Differentiated instruction in the mathematics classroom: Teachers’ teaching experience in a teacher professional development

Differentiated instruction is an approach that can be used to facilitate students with various characteristics and help them to master mathematics in every topic learned. This study describes teachers’ performance in implementing differentiated instruction. In the second secondary school level, thirty mathematics teachers designed mathematics lessons using differentiated instruction in different topics, peer-reviewed, and peer-presented. Implementing the lesson in a real classroom was done while conducting classroom observation to see what works well during the learning process and improve it. Qualitative descriptive method was used to describe the process of research and analyze findings during the lesson through observation and forum group interview. From this process, teachers prepared instruction based on students’ abilities, took into account personal mathematics understanding, and helped students achieve mathematics learning goals. Teachers also learned strategies for helping students learned. Meanwhile, students enjoyed the learning process through their different ways of learning.

The use of creative problem solving model to develop students’ adaptive reasoning ability: Inductive, deductive, and intuitive

This study was aimed at investigating adaptive reasoning ability of junior high school students through the implementation of the creative problem solving model. This study employed a mixed-method approach using an embedded concurrent strategy. Thirty students were selected randomly as the sample from 180 Year 8 students, and six students were selected to be observed and further interviewed after the final test. The instruments used were a test and interview questions. The results showed that there was a significant increase in the students' ability between the pre-test and post-test. In addition, there was also an increase in the ability of the six students based on an adaptive reasoning rubric. The increase was more dominant for the first and fifth indicators while the increases of the second and fourth indicators varied. Some students were able to solve the problem based on the indicators, but it was incomplete due to miscalculation, and some students were lacking in the ability to find the pattern and drawing a correct conclusion as a result of the profound basic knowledge. In general, these results indicated that students were able to develop adaptive reasoning although the maximum score could not be achieved.The use of creative problem solving model to develop adaptive reasoning ability: Inductive, deductive and intuitive

Future teachers’ mathematics cognitive failures and their learning styles

<p>This study investigated the disparities in the mathematics cognitive failures of future mathematics teachers based on learning style inclination. As a descriptive survey study, the sample included 480 future mathematics teachers from four universities in south-west Nigeria. Two research questions were involved and two instruments were used for the collection of quantitative data for the study: Learning Style Inventory (LSI, Cronbach alpha coefficient=0.74) and the Mathematics Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (MCFQ, Cronbach alpha coefficient=0.89). The collected data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), frequency, and percentage. Results showed that future mathematics teachers in varying degrees preferred the four learning styles of convergers, divergers, accommodators, and assimilators. In addition, there was a statistically significant influence of learning style on future teachers’ mathematics cognitive failures. Thus, there were meaningful disparities in mathematics cognitive failures between accommodators and the other three types of future teachers: divergers, convergers, and assimilators. The disparity was in support of the accommodators. Succinctly, the accommodators pooled the greatest mathematics cognitive failures while the divergers recorded the least mathematics cognitive failures. In line with these study findings, it is advised that strategies that could reduce future teachers’ mathematics cognitive failures and close the gaps created by learning styles should be enacted to promote their success in mathematics learning.</p>

Examing type and quality of preservice teachers’ lessons based on children’s literature

<p class="ABS-C">This qualitiative research explores the types and levels of mathematical lesson tasks that 60 future elementary and middle school teachers created during an undergraduate mathematics content and pedagogy course. Data collection consisted of 51 children’s book inspired activities written by the preservice teachers. Using Stein et al.’s Task Analysis Guide as an assessment tool, the researchers coded the activities into 1 of 4 categories, as well as categorized each activity based on its mathematical content using the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Results showed that a majority of the PSTs wrote activities that were classified as <em>Procedures with Connections</em>. Also, a majority of the activities were geometry-based, specifically transformations and two-dimesional measurements. Implications for teaching include the fact that preservice elementary and middle school teachers can create mathematics lessons based on children’s literature, which often can include mathematical tasks that are making connections to procedural mathematics or even higher order thinking tasks.</p>

