Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Mathematics Research, Vol. 12, No. 1

This paper focuses on the sub-field of study the philosophy of mathematics education from one perspective. The field is characterised in both narrow and broad terms, and from both bottom-up (questions and practices) and top-down perspectives (in terms of philosophy and its branches). From the bottom-up one can characterize the area in terms of questions, and I have asked: What are the aims and purposes of teaching and learning mathematics? What is mathematics? How does mathematics relate to society? What is learning mathematics? What is mathematics teaching? What is the status of mathematics education as knowledge field? I have characterized the sub-field using a ‘top down’ perspective using the branches of philosophy. Looking briefly into the contributions of ontology and metaphysics, aesthetics, epistemology and learning theory, social philosophy, ethics, and the research methodology of mathematics education reveals both how rich and deep the contributions of philosophy are to the theoretical foundations of our field of study. But even these two approaches leave many questions unanswered. For example: what are the responsibilities of mathematics and what is the responsibility of our own subfield, the philosophy of mathematics education? I conclude that the role of the philosophy of mathematics education is to analyse, question, challenge, and critique the claims of mathematics education practice, policy and research.

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 research is aimed to empower the logical mathematical intelligence of the inclusive group of the 4-6 years old children by implementing the neourosensory instructional approach through holistic integrative instructional process The mix method research, which is carried out by action research is applied in order to do this study. Rooting in the mix method research. there are two targets to achieve in applying the research method, they are (1) quantitative method is aimed to get to know the improvement of logical mathematical intellligence, and (2) qualitative method is apllied in order to know the implementation of the neurosensory instructional approach through holistic integrative instructional process to improve the logical mathematical intelligence. Therefore, the research is started by measuring the actual abilities of the logical mathematical intelligence of the children by using valid and realiable formal multiple intelligences assessment instruments for the 4-6 years old children, especially, in the part of the logical mathematical intelligence.. The research is ended by measuring the improvement of the logical mathematical intelligence of the children after participating the neurosensory instructional approach. Purposive sampling is apllied in choosing 15 research sample which involves 12 normal children and 3 special need children. The study reveals that the inclusive group of the 4-6 years old children’s logical mathematical intelligence are improved from under average up to above excellent after participating the neurosensory instructional approch.

The purpose of this study was conducted to determine the effect of Problem Based Learning aided interactive learning media on the ability of understanding the concepts, communication skills and mathematical reasoning abilities in the class X IPS MAN 1 City of Bengkulu. This research is quasi experiment research. The data collection is done by using a test sheet reasoning ability, the ability of understanding the concept and communicationskills. The results showed that the influences of the problem based learning model of interactive learning media aided the understanding of the concept of mathematical ability of students by 34.8%. There is the influence of problem based learning model of media-aided interactive learning to students' mathematical communication skills by 45,2 %. There is the influence of problem based learning model of media-aided interactive learning to students' mathematical reasoning abilities by 45%. There is a problem based learning model of the effect on the ability of students' mathematical reasoning by 42,5%. There is a model of the effect of problem based learning to the students' mathematical communication skills by 25.8%. There is a problem based learning model of the effect on the ability of students' understanding of mathematical concepts by 22.5%. There is the influence of the application of conventional learning aided interactive learning media on mathematical communication skills by 15,78 %. Effect of the application of conventional learning aided interactive learning media on mathematical reasoning skills was 24,89 %. Effect of the application of conventional learning aided interactive learning media on mathematical understanding the concepts was 16,74%. Keywords: problem based learning, interactive learning media, mathematical communication, understanding the concept, mathematical reasoning.

There is an increasing use of and rapid advancements in technologies in education. In particular, there is a take-up of advanced calculators (graphing calculators and calculators with computer algebra system [CAS]) in senior secondary high-stakes examinations. Each year, tens of thousands of students in Australia, Singapore, and other regions, use advanced calculators in mathematics examinations that directly affect their entry into tertiary education. Thus, it was pertinent to investigate the ways in which students use these technologies when learning mathematics, and the factors that influenced them. This study was built upon a bricolage of theories from various fields such as mathematics education, educational technology, learning theories, learning styles, and gender studies. From a review of the literature in the different fields, it was hypothesised that factors such as students’ gender, beliefs about and attitudes toward mathematics and technology, approaches to studying mathematics, and learning preferences, influence their ways of using technology. A mixed methods research design was used, consisting of two parts: a quantitative large scale online survey of 964 Singaporean and 176 Victorian senior secondary mathematics students, and a qualitative small scale study of nine students in a Singaporean school. There were several main results found in this study: (i) How students interact with advanced calculators was influenced by their beliefs about and attitudes toward mathematics and their approaches to studying mathematics. Students’ ways of knowing and learning mathematics best explained their ways of interacting with the calculator. (ii) Students' learning preferences were situated, and the use of advanced calculators was associated with visual and kinesthetic modes and a preference to work cooperatively. (iii) There were regional differences (in favour of Victorian students) in how students use the advanced calculators and their attitudes toward calculators. (iv) There were gender differences (in favour of males) in students' attitudes toward mathematics and advanced calculators, and how they used the calculators. Although there were more student factors with gender differences in the Singaporean than the Victorian data, the effect sizes were larger in the Victorian sample. The findings have implications for mathematics teaching practice, in that deep understanding, intrinsic interest, beliefs about the creative, inter-connectedness and contextual aspects of mathematics are associated with using calculators as a partner and collaborator for learning. Additionally, students tend to employ visual and kinaesthetic modes when learning how to use the calculators. Students were also found to have a preference for working on the calculator cooperatively with friends. Therefore, teachers can employ methods such as encouraging students to try out the calculator keys and to work cooperatively in groups when learning how to use the calculators. Another significant contribution of this study was in the use of Facebook to recruit participants. More research can be done on the participation and response rates associated with this recruitment method. Further research can also be conducted to translate the implications of the study into practical classroom strategies and to investigate longitudinally the dynamic interplay between these factors and students’ interactions with the advanced calculators.

