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)…

The relation to operands (RO) principles describe the relation between operands and answers in arithmetic problems (e.g., the sum is always larger than its positive addends). Despite being a fundamental property of arithmetic, its empirical relation with arithmetic/algebraic problem solving has seldom been investigated. The current longitudinal…

Supporting students in becoming effective problem solvers is a critical component of K-12 mathematics instruction. Unfortunately, little is known about the factors that are related to problem solving proficiency in middle school students. We report the results of a study that employed a hierarchical linear regression analysis to examine the…

This study aimed to produce a learning path that can help students understand the concept of percent using the context of an egg rack. This study used a design research method through the Indonesian Realistic Mathematics Education approach which was carried out at Elementary School No. 2 Gumawang, Indonesia. Data were obtained through observation,…

This study investigated the extent to which domain-general and domain-specific antecedents contributed to pre-algebra's initial level and growth rate among students who experience word-problem difficulty (WPD). We examined if such a profile differs for English-language learners (ELLs; n = 75) and non-ELLs (n = 55) with WPD. We assessed 130 U.S.…

Safety education aims to promote safe habits through experience-oriented education that combines knowledge, skills and attitudes. However, in situations where experience-oriented safety education is challenging, realistic content created through technological advancements can indirectly function as an excellent safety education tool that allows…

This study examined whether learning with heuristic worked examples can improve students' competency in solving reality-based tasks in mathematics (mathematical modeling competency). We randomly assigned 134 students in Grade 5 and 180 students in Grade 7 to one of three conditions: control condition (students worked on reality-based tasks),…

Adopting a pretest-posttest experimental design with repeated measures, this study examined the effects of three types of game-based learning supports in the form of modeling on knowledge development that contributed to successful math problem solving and students' perceived game flow. Forty-one sixth-grade students participated in the study and…

The aim of this study is to determine the primary school fourth-grade students' understanding of four operation symbols, using them in arithmetic operations and word problems. Phenomenology research design, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the research. The participants of the research consist of 123 students, attending the…

The aim of this study is to reveal the meanings that fourth grade students in elementary school attach to the four operation symbols (+, -, x, :) that are abstract, in different representations. The pattern of the study is a case study of qualitative research methods. In the study, the evaluation tool developed by the researchers was applied to…

This paper presents findings from a study that examined the strategies that children, who had only been taught the part-whole fraction sub-construct at school, used for finding the fraction associated with solving varied partitive quotient problems. A qualitative, microgenetic research design was used involving nine year 5 (aged 9-10) children…

Prior research has emphasized that two-tier tests are an effective approach to guiding students through game tasks; furthermore, self-efficacy, which is potentially related to students' surroundings and academic performance, has a positive impact on students' cognitive outcomes in games. This implies the significance of conducting a study to probe…

This research aims to explore students' learning obstacles in solving fraction problems in elementary school. This qualitative research used a case study method. The research subjects involved 30 third-grade elementary school students from two different schools in Bandung City, Indonesia. The instruments utilized were test and non-test. The test…

Grades 4 and 8 students had shown slow but steady improvement in scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment from 1990 until 2013, but performance since then has been lower despite the introduction of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) in the early 2010s. This study examined student…

Background: Adaptive expertise is a highly valued outcome of mathematics curricula. One aspect of adaptive expertise with rational numbers is adaptive rational number knowledge, which refers to the ability to integrate knowledge of numerical characteristics and relations in solving novel tasks. Even among students with strong conceptual and…