How could the Presentation of a Geometrical Task Influence Student Creativity?

This study aims to investigate high school students’ geometry learning by focusing on mathematical creativity and its relationship with visualisation and geometrical figure apprehension. The presentation of a geometrical task and its influence on students’ mathematical creativity is the main topic investigated. The authors combine theory and research in mathematical creativity, considering Roza Leikin’s research work on Multiple-Solution Tasks with theory and research in visualisation and geometrical figure apprehension, mainly considering Raymond Duval’s work. The relations between creativity, visualization and geometrical figure apprehension are examined through four Geometry Multiple-Solution Tasks given to high school students in Greece. The geometrical tasks are divided into two categories depending on whether their wording is accompanied by the relevant figure or not. The results of the study indicate a multidimensional character of relations among creativity, visualization and geometrical figure apprehension. Didactical implications and future research opportunities are discussed.

Why Multispecies’ Flourishing?

For a while now we have been working on an idea, a framework/perspective/way of knowing, being, and doing that we believe needs to be more explicitly considered and written about in mathematics, science and technology education. In this editorial we intend to introduce this idea, what the important parts of it are, discuss why we believe it is important for both research and the teaching of children, how it could be incorporated into science, mathematics and technology classes, and why we think it important enough to be researched and written about for future issues of this journal.

The Role of Representations in the Understanding of Mathematical Concepts in Higher Education: The case of Function for Economics Students

the case of higher education most studies were conducted at pedagogical departments for prospective teachers and mathematical departments. The present study concentrates on university students who attend a course on mathematics as part of a program at the Faculty of Economics and Management. It examines students’ affective and cognitive behavior in solving representation tasks concerning their understanding of exponential and logarithmic functions. Results confirmed the existence of a comprehensive model with significant interrelations among general beliefs, self-efficacy beliefs and cognitive behaviour about the use of representations in general and, in the case of the specific concept. Regression analysis indicated the predominant role the self-efficacy beliefs play in the use of representations in defining the concept of function and solving recognition and translation tasks. Implications about the teaching of mathematics in higher education are discussed.

Is the STEM gender gap closing?

The Networking for Science Advancement (NSA) team's institutions consist of nine universities located in one large southwestern state. This study evaluated students enrolled from Spring 2017 to Fall 2019 in first- and second-semester general chemistry. Over 90% of the students (n = 6,694) have been exposed to a secondary school isomorphic curriculum. The population studied, Chem I (n = 4,619) and Chem II (n = 2,075), met entry-level criteria and are therefore expected to succeed (i.e., earn grades of A, B or C). This study's focus is to disaggregate data based on binary gender (M/F) in hopes of revealing patterns that might remain hidden when studying an undivided population. In Chem I, the female population was 59.6% and increased to 64.5% for Chem II. The 15-min., diagnostic Math-Up Skills Test’s (MUST) scores identified about half of all students who were unsuccessful (grades of D and F). Results from the study support that males enter Chem I and II with better automaticity skills (what can be done without using a calculator) than females. However, females outperformed males on course averages in Chem I but not Chem II. Our data provide supporting evidence that the gender gap may be closing.

Measuring Opportunity Cost in Statistics Using Evaluative Space Grid Items

Challenges to measuring students’ attitudes toward statistics remain despite decades of focused research. Measuring the expectancy-value theory (EVT) Cost construct has been especially challenging owing in part to the historical lack of research about it. To measure the EVT Cost construct better, this study asked university students to respond to items using both a Likert-type response and an Evaluative Space Grid (ESG)-type response. ESG items enable bivariate responses in a single item and permit distinguishing among two different types of neutral attitudes: indifferent and ambivalent. This pilot study evaluates the appropriateness of ESG-type items for measuring the EVT Cost construct by analyzing student response patterns to ESG-type items and comparing them with Likert-type items. Validity evidence is documented using descriptive statistics and graphs, correlations among items, and a trinomial hypothesis test. Internal consistency reliability indices are also reported. Friedman’s Test is used to compare the average response times for items of different types. Results indicate that students can meaningfully respond to ESG-type items in ways that are similar to their Likert-type responses, that students respond to ESG-type items quicker with more practice, and that distinguishing among indifferent and ambivalent attitudes seems appropriate for the EVT Cost construct. These findings suggest that ESG-type items may provide new insights not possible with Likert-type items but also that more research should be conducted to better understand their advantages and disadvantages within statistics education.

Developing Engineering Identity in an Introductory Engineering Course: A Multi-Case Analysis

Research in engineering education has identified several factors relevant to the development of students’ identity as engineers. Here we examine the engineering identity of undergraduate engineering students after an introductory engineering course. The specific research question explored here is: "How do engineering students in an introductory engineering course interpret competence, performance, and recognition in relation to their identities as engineers?” We used a modified engineering identity framework to explore the development of engineering identity within the undergraduate engineering context through a multiple case study approach. Six students majoring in engineering participated in the study. The students had divergent perspectives on what it meant to be competent as an engineer. In all cases, students connected both competence and performance as an engineer with persistence. At this introductory stage, self-recognition as an engineering person took center stage for each student. All were able to identify themselves strongly as an engineering person. The findings add to the current understandings about the development of engineering identity, and suggest that engineering identity may be critically important in conversations about the steps faculty may take in working with students to promote increased retention of undergraduate students in engineering.