The aims of this study are conducted to know: (1) the comprehension and improvement of students ability of mathematical communications after studying cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph, (2) the students design in answering math comprehension and communications, (3) students responds to cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph. This research is a classroom action research. The subject of this research is 40 students of grade XI SMK N 9 Medan. The research object is the improvement of students ability in mathematical comprehension and communication through cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph at discussion of transformation. The instruments are pretest, communication mathematical test, comprehension mathematical test, student note, observation sheets, and students respond. The reliable of pretest, comprehension mathematical test cycle 1 and 2 is 0,86 and the reliable of communication mathematical test is 0,88. This study consisted of 2 cycles of the first cycle consisted of 4 meetings and the second cycle consisted of 2 meetings. The result of study show that the (1) application of cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph can improve the ability of mathematical comprehension and mathematical communications of student, (2) the design in answering math communications and math comprehension are graphic is true and complete, the description of graphic is not complete enough, the description of graphic is true and complete, the description of graphic is not complete. (3) Students respond of cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph is good. Based on this conclusion it is expected that the teachers can apply cooperative learning model think-pair-share type with media software Autograph to improve the ability of mathematical comprehension and mathematical communications of student.

Este artigo é um ensaio que tem por objetivo problematizar e discutir o lugar da matemática na formação do futuro professor, em cursos de Licenciatura em Matemática. O ensaio é organizado em torno de duas questões básicas: de que matemática estamos falando, quando dizemos que o professor precisa saber bem matemática para ensiná-la? Que práticas formativas podem contribuir para que o futuro professor possa se apropriar dessa matemática fundamental para seu trabalho profissional? Para respondê-las, foram analisadas e problematizadas as diferentes práticas sociais do educador matemático, tentando perceber, nelas, indícios do tipo de saber matemático mobilizado e requerido. A seguir, foram trazidas algumas tentativas históricas de tratar o problema da formação matemática dos professores, tendo por base Felix Klein, Richard Courant e Bento de Jesus Caraça, e algumas pesquisas brasileiras e internacionais que têm como foco de estudo a formação matemática do professor. A partir desses estudos, o artigo destaca a existência, na formação inicial do professor de matemática, de uma quase tricotomia entre formação matemática, formação didático-pedagógica e prática profissional. Para romper com essa tradição tricotômica são sugeridas algumas mudanças em relação à prática e à pesquisa sobre formação de professores tais como: a formação do professor de matemática deve orientar-se pelas diferentes práticas sociais do educador matemático; adotar, na formação inicial, práticas e projetos nos quais os licenciandos possam integrar, fazendo contrastes, problematizações e investigações sobre as relações entre sua formação matemática na licenciatura, sua formação didático-pedagógica relacionada ao conteúdo, e a complexidade das práticas escolares.

The journal has been started in the year 2012 and it released its first volume in the same year. Till now, the journal has released 8 volumes by the end of 2019 and is successfully running its 9th Volume. The Journal is an open access publication that features scientific works of considerable significance and impact in all branches of mathematics that concerns with mathematical methods that are typically used in science, engineering, business, and industry. Computational mathematics involves mathematical research in areas of science where computing plays a central and essential role in emphasizing algorithms, numerical methods and symbolic methods with the concept of ubiquitous computing. The journal provides an Open Access platform to analyse new computational and applied techniques for solving the scientific or engineering problems.

