The authors describe and discuss an activity in which primary school students were instructed how to use graph theory to solve a spatial puzzle. This activity was aligned with the design principles of vicarious failure. They discuss how this impacted the type of dialogue observed in the classroom and found that students were more likely to focus…

Being able to learn from failure is a fundamental skill for a scientist, as scientists often learn from failure in practical work by trialling and refining experimental designs, improving calibration techniques, and hypothesising and testing expected outcomes. This qualitative, practice-based study describes how junior secondary science teachers…

Higher education plays a crucial role in supporting societal transitions towards more sustainable and equitable futures. As universities evolve to prepare learners to tackle wicked problems and lead long-term systems change, embodied teaching and learning approaches are gaining attention for their ability to integrate felt experiences with…

Using mathematical modelling to solve problems appears in all year levels in the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics (v. 9), and is probably the most authentic way of teaching mathematics in context. However, the term mathematical modelling, even if familiar to teachers, may not be well understood or enacted confidently by teachers in their…

The revised Australian curriculum presents a new emphasis in primary schools on the process of Mathematical Modelling. A modelling focus brings close attention to confidence and capability with a potentially new problem-solving process, associated language, and pedagogical processes. This paper presents a Year 4 classroom modelling experience that…

Whilst educational goals in recent years for mathematics education are foregrounded the development of mathematical competencies, little is known about mathematics teachers' competencies. In this study, a group of practising teachers were asked to solve an algebra problem, and their solutions were analysed to determine the competencies apparent…

This is the first of four columns by Tim Erikson which introduces us to the Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP). CODAP is a free, web-based software tool that your students can use for many types of tasks. This first column shows how CODAP can be used for mathematical modelling and where it might fit with the "Australian Curriculum:…

Special tutorials both online and off-line were experimented in order to provide extra support for the senior pre-service mathematics teachers at an Australian regional university to improve their learning experience and achieve the best possible learning outcomes in an advanced mathematics course focusing on solving ordinary differential…

Place value is one of the 'big ideas' in number and plays a critical role in helping students develop their number sense, problem solving and computation skills. Yet, the elegant simplicity of our place value system belies the abstract nature of the construct. This paper presents data from 606 Year 3-6 students (ages 8-12) from two metropolitan…

Mathematical reasoning, which plays a critical role in students' capacity to make sense of mathematics, is now emphasised more strongly in various curricula internationally. However, reasoning is sometimes difficult for teachers to recognise, let alone teach. This case study considers video of one teacher's implementation of a problem-solving…

Compared to the general population, university students experience unique demands and stressors that impact psychosocial distress. High levels of psychosocial distress can affect students academically, socially, and professionally. Strategies students use to cope with stress on their own, particularly problem- and emotion-focused strategies, can…

Effective learning in chemistry education requires students to understand visual representations across multiple conceptual levels. Essential to this process are visuospatial skills which enable students to interpret and manipulate these representations effectively. These abilities allow students to construct mental models that support problem…

This study systematically explores instructional strategies that enhance students' problem-solving skills in physics through a systematic literature review. A systematic search and screening process was followed, and findings were synthesized using a weighted narrative approach due to methodological heterogeneity. A total of 118 articles were…

Purpose: The purpose of this practitioner paper is to explore whether the principles of Design Thinking and the Lean Startup could be employed in developing a disruptive model for delivering educational programs within higher education in a way that attempts to eliminate the multitude of problems facing this industry, while simultaneously adhering…

Knowledge and abilities with social media technologies are perceived as critical premises for human development. Familiarity with different types of social media technologies has become pivotal for collaborative learning and successfully solving problems. This study examined the impact of social media technologies, compartmentalized into social…