DEVELOPMENT OF ANIMATION-BASED MATHEMATICS LEARNING MEDIA USING CANVA TO ENHANCE CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING

This research identifies important features of mathematics learning from the accounts of early school leavers. These students were enrolled in a Youth Reconnected Program at a Technical and Further Education [TAFE] college. Specifically, it examines the relationship between their experiences of mathematics learning in two different social contexts, the program and secondary school classrooms, the discourses and associated discursive practices of these two contexts, and the forms of identities of participation that are constructed in them. Drawing on a social theory of learning and critical discourse theory, the research identifies the processes by which membership in communities of learning is achieved and identities discursively constructed. It draws on the accounts of forty-three early school leavers and six staff members located in a Youth Reconnected Program, a program designed to re-engage early school leavers in education and or training, about their prior experiences of secondary school and their current experiences of TAFE. From these accounts, the thesis seeks to explicate their experiences of learning mathematics in both contexts and to consider the implications of different student experiences of learning for mathematics education. Critical discourse analysis provides the means for applying this framework to examine the discourses, discursive practices, identities, and forms of participation constructed in the accounts. It views the accounts as constituted by their social context. It shows how the language of the accounts works to construct particular versions of reality and how relations of power construct particular identities. It allows a richer qualitative exploration of the reported practices of mathematics classrooms with particular regard to linking the theoretical and practical concerns of this study. It makes transparent the relations between the social (including relations of power and domination), discourse, and discursive practice, thus enabling a more in-depth reading of the participants‘ accounts. Discourses about two different experiences of mathematics learning were identified—one about mathematics learning in the Youth Reconnected Program (TAFE) and the other about mathematics learning in secondary schools. The discourses and their associated discursive practices—differing application of instructional style, communication and interaction, source of authority, pace of instruction, grouping of students and assessment— were found to contribute significantly to the construction of particular student identities and forms of participation. Student experiences emphasised the importance of four characteristics for membership in a community of learners—mutual engagement, joint enterprise, shared repertoire and access. These characteristics and practices were shown to contribute substantially to the construction of identities of participation in mathematics learning for most of the students who participated in this study. There was strong evidence to indicate that small class sizes impacted significantly on student engagement and participation in learning. A crucial factor here rests with the role of the teachers and tutors and how, given the opportunities for reduced class size, they implement, sustain and maintain interactions with the students for effective teaching and learning to occur. If in this context, consistent interactions are provided that also includes clear and explicit explanations, discussion, and negotiation, students are more likely to maintain their interest and actively participate in mathematics learning. This study‘s significance is twofold. It lies in the critical importance of the issue it addresses—student participation in mathematics learning—and the articulation of a social theory of learning with critical discourse theory to enable a different and more effective understanding of the significance of discourses, identities and communities of participation in mathematics learning. Although the study cannot claim generalisability across other populations of learners or across all mathematics and TAFE classrooms because of the small select sample of early school leavers drawn upon, by highlighting these accounts of students‘ learning experiences in some mathematics classrooms and the TAFE program, and their associated experiences of them, it draws attention to a different perspective on mathematics learning. In this alternative framing, learning as a social process is contingent on access to the discourse of mathematics learning and the discursive practices that support learning, participation, and membership in a community of mathematics learners. An attention to the social processes of mathematics learning infers a significant role for mathematics teachers in enabling student access to certain discourses and communities of learning. Such a role is often neglected in current contexts of accountability that specify a focus on achieving syllabus outcomes.

This chapter describes the design principles and outcomes of a learning intervention to improve the mathematics abilities related to mental arithmetic and arithmetic/operational skills to solve simple mathematics amongst a group of underprepared first-year Information Technology students at a large university of technology in the Western Cape, South Africa. Although these students had passed mathematics in the South African matriculation examinations, a university placement test showed that their ability in mathematics lay at Grade 6 school level. They had very little understanding of the basic concepts of mathematics as well as a general fear of the subject. Mathematics proficiency of South African school-leavers is generally poor and unequally distributed. The key drivers resulting in poor mathematics results include fear of mathematics, poor teaching, and inadequate resources. Authentic learning offers a means by which the mathematics proficiency of school-leavers can be addressed. Contextualisation develops mathematics concepts and authentic problems can be aligned with students’ careers. The use of everyday objects allows practical exploration, contributing to realistic mathematics. In a mixed method, sequential exploratory study, a series of learning events were designed using the Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate (ADDIE) model. Following the principles of authentic learning, students were given online learning tasks followed by a field trip to a supermarket, where they were exposed to everyday items of various sizes and proportions. With the aid of worksheets, they learned about proportions and fractions. While only 41.27% of the students passed the pre-test, 71.45% passed the post-test. A qualitative analysis of their interview responses showed an increase in their motivation and confidence to complete the subject. The chapter concludes with recommendations for the design of authentic learning experiences in mathematics, as well as suggestions for further development and research.

