Gamification as a Teaching Method to Improve Performance and Motivation in Tertiary Education during COVID-19: A Research Study from Mexico

Gamification is usually understood as a pedagogical strategy that favors student engagement and motivation. Traditionally it is composed of dynamics, mechanics, and components. The purpose of this study was to compare Engineering and Economics and Social Sciences undergraduate students in their performance (grades), motivation, quality of assignments, participation, and emotion when their teachers used gamification as an innovative teaching method during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pearson correlations, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Mann–Whitney test were conducted. Additionally, four students were interviewed to describe the emotional downside of the lockdown. The main results indicate that there are higher positive relationships among variables in the Engineering undergraduate students rather than in Economics and Social Sciences and show that emotion poorly correlates with performance, especially for the Economics and Social Sciences students, as many have a negative attitude toward learning mathematics. Additionally, gender and scholarship status are not differential factors. Gamification proved to be a useful pedagogical strategy to promote participation and enhance motivation among undergraduate students, particularly in a context of academic confinement. This study gives teachers an idea of the benefits and extent to which gamification can be used in the classroom.

Gender Differences in Social Comparison Processes and Self-Concept Among Students

Forced social comparison (i.e., comparing oneself to another “predefined” student) has often been studied in school settings. However, to our knowledge, studies that explore its association with academic self-concept have rarely distinguished between subjects involved (e.g., mathematics or language learning). Moreover, some processes taking place during forced social comparison are thought to have a negative impact on academic self-concept. Thus, the aims of this study were to explore: 1) the associations between self-concepts (i.e., Language learning, Mathematics and Social), attitudes towards school and social comparison processes in school settings; and 2) the influence of social comparison processes on components of academic self-concept across gender. A sample of 238 elementary school students (Mage = 10.12, SD = 1.25; 52% boys) completed a questionnaire assessing self-concepts and attitudes towards school, as well as a questionnaire measuring four social comparison processes. Results indicated that girls used negative processes (i.e., upward contrast and downward identification) more than boys. In addition, boys reported better self-concept in mathematics while girls reported better self-concept in language learning (small effect). Results of stepwise multiple linear regression analyses showed that upward contrast best explained gender differences, with a stronger effect for girls. Attitudes towards school only explained gender differences in language learning self-concept. Furthermore, positive processes (i.e., upward identification and downward contrast) have no effect on either component of academic self-concept. Results of this study demonstrate the need to examine the evolution of social comparison processes over time, considering their impact on students’ academic/social well-being and achievement from a gender perspective.

Developing Students’ Worksheet Based Missouri Mathematics Project With the integration of Students Local Wisdom in Teaching Mathematics and Physics

This study was conducted to develop students’ worksheet based Missouri Mathematic Project (MMP) in teaching and learning mathematics and physics. These materials were also integrated with students’ local wisdom. To realize the construction, this research used the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Development (ADDIE) as a research model. The students’ worksheet were reviewed and validated by two different experts in the aspects of media and materials used. The results indicated that 92.22% of the media was considered very valid. The materials employed in the worksheet were regarded 89.66 % to be very valid and as much as 91.52% was considered appropriate. Meanwhile, the data from questionnaires showed that the percentage evaluation as much as 77.24 % were taken from mathematics worksheet and 76.95 % was of physics. These results indicated that the students’ worksheets used to teach mathematics and physics can be applied as teaching and learning materials in the area of social arithmetic and in the unit and measurements.

The commognitive perspective of teaching skills of prospective mathematics teachers in microteaching subjects

This study aims to describe the teaching skills of prospective mathematics education teachers in micro-teaching subjects from a commognitive perspective. This type of research is qualitative research. The research subjects consisted of 15 students of the 2015 Mathematics Education Study Program class, which were taking micro-teaching courses. The instrument used in this study was a rubric sheet—an assessment of prospective teachers' teaching skills. Data analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion collection. The results showed that: Prospective mathematics education teachers in preliminary activities often use the word usage component, visual mediator, routine and do not use the narrative component. In the core activities of learning mathematics, teacher candidates use four components commognitive, which are the use of words, visual mediators, routine, and narrative. In the selection of mathematics education, teacher candidates only use the word use component. Commognitive provides an overview of mathematical cognitive-communication and content in the learning carried out.