Partnerships in mathematics and science teacher preparation in Zimbabwe

<p class="ABS-C">Research evidence indicates that collaborative partnerships among stakeholders develop strong sense of ownership, interest and commitment, which promotes successful programme implementation. Research evidence also supports that loose partnerships adversely affect programme implementation. This study sought to explore the nature of partnerships among teacher education stakeholders in the pre–service Diploma in Education programme, offered at Teachers’ College S which is an associate of the University of Zimbabwe. Interviews with mentor teachers, pre-service teachers on attachment teaching practice/practicum, and head teachers were used to generate and collect data. Findings revealed existence of collaborative partnerships among Teachers’ College S, schools and the University of Zimbabwe. However, most mentor teachers expressed concern on absence of a policy guiding their operations. Recommendations to strengthen collaborative partnerships in pre–service teacher preparation were made.</p>

Identification of students’ misconceptions in proving onto and one-to-one function in abstract algebra using certainty response index

<p>This research is aimed to identify students’ misconceptions in proving onto and one-to-one function in Abstract Algebra using CRI (Certainty Response Index), which is an instrument to distinguish misconceptions and errors. This research uses qualitative method. There are eighteen research participants, and they are Mathematics Education students in 3rd semester. Researcher asked participants to solve some problems related to mathematical proof. Then, participants gave score based on their belief or level of certainty. The result shows that ten students get misconceptions. They were weak in understanding the definition of onto and one-to-one function, and are not yet trained to proof onto and one-to-one function in Abstract Algebra. Further, this research also find that the errors of participants in proving mathematics are mainly influenced by errors in algebraic operation.</p>

Improving students’ mathematics learning outcomes through the implementation of think-pair-share model

This research is a classroom action research which aims to improve mathematics learning outcomes through the application of the Think-Pair-Share type of cooperative learning model. The research subjects were 25 tenth grade students who consisted of 9 male students and 16 female students. The instruments used were observation sheets, response questionnaires, and learning outcomes tests. Data collection techniques in this study were information on student activities, implementation of actions, and students’ learning outcomes. Data on the observations of student activities and response questionnaires will be analyzed qualitatively, whereas data on students’ learning outcomes will be analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics. The results of this study showed that the application of the cooperative learning model with Think-Pair-Share model can improve students’ mathematics learning outcomes.

Development of adversity quotient based geometry learning model for prospective teachers

<p class="ABS-C">The objective of this research is to develop the adversity quotient-based and media-assisted model of mathematics teaching. The stages follow Plomp Model that involves (1) preliminary study, (2) designing (planning), (3) realization/ construction, (4) test, evaluation and revision, (5) implementation. Stages 1 through 3 were held in 2017, stages 4 and 5 completed in 2018 and 2019. Through the preliminary study, designing, and realization/construction, the researchers were able to construct the model in five components: syntax, social system, reaction principles, supporting system, and instructional and nurturing effect. The syntax of this model covers: introduction of learning objectives, motivating, the presentation of prerequisite material and the discussion structured task, student categorization based on adversity quotient, group discussion, group presentation, concluding the discussion, evaluation, and assigning structured-tasks individually and in groups.</p>

Is a confidence needed in learning mathematics?

<p>Metacognitive blindness is often found in students with unsatisfactory academic performance. However, this study aims to reveal the process of metacognitive blindness that occurs during problem solving experienced by students with quite good academic performance. The data collected is in the form of words obtained through interviews and pictures of the work of research subjects. Description of data analysis and interpretation of the meaning of findings using text analysis. Analysis is carried out in all phases of problem solving, including analyzing, exploring, planning steps to solve problems, implementing a problem solving plan, and checking again. The results of qualitative analysis show that subjects who are students with good academic performance can experience anomalous results during the problem solving process. In this study, the anomalous result in question is a condition where the subject feels anomaly during the problem solving process, where the anomaly is actually not there. In this case, subjects who have good academic performance tend to have too much confidence. This makes the performance in the problem-solving process less optimal.</p>

The excess of Kahoot for pre-service teacher as an evaluation tool

Technology-based instrument is one of the main factors in improving the quality of learning in the classroom. The purpose of the study was to see pre-service teacher' response using Kahoot as evaluation tool. This study was carried out on third year students in UniversitasKhairun. The study employed a questionnaire that consists of 15 items about the excess of Kahoot. A total of 23 subjects participated in this study. The students highly perceived Kahoot as a game that can increase self-confidence, a fun game, interesting game, and the most useful tools to be used later when the students become teacher