This article explores the use of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR) and motion capture, in mathematics instruction, specifically focusing on geometry learning. Our research highlights the challenges students face in learning geometry due to its abstract nature and the potential of XR technologies to create interactive and immersive learning experiences. We emphasize the role of embodied learning and gestures in mathematics education and how XR technologies can support equitable teaching practices. The embodied motions in XR allow for knowledge to be instantiated in physical ways, positioning all students as competent doers of mathematics. Two case illustrations are provided to demonstrate the power of XR technologies in teaching geometry. This article concludes with recommendations for teachers and researchers to incorporate gestures in mathematics instruction and leverage XR technologies to enhance students' understanding of mathematical concepts.

This study examined how effective pedagogical practices enhance Mathematics learning among pupils at Tungngod Elementary School. It specifically aimed to identify the teaching strategies employed by Mathematics teachers, examine how these practices support pupils’ conceptual understanding, problem-solving skills, and engagement, explore teachers’ perceptions of effective Mathematics instruction, and identify challenges encountered in implementing these practices. The study also sought to analyze pupils’ learning experiences in response to the pedagogical approaches used. A qualitative descriptive research design was employed to capture in-depth and context-specific insights into classroom practices. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with Mathematics teachers, classroom observations, and document analysis of lesson plans and instructional materials. Purposive sampling ensured that participants had direct involvement in Mathematics instruction. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis, with triangulation of data sources enhancing the credibility of the findings. The results revealed that learner-centered and contextualized pedagogical practices, such as the use of real-life examples, collaborative problem-solving, and differentiated instruction, significantly enhanced pupils’ understanding and engagement in Mathematics learning. Teaching strategies that emphasized conceptual understanding and guided reasoning helped pupils develop confidence and problem-solving abilities. Despite these positive outcomes, teachers encountered challenges related to limited instructional resources, time constraints, and diverse learner abilities. Nevertheless, pupils demonstrated positive learning experiences and increased participation when effective pedagogical practices were applied. The study concludes that thoughtful and learner-responsive pedagogy plays a critical role in improving Mathematics learning and highlights the need for sustained instructional support and professional development to strengthen Mathematics education at the elementary level. Keywords: Mathematics pedagogy, learner-centered instruction, conceptual understanding, pupil engagement, elementary education

Teaching and learning of mathematics is challenging when lecturer and students are separated geographically. While student engagement and interaction with the course, with other students and with the lecturer is vital to mathematics learning, it is difficult to facilitate this electronically, because of the nature of mathematics. With tablet technology now becoming ubiquitous and many new and inexpensive models entering the market, it is timely to investigate how the distance student experience in mathematics can be impacted by the use of tablet technologies. This paper reports on a case study of a first year mathematics course at a regional Australian university, where distance students were provided with affordable tablet PCs. An investigation of the impact of this technology on engagement and interaction is at the centre of this study. Evidence from journals, students’ assessment submissions, screen snippets, student communication and formal student evaluations is analysed. It was found that distance students acknowledged the value of tablets for communicating mathematics, particularly for assignment submission and feedback, but they also recognized the potential for easier interaction with content and the lecturer. This paper highlights the specific benefits and challenges tablet PCs present to the learning experiences in mathematics within the distance context.

Continued concern over attainment and participation in secondary school mathematics has led to a focus on improving the quality of teaching and student outcomes through a variety of professional le...

Through cooperative learning, this action research project aims to improve students’ social skills and provide a friendly and learning-focused classroom environment. Despite the emphasis on scientific education, many students need help to satisfy the requirements of this topic. This study aimed to improve the science collaboration of ninth-grade students by using a classroom-based action research methodology to adopt the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning paradigm. Purposive sampling was used to choose thirty-three participants for the A. Y. 2023–2024 in an Ozamiz City private school. Utilizing methods like mean, standard deviation, and t-test, the study employed a test created by the researcher and Minitab statistical software. Before the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning strategy could implemented, 33 students (100.00%) were classified as “boring and difficult” because they did not match the expectations (M =14.455; SD = 2.252). Students are encouraged to solve scientific problems with the assistance of their peers following the use of the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning technique. The student’s total performance increased considerably (M = 24.879; SD = 3.498), which may be used to determine whether or not online classes are fostering active learning. The results demonstrated that applying the Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, Answer cooperative learning technique enhanced student learning experiences in mathematics problem-solving and collaborative scientific learning. This bolsters a suggestion to use this tactic as a teaching approach to improve student cooperation. The study’s conclusions demonstrated how putting the Given, Required, Evaluated, Solution, and Answer cooperative learning technique into practice enhanced learning opportunities and strengthened students’ scientific teamwork. This validates a suggestion for using the cooperative learning approach of Given, Required, Evaluate, Solution, and Answer, which enhances scientific problem-solving.