The Effects of Online Organic Chemistry Laboratory Videos on Students’ Perceptions and Intrinsic Motivation

The purpose of this exploratory study is to investigate students’ use and perceptions of online videos and intrinsic motivation toward the online videos in an organic chemistry laboratory course, which used online videos to assist students’ preparation and learning in the lab. Students’ responses to an anonymous survey showed that they watched the online videos one or more times based on their available time. Descriptive statistics showed that students had positive perceptions about the effect of online videos in terms of their preparation of labs, understanding the concepts, doing hands-on activities, and other aspects in the lab, which were consistent with their written comments. 44% of students showed positive intrinsic motivation toward the online videos according to items based on self-determination theory. Correlation results showed that the effect subscales were strongly related to each other, and students’ intrinsic motivation was significantly and positively related to students’ perceived effect of the online videos on their understanding and preparation with medium to large effect sizes. Inferential tests showed that students who had a positive perception of intrinsic motivation scored significantly higher on the understanding subscale with a medium to large effect size. The findings in this study suggest the online organic chemistry laboratory videos have significant potential to improve students learning and it is important to stimulate student intrinsic motivation toward the online videos which will help students benefits more from the effects of the online videos.

Gender Gap in engineering and medical Colleges in India

Gender gap in Engineering streams is not new. More number of males are seen enrolling for these streams compared to females. In a developing country like India, the population is predominately young and this gap can make a large impact. Interestingly, a noticeable gender gap is also witnessed in students opting for medicine in India. The number of females opting to study medicine is higher compared to males. The large population also creates a surging demand for admissions into reputed institutes and these institutes are few in number, to make it an even ground for students to enter these institutes, National level examinations are conducted every year like the NEET and the AIEE. This present study looks at the statistical data from past five years of these National-level exams conducted for students interested to pursue medicine or engineering. These exams determine student’s admission into IIT’s and other reputed institutes. A significant and a constant gap was observed in gender. In a large democratic country, professional courses like engineering and medicine should not be exclusive for a single gender. Policies and further studies should be made to create these exams and courses gender inclusive

An Investigation of Success Factors in a High School Algebra Intervention Program

This quantitative study allowed investigation of a high school Algebra intervention program through examination of potential relationships among teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning, teachers’ instructional styles, students’ academic self-concept in mathematics, and students’ mathematics achievement. Existing research focused on individual components used in this study on the elementary level; thus, leaving a gap in understanding of how factors related to the success of high school students. Results may provide information to teachers and administrators regarding relationships among factors shown to impact student achievement in mathematics, and provide evaluation of an Algebra intervention program at the secondary level. The researcher utilized the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Teaching and Learning Beliefs Questionnaire to identify beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics and the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) to determine how closely instruction in Algebra classrooms aligned with constructivist practices. Students were given the Academic Self-Description Questionnaire II (ASDQII) as pre-and-post measures of academic self-concept in relation to mathematics; then, data were checked for relationships to achievement, measured by common semester final exams. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient analysis determined significant relationships existed between RTOP scores and the ASDQII prompts: I am hopeless when it comes to mathematics; work in mathematics is easy for me; and I get good marks in mathematics classes. Significant relationships were defined between Teaching Style and both Productive and Unproductive Teacher Beliefs, as well as between students’ academic self-concept in mathematics and overall mastery of Algebra content, measured by scores on common semester finals.

Saudi High School STEM Teachers’ Understanding and Practices of Creativity in the Classroom

Creativity is a fundamental skill that needs to be promoted in order to develop individuals’ economic and social status. Formal education is an appropriate place to enhance creativity. Therefore, international governments and educational administrators have been paying more attention to creativity in the educational context. In contrast, there are many concerns regarding the lack of students' creative thinking. In particular, the Saudi Ministry of education acknowledged that their educational system struggles with a weak environment that hinders creativity. Thus, the Saudi Ministry of Education aims to enhance creativity as one of its main educational goals of the Saudi 2030 vision. This paper aims to assess Saudi high school STEM teachers’ understanding of creativity, as they are a key component for enhancing creativity in the school environment. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia with nine Saudi high school STEM teachers. The qualitative data collection strategy included semi-structured interviews. The analysis approach was a priori coding based on the review of the theoretical foundations for creativity and innovation in European education. The analysis shows that Saudi high school STEM teachers have various definitions of creativity. Participants valued creative students by providing opportunities and establishing positive relationships with them. Teachers claimed they practiced creativity through instructional practices that engage students’ participation in the learning process. Participants were not satisfied with their professional development or the technical support provided by the Saudi Ministry of Education. The study results suggest further exploration and recommendations that enrich the research area of creativity in STEM education.