In this theoretical article, we explore the possibility that instead of a mathematical connection arising "in-between" two (or more) pre-existing ideas or objects, which have presumably been known or understood, that connection is itself the motor of understanding. The standard view of connection, in which two existing ideas or concepts…

In this article we analyze how students reason about linear combinations across multiple digital environments. We present the work of three groups of undergraduate students in the Southeast United States (US) who were considered ready to take linear algebra. The students played the game "Vector Unknown," reflected upon aspects of their…

Curricula in computer engineering, computer science, and other related fields include several courses about hardware design. Examples of these courses are digital logic design, computer architecture, microprocessors, computer interfacing, hardware design, embedded systems, switching theorem, and others. In order for the students to realize the…

Cross-cultural research covering multiple languages and cultures involves negotiating conceptual and linguistic challenges. This paper focuses on how researchers working across cultural and linguistic boundaries navigate the research process and negotiate a common understanding of the constructs under study. Working towards intersubjectivity…

In this paper the authors conducted a comprehensive study on English abstract writing style. Abstraction is the process of forming a theoretical concept based on the observation and classification of object things. This concept has no definite denotation. However in specific situation it can be clearly understood. In English, writing an abstract…

In this article I mount an attack on the problematic conceptions of literacy that lie behind the Standards and Testing Agency's 2015 "Interim Teacher Assessment Frameworks at the End of Key Stage 2" and the "Key Stage 2 English Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Tests." I employ an object of comparison (a philosophical method),…

Comparing places represents one of the most traditional threads of comparative inquiry. However, international and comparative (adult) education research has to date focused on comparing places more in the sense of territorial entities. In contrast, this paper moves away from understandings of national or regional territories as given,…

An emergent data analysis technique was employed to test the veracity of a conceptual framework constructed around visual data use and instruction in science classrooms. The framework incorporated all five key components Vosniadou (2007a, 2007b) described as existing in a learner's schema: framework theory, presuppositions, conceptual domains,…

In design studio, sketching or visual thinking is part of processes that assist students to achieve final design solutions. At Queensland University of Technology's (QUT's) First and Third Year industrial design studio classes we engage in a variety of teaching pedagogies from which we identify "Concept Bombs" as instrumental in the…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare methods of working with pedagogical capital in teacher and mentor education. The author makes an account of the development of the concept of pedagogical capital and relates it to the theoretical context of practice theory. Empirical data will substantiate the theoretical discussion of teachers'…

This review essay examines three new books on higher education and sustainability. It explores a number of the issues raised in the books, in particular, the meaning of a transformative orientation towards sustainability. The idea of loose and tight conceptual framings of sustainability is employed. A tight framing is where an institution embodies…

The Mathematics Mastery programme is a whole-school approach to teaching mathematics that aims to raise attainment for all pupils and close the attainment gap between pupils from low income families and their peers. The programme aims to deepen pupils' conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts. This summary is based on two randomised…

This article reviews seven different theories of giftedness that include creativity as a component, comparing and contrasting how each one conceptualizes creativity as a part of giftedness. The functions of creativity vary across the models, suggesting that while the field of gifted education often cites the importance of creativity, the…

In this article we ask how concepts that organize work in two professional disciplines change during moments of consultation, which represent concerted efforts by participants to work differently now and in the future. Our analysis compares structures of talk, the adequacy of representations of practice, and epistemic and moral stances deployed…

Mind maps may provide a new means to gather unsolicited data through qualitative research designs. In this paper, I explore the utility of mind maps through a project designed to uncover the experiences of Latvians involved in a legal technical assistance project. Based on a sample of 19 respondents, the depth and detail of the responses between…