Material encounters with mathematics: The case for museum based cross-curricular integration

Background: In mathematics education, the understanding of concepts is often influenced by students' visual abilities, making conceptual representation crucial in facilitating comprehension of the material.Aim: This study aims to analyze the role of visual abilities in facilitating the understanding of mathematical concepts through conceptual representation.Method: This research combines quantitative analysis with the use of attribute control diagrams to evaluate data obtained from tasks designed to test students' visual abilities in a mathematical context. These tasks include the manipulation of visual representations and problem-solving using geometric concepts.Results: The findings indicate that 80% of the sample possessed visual abilities that did not meet the expected index, showing a wide variation in students' visual representation abilities. Additionally, most students (70%) were more likely to choose familiar geometric representations in problem-solving, despite difficulties in manipulating more complex concepts.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that students often struggle to effectively utilize visual representations, preferring algebraic approaches that do not fully exploit the potential of conceptual representation. The findings suggest that an increased focus on developing visual abilities, especially in conceptual representation, could strengthen mathematical understanding. Further research is needed to develop intervention strategies that can help students overcome gaps in their visual abilities.

The field of mathematics education research has been promoting problem-solving-based mathematics instruction (PS-based MI) to afford opportunities to develop students’ conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities in mathematics. Given its usefulness, there is still little knowledge in the field about how it can afford such opportunities in real classrooms. In this study, an attempt was made to make in-depth observations of such classrooms from the perspective of variation. We examined the differences in the space of learning provided by two lessons of the same teacher in two Ethiopian primary school classrooms. Based on the literature, we identified three key aspects for analysis: mathematical tasks, lesson structure and classroom interaction patterns. Our analysis showed that, even though both lessons focused on the same topic of solving linear inequalities, they were enacted differently. The lesson that employed a PS-based MI approach constituted a wider space of learning than the lesson employing a conventional approach. This study demonstrates the usefulness of our analytical approach for describing and documenting PS-based MI practice, and for qualitatively interpreting the differences in what is mathematically made available to learn. We suggest that it can provide guidelines for mathematics teachers to reflect upon and to enhance learning spaces in their own classrooms.

This study aims to develop an online Digital Circuit practicum model that integrates the Edlink platform and the Circuit Verse simulator to overcome the limitations of laboratory tools and facilities in universities. This model is designed using the Research and Development (R&D) method based on the ADDIE model, including the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation stages. Validation was carried out by five experts, and effectiveness was tested through a pretest-posttest with 29 students. The results of the study showed a significant increase in students' understanding of the Digital Circuit concept, as evidenced by the t-test results with a significant value of 0.000. The online collaboration approach also increased student engagement in learning. The products of this research include learning modules, academic portal usage guides, textbooks, and practicum guides. The impact of this research includes increased accessibility, flexibility, and interactive learning experiences that support mastery of theory and practical skills. These findings contribute to the optimization of technology-based learning in engineering.

Pancasila education plays an important role in shaping the character and instilling a sense of nationalism in students from an early age. However, the learning process, which still uses conventional and monotonous media, has resulted in low interest and engagement among students. This study aims to develop interactive learning media based on Canva combined with Wordwall for the subject of the History of the Formulation of Pancasila for fourth-grade elementary school students. The method used is research and development (R&D) by adapting the Borg & Gall model through nine stages, namely: (1) research and information gathering, (2) planning, (3) initial product development, (4) design validation, (5) small-scale testing, (6) product revision, (7) limited testing, (8) final product revision, and (9) producing a valid and effective product. The research subjects included fourth-grade students at SDN Landungsari 2 Malang. The research instruments consisted of validation sheets from media experts, subject matter experts, and language experts, as well as response questionnaires for teachers and students. The validation results showed a very high level of feasibility, namely 95% from media experts, 87.5% from material experts, and 84% from language experts. Teacher responses reached 90%, while student responses were 76.47%. These results indicate that Canva and Wordwall-based interactive media are feasible and effective for use in Pancasila Education because they can improve students' conceptual understanding, motivation, and active involvement in the learning process.Pancasila education plays an important role in shaping the character and instilling a sense of nationalism in students from an early age. However, the learning process, which still uses conventional and monotonous media, has resulted in low interest and engagement among students. This study aims to develop interactive learning media based on Canva combined with Wordwall for the subject of the History of the Formulation of Pancasila for fourth-grade elementary school students. The method used is research and development (R&D) by adapting the Borg & Gall model through nine stages, namely: (1) research and information gathering, (2) planning, (3) initial product development, (4) design validation, (5) small-scale testing, (6) product revision, (7) limited testing, (8) final product revision, and (9) producing a valid and effective product. The research subjects included fourth-grade students at SDN Landungsari 2 Malang. The research instruments consisted of validation sheets from media experts, subject matter experts, and language experts, as well as response questionnaires for teachers and students. The validation results showed a very high level of feasibility, namely 95% from media experts, 87.5% from material experts, and 84% from language experts. Teacher responses reached 90%, while student responses were 76.47%. These results indicate that Canva and Wordwall-based interactive media are feasible and effective for use in Pancasila Education because they can improve students' conceptual understanding, motivation, and active involvement in the learning process.

