In 2010 a mathematics curriculum was introduced in Irish second level schools entitled 'Project Maths' (PM). It aimed to refocus second level mathematics teaching and learning away from an over emphasis on procedural mathematics towards problem solving and real understanding [Department of Education and Skills (DES). (2010). "Report of the…

In the frame of national Italian standardized assessments in mathematics, a didactic phenomenon has been observed concerning students' behaviour when answering an item: students are inclined towards not accepting an output which is not clearly recognizable with something distinct from the starting inputs. The observed effect seems to originate…

Many people consider problem solving as a complex process in which variables such as "x," "y" are used. Problems may not be solved by only using "variable." Problem solving can be rationalized and made easier using practical strategies. When especially the development of children at younger ages is considered, it is…

We examine what kind of concept definitions of area a group of Finnish primary and lower secondary student teachers (N = 82) use, and how the quality of the definitions is associated with the participants' success in seven exercises involving area. We are especially interested in how the understanding of the two-dimensionality of area appears in…

The effect of high school study of mathematics on numeracy performance of sports and exercise science (SES) students is not clear. To investigate this further, we tested the numeracy skills of 401 students enrolled in a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree in SES using a multiple-choice survey consisting of four background questions and 39 numeracy…

The identification of talented students accurately at an early age and the adaptation of the education provided to the students depending on their abilities are of great importance for the future of the countries. In this regard, this study aims to develop a mathematical ability test for the identification of the mathematical abilities of students…

College calculus teaches students important mathematical concepts and skills. The course also has a substantial impact on students' attitude toward mathematics, affecting their career aspirations and desires to take more mathematics. This national US study of 3103 students at 123 colleges and universities tracks changes in students'…

In its mathematics standards, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) states that problem solving is an integral part of all mathematics learning and exposure to problem solving strategies should be embedded across the curriculum. Furthermore, by high school, students should be able to use, decide and invent a wide range of strategies.…

This article reports on a study carried out to measure the mathematical literacy of a selection of students entering third-level education in Ireland. The study investigates how such students performed when confronted with mathematical tasks, which, though commensurate with their level of education, may not have been familiar to them, and to…

We investigate the conceptual and procedural knowledge in integration of a group of students who has successfully completed a one-year calculus course. The participants are asked five questions and their responses are analysed in detail. We observed that the students do not have satisfactory conceptual understanding of integration. Moreover, it is…

The objective of this study was to evaluate "biomathtutor" by (i) investigating the impact of "biomathtutor" on the mathematics skills competencies of bioscience undergraduates, and (ii) assessing students' and tutors' reactions to "biomathtutor", identifying whether and how tutors might integrate it into their curricula and blend it with more…

This study extends the debate concerning the mathematical skills deficit of bioscience undergraduates towards a deeper understanding of their mathematics learning, since only through the latter can appropriate and effective explicit teaching be implemented. Three hundred and twenty-six first-year bioscience undergraduates, from three pre- and four…