Penerapan Metode E-Tutor Sebaya dalam Pembelajaran Matematika di Masa Pandemi Covid-19

Learning mathematics during the Covid-19 pandemic required a lot of adjustments, in terms of materials, methods, media, strategies, and so on. This paper describes the results of one best practice in learning mathematics by implementing e-peer tutoring method as a form of distance learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this writing is to describe the implementation of e-peer tutoring method in learning mathematics, especially in the material of Linear Equations and Inequalities of One Variable for grade VII Junior High School 1 Wonosari, Gunungkidul. The stages of this method includes the preparation, implementation, and evaluation. Analysis of initial ability, tutor selection, group formation, and preparation of learning program were carried out in the preparation stage. As for the activities at the implementation stage, the teacher uploads material and discussion sheets via Google Classroom, students discuss in their groups through Whatsapp group with the help of the tutor, students send assignments online, and the tutor reports on discussion activities. At the evaluation stage, students take test and fill out the questionnaires. The results at the evaluation stage indicate that this method can work well and has a positive impact on cognitive and affective aspects. In terms of cognitive aspects, the average score and percentage of students’ mastery increased compared to the previous basic competencies. In terms of affective aspect, this method has a positive impact on students’ motivation and self-confidence.

Implementasi pendekatan pendidikan matematika realistik ditinjau dari pemahaman konsep, aktivitas, dan respons siswa

This study aims to describe the ability to understand mathematical concepts, activities and student responses in learning mathematics with realistic mathematics education approach. To achieve this goal, a quasi-experimental study was conducted with one group pretest posttest design. The population of the study was the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 4 Angkola Timur, sampling by purposive sampling, namely class 8-2, totaling 26 students. Research activities include the stages of giving the Pre-test followed by learning for 3 meetings which then ends with a final test. Through research conducted using the Paired Samples Test, a significance of 0.00 < 0.05 was obtained, which gave the decision that the initial hypothesis was accepted. Of the 9 aspects of learning activities studied in the application of realistic mathematics education, the overall average value of the percentage of all activities met the active criteria. Furthermore, the average overall student response to being happy, new, interested and understanding/interested in the implementation of realistic mathematics education is 91.11% ≥ 85%. Thus it is concluded that: 1) The implementation of a realistic mathematics education approach has a significant positive influence in learning students' ability to understand mathematical concepts; 2) Student activities in learning mathematics with realistic mathematics education approach are effective; 3) Student responses to learning activities with realistic mathematics education are in the positive category.

Integrating Computational Thinking and Mathematics

Globally, computational thinking and coding in schools has become more popular as well as a growing area of interest in education reform. Coupling coding with creative thinking promises to meaningfully engage students in their learning and to improve their coding and computational thinking skills. This prompts discussions about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), which promotes creativity and innovation through the integration of the arts in STEM subjects. This study addresses the following question: What mathematics and computational thinking do students learn through different models of STEAM education in non-profit and in-school contexts? A small sample was taken of four different STEAM programs in Ontario, Canada. We carried out a qualitative case study with 103 participants, 19 adults and 84 students. The findings from this study have implications for designing, implementing and researching K-8 STEAM programs that promote coding and computational thinking skills in the context of learning mathematics.

Innovative Classroom Strategy: Impact on Students’ Mathematics Motivation, Anxiety and Achievement in Pre-University Studies

One aspect that influences mathematics achievement is students' mathematics motivation, which is closely related to their mathematics anxiety. This study aims to incorporate a classroom intervention strategy using a brain-based teaching approach (BBTA) with technological tools to improve students' mathematics performance in pre-university studies. BBTA was used in the classroom to increase students’ mathematics interest and minimise their mathematics anxiety to increase mathematics performance. Two hundred and six (206) pre-university students were exposed to both BBTA and conventional instructions during their Statistic lessons. Questionnaire comprises of motivation and anxiety-related questions as well as pre and post mathematics tests were administered to these students. Based on the findings, students with low anxiety appeared to have more self-confidence when studying mathematics, which simultaneously improved their examination results. These two elements are critical in students' learning of mathematics because students who have low levels of anxiety and high levels of motivation in learning mathematics attain high achievement in mathematics.

Math Anxiety in Math Methods Courses

Many elements contribute to pre-service teachers' experiences in learning to teach mathematics. The transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators to challenge traditional math instruction. This chapter presents three major contributing elements in pre-service teacher preparation to foster creativity as a central component and an inevitable outcome of learning to teach mathematics with particular applications to online learning settings. The first section discusses learning to teach math as a creative activity. Some concrete instructional strategies are offered that promote dialogue-rich learning environments. The second section reviews current trends in learning to teach math. The author posits pre-service teachers who have suffered traumatic experiences in learning mathematics must first acquire tools for clearing math anxiety and fear. The third section is a call to action to encourage teachers to participate in and construct learning communities to teach mathematics including the use of instructional technology to support online instruction.