Word problems are frequently taught in shallow contexts, where students primarily use procedural knowledge to solve problems and struggle to transfer their learning to real-life situations. This study examines how extra-mathematical knowledge and motivation may enhance the learning process. The study involved 345 fifth-grade students (51.2% male)…

There is a strong need for fifth-grade students to become proficient in mathematical problem-solving using fractional computations because it will have a lasting impact on student achievement. Traditionally, mathematics is taught inside a brick-and-mortar classroom, grounded in rote memorization of facts, rules, and formulas. In recent years, more…

The main purpose of this research is to examine the informal strategies of fifth and sixth grade students while solving inverse proportional word problems. Multiple case study was used in this study. The research was carried out in a public middle school from a southern city of Türkiye. The participants of the research consist of three fifth and…

Every educator knows the sinking feeling of a lesson gone wrong. As teachers look around the room and realize that many of their students are just not getting it, they often feel like failures. However, the struggle students experience as they persevere through high-quality challenging tasks is not a sign of failure, but rather a key aspect of…

Math anxiety has been found to negatively correlate with math achievement, affecting students' choices to take fewer math classes and avoid math educational opportunities. Educational technology tools can ameliorate some of the negative effects of math anxiety. We examined students' math anxiety, effort in an educational technology platform, and…

Prior short-term studies have shown the effectiveness of worked examples and self-explanation prompts in improving elementary students' mathematics knowledge. However, year-long classroom-based interventions have been tested only with older students. The purpose of the current study was to explore the effectiveness of a year-long classroom…

When teaching the multiplicative domain in New Zealand primary schools, teachers tend to spend a greater proportion of time on the meaning and processes of multiplication, to the detriment of a specific focus on understanding the concept of division. When division is taught, it tends to be by reversing the context and turning the division…

Recent work has demonstrated that having students study worked examples and answer self-explanation prompts as part of their problem-solving practice improves learning on researcher-developed measures of mathematical proficiency. However, little work has been done to date to investigate whether these benefits translate to improvements on the types…

The poor level of engagement in learning mathematics is primarily caused by ineffective methods of instruction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how context-based problem-posing and solving instructional approaches influence students' engagement in learning data handling using a concurrent embedded quasi-experimental…

The Great Mini-Golf Project requires students to use a ruler to identify measurements to the quarter-inch, with careful precision and accuracy, which supported the Standards for Mathematical Practice 5 and 6: using appropriate tools to solve mathematical problems with precision (NGA Center & CCSSO, 2010). This project also supported Standard…

Arithmetic fluency is regarded as a foundational math skill, typically measured as a single construct with pencil-and-paper-based timed assessments. We introduce a tablet-based assessment of single-digit fluency that captures individual trial response times across several embedded experimental contrasts of interest. A large (n = 824) cohort of…

This essay extends beyond the characteristics and discourse of word problems to, more generally, school mathematical problem-solving and the implications entailed by a predominant paper-and-pencil mode of learning and instruction since the modern era of education. Contrasting what I call "one-handed" (with paper-and-pencil) with…

Mathematical coherence is a goal within the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. One aspect of this coherence is how student mathematical thinking is developed across concepts. Unfortunately, mathematics is often taught as isolated ideas across grades. The multiplicative field is an area of study that needs to be examined as a space to…

Gifted students' often go unchallenged in the classroom, and this lack of tailored instruction can lead to decreased motivation, which, in turn, influences underachievement, which is a significant concern since these children, theoretically, should be our highest achievers. This 4-week (i.e., eight instructional days) semi-randomized,…

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have examined the association between mathematical abilities and executive functions (EFs). However, it remains unknown via which mechanisms' mathematical performance is associated with EFs. The current study examined the associations of overall task proficiency, strategy selection, and strategy…