Using data from a problem-posing project, this study analyzed the characteristics of middle school students' responses to problem-posing prompts that did not match our assumptions and expectations to better understand student thinking. The study found that the characteristics of middle school students' unexpected responses were distributed across…

Background/purpose. Self-efficacy plays a crucial role in enhancing performance in complex tasks such as mathematical modeling, yet its impact remains underexplored. This study examines whether there are influences on students' self-efficacy in modeling. Materials/methods. The research method employs a quantitative design, utilizing regression…

The main purpose of this research is to examine the informal strategies of fifth and sixth grade students while solving inverse proportional word problems. Multiple case study was used in this study. The research was carried out in a public middle school from a southern city of Türkiye. The participants of the research consist of three fifth and…

Students frequently struggled with the mathematizing process -- forging connections between implicit and explicit mathematical thinking -- when solving a context-rich applied problem. The current research investigated how students interact with and leverage purposively designed "mathematizing" supports when solving applied math problems…

Computational thinking is an essential ability for students in the 21st century. Therefore, this study described students' mathematical computational thinking process in terms of self-efficacy of eighth graders, consisting of 32 students. The applied instruments were self-efficacy questionnaires, computational thinking ability tests, and interview…

Despite the growing use of the Internet as a source of information for learning, few studies have focused on developing strategies to teach the skills of reflecting on and evaluating the contents and structure of the texts found online. In response to this, we designed and tested a method for teaching reading literacy based on an adaptation of the…

The current study explores the connection and affordances of talk and gesture in collaborative science problem-solving activities using an emerging analytical approach. A total of 15 three to five-member groups of middle school students participated in a set of clinical collaborative science problem-solving activities. Six groups (three low- and…

Background: Game-based learning can frame problem-solving as a sense-making experience with domain-specific tasks for school students. However, multiple challenges arise when trying to support learners in such a complex, problem-oriented learning environment. Objectives and Methods: With an architecture-themed mathematics learning game, we…

This study examined the relationship between mathematics achievement and epistemic actions. Cognitive actions that are observed as outcomes of using intellectual resources are referred to as epistemic actions in this study. We focused on four epistemic actions as follows: "selecting," "analyzing," "computing," and…

Students have varying degrees of creativity and can develop their creative abilities in specific disciplines through various stimuli. Tracing the students' mathematical creativity is very important since creativity is not a gift for specific students; rather, all students have it. The participants of this study were 170 urban and rural middle…

To help young students succeed in problem-based learning (PBL), researchers suggested investigating students' need for cognition (NFC), one's inclination to exert mental effort during learning. How one puts mental effort into a learning task is related to motivation. If motivated, students are more likely to engage in challenging tasks, put in…

Mathematics is most engaging when students see the relevance to their own lives and communities (Civil, 2002; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM], 2000). The Temporary Skate-Safe Area task is an example of how mathematical modeling can be used to solve a real-world problem in a way that promotes mathematical belonging, social…

Mathematical beliefs and metacognitive knowledge play significant roles in solving mathematical problems; thus, this study aims to investigate the influence of middle school students' beliefs on their metacognitive knowledge when solving geometry problems. This study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative research methods. A linear regression…

Multilingual learners (MLs) encounter key language features that influence their mathematical word problem-solving processes. Much of the readily available literature surrounding MLs' experiences in the mathematics classroom explores either their content knowledge or how language affects their mathematics achievement. Far less literature has…

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of STEM activities on students' attitudes towards STEM and problem-solving skills by taking their components into account. An experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was applied in the study. Quantitative and qualitative data collection tools were used. The participants of the study…