The current paper overviews a nine-month PhD study that investigated the impact of learning mathematics through sequences of challenging tasks on the mathematical competence and attitudes of Year 2 students (n = 59). Adopting a Self-Determination Theory lens, a pragmatist paradigm and a mixed-method design, the study found that at all levels of…

This study examined the effects of embodied learning experiences on students' understanding of computational thinking (CT) concepts and their ability to solve CT problems. In a mixed-reality learning environment, students mapped CT concepts, such as sequencing and loops, onto their bodily movements. These movements were later applied to robot…

Numeracy is one of the essential competencies that the objectives of teaching math to primary students should be towards. However, many research findings show that the problem of "innumeracy" frequently exists at primary schools. That means children still do not feel at home in the world of numbers and operations. Therefore, the paper…

Using robotics and programming, this study investigated the effects of different levels of embodied instruction on the problem-solving, debugging, programming proficiency, self-determination, and self-efficacy of students in ethnically diverse elementary classrooms. The first small-scale, quasi-experimental study involved 37 second-graders, who…

This article presents the journey taken by staff at St. Patrick's Primary School in Kilmore to implement a consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics, using an instructional model to support student learning through structured inquiry pedagogies.

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the effect of problem-posing on students' mathematical academic outcomes, including problem-solving skills, problem-posing skills, mathematical dispositions, and mathematics achievement. Twenty-one studies that were published between 1990 and 2019 with problem-posing as the intervention were included…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the use of the action-based manipulatives affects students' problem-solving skills, fluency, understanding, and reasoning ability in mathematics classrooms. A case study was conducted as an out-of-school project with seven second grade students who were part of the study group. Data collection…

It is known that a significant portion of the world's child population is gifted. Studies on the applications that can be used in the education of these gifted students have been given importance in recent years. In this study, the effect of differentiated instruction method on mathematics problem solving attitude and critical thinking skills of…

Despite the important role that metacognition plays in school mathematics, attention has only recently turned to primary grades. The aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to find out to what extent 6 second graders engage in metacognitive behaviors during mathematics problem-solving. The analysis was based on the adaptation of the…

The authors challenged their second grade students to design and build a small house for a Skylander toy character that would be economical, yet able to withstand "the elements of wind and rain." While this social studies (economics)/science/math integrated project was completed with second grade students, the lessons presented in this…

Gender is a critical social factor influencing how children view the world from very early childhood. Additionally, during the early elementary years, parents can have a significant influence on their child's behaviors and dispositions in fields such as science. This study examined the influence of parent gender and child gender on 2nd- and…

This report provides an overview of the development, implementation, and psychometric properties of a student mathematics interview designed to assess first- and second-grade student achievement and thinking processes. The student interview was conducted with 622 first- or second-grade students in 22 schools located in two public school districts…

This study investigates, through a cluster randomized trial, the impact of "Math in Focus," a core mathematics program modeled after instructional approaches used in Singapore, on third- through fifth-grade students' achievement in mathematics. The program is currently being used in more than 400 school districts in the United States.…

Prior work demonstrates the importance of introducing young children to programming and engineering content before gender stereotypes are fully developed and ingrained in later years. However, very little research on gender and early childhood technology interventions exist. This pilot study looks at N = 45 children in kindergarten through second…

Number sense is critical to the development of higher order mathematic abilities. However, some children have difficulty acquiring these fundamental skills and the knowledge base of effective interventions/remediation is relatively limited. Based on emerging neuro-scientific research which has identified the association between finger…