The objective of this dissertation was to explore the paradoxical nature of Combinatorics as both a difficult and accessible domain in Mathematics, particularly for K-12 students. This paradox in Combinatorics' nature raised questions about how students interact with problems in this domain and the factors influencing their understanding and…

The recent integration of visual capabilities into Large Language Models (LLMs) has the potential to play a pivotal role in science and technology education, where visual elements such as diagrams, charts, and tables are commonly used to improve the learning experience. This study investigates the performance of ChatGPT-4 Vision, OpenAI's most…

The project team for the National Monitoring Study of Student Achievement (NMSSA) has recently begun writing reports focussed on how insights generated by the study can be used to promote learning and teaching. The reports are written primarily for teachers. This short article introduces the reports with a special emphasis on the mathematics and…

This paper explores the complex problem of project sustainability, focusing on the leadership of three primary school mathematics leaders. Using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), the leaders' efforts are reported, highlighting their contribution to project sustainability. The CHAT-informed research design supported the generation of…

High Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) are a significant part of the implementation of the 2013 Curriculum to develop student competencies in the 21st century. Not only in the context of learning are HOTS considered important. They contribute to the National Examination held in Indonesia, so careful preparation for this exam is needed. Chemistry has…

A more motivating way of introducing students to probability theory is through real-world problems. Since heuristics play an important role in our probabilistic judgement, knowing how to avoid incorrect probabilistic reasoning, which leads to several biases, could help students to develop more critical thinking skills. In this paper, we present a…

The purpose of this study was to explore geometry spatial mathematical reasoning in Grade nine Annual National Assessments, South Africa. Conceptual Blending was the guiding theory. Document analysis within the exploratory case study was used to explore available data, the 2014 Annual National Assessment learners' scripts (n=1250). Results…

In the study reported on here I evaluated the alignment between the Annual National Assessment (ANA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Theoretical perspectives were drawn from the Survey Enacted Curriculum (SEC), while quantitative correlational methods were used to determine the alignment between ANA and TIMSS…

This study was aimed to investigate effect of National Examination (UN) and curriculum also their interaction effect on students' performance in solving TIMSS model Mathematics problems. This study was carried out with 300 8th graders of East Kalimantan students. The participants were from three mathematics National Examination result school…

Internationally, education reform has been directed towards describing educational goals that go beyond topic and content descriptions. The idea of mathematical competencies describes such goals. National tests have been seen as one way of communicating these goals and influence teaching. The present study analyses Swedish national tests in…

Most large-scale summative assessments present results in terms of cumulative scores. Although such descriptions can provide insights into general trends over time, they do not provide detail of how students solved the tasks. Less restrictive access to raw data from these summative assessments has occurred in recent years, resulting in…

There are relatively few studies in Australia and South-East Asian region that combine investigating models of math growth trajectories with predictors such as reasoning ability and reading comprehension skills. Math achievement is one of the major components of overall academic achievement and it is important to determine what factors (especially…

The link between reading and mathematics achievement is well known, and an important question is whether readability factors in mathematics problems are differentially impacting student groups. Using 20 years of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, we examine how…

Large-scale numeracy assessments are intended to facilitate the improvement of educational outcomes; however, it is not clear exactly how this is to be achieved. To move towards the goal of numeracy for all, it is necessary to systematically address issues that are known to be difficult, pervasive and persistent. This paper includes an analysis of…

The purpose of mathematics competitions, and in our case the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO), is to promote problem solving skills and strategies, to generate interest and enthusiasm for mathematics and to identify the most talented mathematical minds. SAMO is organised in two divisions--a junior and a senior division--over three rounds.…