middle school teachers. We describe and analyse the cyclical stages of developing, testing, and modifying several "task drafts" related to ideas around dilation and proportion. Challenged by…

For scientists, the sandbox serves as an analog for faulting in Earth's crust. Here, the large, slow processes within the crust can be scaled to the size of a table, and time scales are directly observable. This makes it a useful tool for demonstrating the role of inquiry in science. For this reason, the sandbox is also helpful for learning…

The purpose of this study was to systematically replicate and extend previous studies of the TOUCHMATH program, a multi-sensory mathematics program (Bullock, Pierce, & McClellan, 1989). Three middle school students with moderate and multiple disabilities (e.g., autism and moderate intellectual disabilities) participated. Students were taught how…