This paper contains an analysis of some early thinking of 94 young children aged 5 years 7 months to 6 years 5 months. These children were interviewed as part of a larger study of the multiplicative thinking of children who were midway through their first year of school in Australia. They had not been formally taught multiplication or division at…

This paper aims to understand how primary students use gestures to solve partition tasks and to what extent these gestures may promote fraction understanding. Analysis of six selected students' answers to partitioning tasks, classroom observation, and post-lesson interviews indicates that co-thought representational gestures play a critical role.…

The increasing use of complex machine learning models in education has led to concerns about their interpretability, which in turn has spurred interest in developing explainability techniques that are both faithful to the model's inner workings and intelligible to human end-users. In this paper, we describe a novel approach to creating a…

This paper analyses learners' common errors in simplifying algebraic problems. 102 Grade 10 learners from three rural schools in South Africa participated in the study. Following a quantitative approach, content analysis of learners' responses to algebraic tests revealed that while learners commit several errors in algebraic problems, encoding and…

Mathematical problem-solving places heavy demands on children's developing working memory capacity. This review examines how offloading numerical information using embodied (e.g. finger counting) or external tools (e.g. manipulatives) can reduce cognitive load and improve mathematical task performance. Strategic offloading emerges in childhood;…

This paper proposes a three-step approach to develop knowledge graphs that integrate textbook-based target knowledge graph with student dialogue-based knowledge graphs. The study was conducted in seventh-grade STEM classes, following a collaborative problem solving process. First, the proposed approach generates a comprehensive target knowledge…

The Physics One Mechanics in a community college syllabus usually allocates more time to cover the topics in kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, and rotation; with relatively less time for the topics of fluid mechanics and heat diffusion in the creation of a knowledge gap for those students deciding on mechanical and chemical engineering…

Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) is a vital 21st-century skill that integrates social and cognitive processes to achieve shared goals. Despite its importance, understanding how communication dynamics shape individual learning outcomes in CPS tasks remains a challenge, particularly in virtual settings. To address this gap, this study analyzes…

We presented two empirical studies to assess the efficacy of two Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) frameworks on two distinct Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) to exploring the impact of Worked Example (WE) and Problem Solving (PS) on student learning. The first study was conducted on a probability tutor where we applied a classic DRL to induce…

Tychonov's 1935 solution of the heat equation, exhibiting nontrivial heat fluxes spontaneously appearing along an isolated conducting rod initially held at zero degrees, has intrigued some specialists for almost a century. No doubt those practicing heat engineers who took mathematics seriously were initially relieved to learn that the construction…

Research suggests that collaborative learning may enhance the benefits to learners when solving cognitively demanding tasks. However, there are concerns about how students with different achievement and engagement levels perceive these benefits. This study examines how students with varying achievement and engagement levels respond to…

This paper aims at using a Use-Modify-Create approach to explore students' mathematical problem solving by means of computational thinking (CT) and programming activities. The data collection method is participant observation, in which the researcher also has the role as teacher, guiding the group activities. In our study, two groups of students…

This study explores opportunities to learn definite integrals in three widely used textbooks in the U.S. Definitions, worked examples, and exercise problems were coded using research-based cognitive resources in definite integrals. The results show that limited opportunities for students to explore multiplicative relationship between two…

Metacognitive strategies play a crucial role in Computer-Based Learning Environments (CBLEs). However, students often struggle to apply these strategies spontaneously during learning. Research demonstrates that metacognitive prompts can effectively guide students' awareness and help them monitor their learning progress, leading to improved…

Open-ended learning environments (OELEs) support constructivist approaches to STEM learning. This promotes student engagement and facilitates a deeper understanding of STEM topics. Despite their benefits, OELEs can present significant challenges for novice learners. Recent studies have revealed the complex relationship between students' affective…