Mathematics education highlights the importance of helping students understand mathematical content and the ability to think critically about mathematics. Mathematical practice standards outline expectations for engaging students in meaningful mathematics activities to encourage a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and content. For some students, however, engagement in mathematical practices may not come naturally, and therefore will need to be explicitly taught. Students with autism spectrum disorder have communication and executive functioning deficits that are likely to decrease their engagement in mathematical practices. A multiple probe across behaviors single-case design was used to investigate the effectiveness of a modified schema-based instructional (MSBI) strategy on the use of mathematical practices of a middle school student with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The student was taught to solve equal group, proportional, and percent of change word problems using MSBI. Results provide evidence of a functional relation between MSBI and mathematical practices with three demonstrations of an effect. Results from social validity questionnaires also support the importance of the skills taught, along with an observed behavioral change for the student during mathematics instruction in his classroom setting. Implications for teaching and future research are discussed.

Physical visualization objects play a critical role in mathematics education, particularly in rural settings where access to digital resources is limited. This study explores how preservice teachers in rural schools utilize physical visualization objects in mathematics lessons, highlighting their impact on teaching and learning. Guided by Instrumental Genesis Theory and Reflective Practice Theory, the study examines how preservice teachers transform physical objects into instructional tools and adapt their teaching strategies through reflective practice. Adopting a qualitative case study design within an interpretive paradigm, the study involved ten final-year preservice mathematics teachers undertaking teaching practice in rural schools. Data were collected through classroom observations and written reflections and analyzed using thematic analysis to examine preservice teachers’ use of physical visualization objects in mathematics instruction. Findings reveal that physical visualization objects enhance conceptual understanding, learner engagement, and teaching effectiveness. However, challenges such as classroom management, time constraints, and limited access to materials were reported. The study emphasizes the need for structured teacher training to optimize the pedagogical use of physical visualization objects. Future research should investigate the long-term impact of physical visualizations on learner achievement and explore their integration across diverse educational contexts, especially in resource-constrained environments.

Mathematics education plays a crucial role in equipping students with the skills necessary for the 21st century, such as critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. However, many students perceive mathematics as a challenging and tedious subject, which ultimately leads to a decline in their motivation and learning outcomes. Consequently, the application of gamification as an alternative method in mathematics instruction has demonstrated significant potential for enhancing student engagement and learning results. This research aims to investigate the impact of gamification in mathematics learning, as well as the trends associated with its implementation. Findings from prior studies indicate that gamification, whether digital or non-digital, can enhance motivation, reduce mathematics-related anxiety, and deepen the understanding of mathematical concepts. Digital educational games, along with the use of non-digital playing cards, have proven effective in improving student engagement and comprehension of mathematics across various educational levels. Adaptive learning systems that utilize artificial intelligence (AI) also exhibit substantial potential in providing personalized learning experiences tailored to the abilities of individual learners. This article examines 13 prominent journals selected following a rigorous elimination process utilizing the systematic literature review methodology. This process will occur from 2015 until 2025. The objective of this systematic approach is to evaluate and analyze pertinent, high-quality literature to enhance comprehension of the subject matter. The PRISMA approach is utilized to choose articles based on the established inclusion and exclusion criteria to get pertinent literature. Nevertheless, the challenges faced include the creation of gamification that is both more immersive and relevant to real-life contexts. Further research is required to explore the implementation of more pertinent gamification elements, such as challenges based on real-world situations and aspects of robotics, as well as the influence of social and emotional factors on the effectiveness of gamification in mathematics education. Thus, this study contributes to identifying the potential and shortcomings in the application of gamification within the field of mathematics education.