Scene analysis for robotic watercraft

This research is motivated by the fact that in general in the learning process in classes conducted by the teacher just focus on conventional learning activities by using a written worksheet commonly referred to as Student Worksheet (LKS). The teachers haven’t optimize the use of other learning media in the classroom. One way to improve the ability of mathematical logic in early childhood, especially in children kindergarten is by using learning media tool, educational games. So in this research Logico educational games is used in order to make learning prosess more interesting and varied. The purpose of this study is to improve mathematical logic abilities of teh students through Logico educational games. This study is a quantitative research, with quasiexperimental research design. Subjects in this study were 17 to 24 students of kindergarten group B aged 5-6 years of Saint Aloysius School, in the academic year 2015/2016. Data collection techniques in this research are observation and documentation. This study showed that by using Logico educational games there is an increase in mathematical logic abilty. The results of hypotheses testing by t-test of pre-test of the experimental group and the control group showed no significant difference. Improvementin the mathematical logic experimental group was greater than in the control group. The implication of research is that Logico educatinal games can improve the ability of mathematical logic and learning process in the classroom can become more interesting and not boring for young students. It can be concluded that Logico educational games is more effective than the Student Worksheet (LKS).Through the result of this research the kindergarten teachers are expected to understand and utilize the Logico educational games that increase. Keywords: mathematical logic ability, Logico educational games

To be an effective mathematics teacher, it is essential that teachers possess an array of mathematical knowledge utilising diverse pedagogical techniques, and also incorporate technology to effectively engage their students. This research investigates the experiences of Junior Secondary teachers in two Queensland schools following the 2015 transition of Year 7 students from primary school to secondary school. Since there is a well-documented shortage of suitably qualified mathematics teachers in secondary schools in Queensland, the concern is that this potential shortage will be worsened with the new cohort of Year 7 students entering secondary schooling, as the demand for qualified mathematics teachers will increase. The research therefore aims to identify whether Junior Secondary mathematics teachers at two schools feel adequately qualified to teach mathematics, and whether their self-reported level of mathematical knowledge is sufficient for this task. This study will also explore how professional development could be better utilised to improve mathematics teaching by such teachers. This research adopts a case study approach, where Junior Secondary teachers from two schools are interviewed. ‘Teacher identity’ is the theoretical lens underpinning this study, and through this lens the many characteristics of teachers are explored including their knowledge, values and beliefs about themselves as educators, and also their mathematics pedagogy.

A BSTRACT: The learning process , which was made by the model observer lecturers , w as success in increasing the students learning process. Based on the result and the discussion of some research ers , it can be concluded that the learning process , in the basic subject of mathematics learning process through applying “ l esson s tudy” , can help in increasing the learning students ’ motivation. The learning model modification was done based on the students need. Meanwhile, the role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation s are needed in the learning process. The intrinsic motivation is the encouragement coming from the students themselves , such as the desire and the willingness to be success, the encouragement and the learning need, and the dream of the future. The extrinsic motivation is the encourag e ment coming from the outside of the students themselves , which are shown by the existence of the reward, the interesting activity, the conducive learning environment in the learning process, so that the students are able to learn well. This research aimed at describing the students learning motivation in the subject of mathematics learning basic and process through applying the “ l esson s tudy”. The research consisted of 4 cycles, and every cycle consisted of 3 steps, they are “plan, do , and see ” . The subject of research was the Class D mathematics education study program students of UMP (Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto) in academic year 2012. The data were got from the observation sheet, video recording , and questionnaire. The data analysis techniques were data reducing, data presenting, and concluding. The research showed that the students learning motivation was different in every cycle and the highest average motivation score was the fourth cycle. KEY WORDS : L earning motivation, lesson study , intrinsic and extrinsic motivation s, basic subject of mathematics , and students learning process . About the Authors: Anggun Badu Kusuma, M.Pd., Fitrianto Eko Subekti, M.Pd ., and Reni Untarti, M.Pd. are the Lecturers at the Department of Mathematics Education, Faculty of Education and Teacher Training UMP (Muhammadiyah University of Purwokerto) in Central Java, Indonesia. The authors can be reached at: anggun.badu@gmail.com , efitrians@ymail.com , and reniuntarti@gmail.com How to cite this article? Kusuma, Anggun Badu, Fitrianto Eko Subekti & Reni Untarti. (2015). “Description of the Students Learning Motivation in the Subject of Mathematics Learning Basic and Process Using the Lesson Study” in EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies , Vol.7(2) February, pp.103-110. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press and UMP Purwokerto, ISSN 1979-7877. Chronicle of the article: Accepted (January 9, 2015); Revised (February 10, 2015); and Published (February 28, 2015).

Opening plenary at the 12th Delta Conference on the teaching and learning of undergraduate mathematics and statistics, 24–29 November 2019, Fremantle, Australia (published abstract in the proceedings)

According to published statistics regarding pharmaceutical industries, there has been a significant increase in the demand for cosmetics and skincare products. As a result, there has also been an increase in interest by researchers to conduct experimental and theoretical studies on these industries. The outermost layer of the skin, which is the stratum corneum, plays a key role in determining the skin permeability. This layer represents the first and main barrier against dehydration and screening from external elements and pathogens. Research efforts have been made to better understand skin permeability. Experimental methodologies play a key role in pharmaceutical and dermatology studies. However, ethical standards of using animal and human models in in-vitro permeability studies are very strict in their admission process and approval time. Furthermore, the lack of available material and financial resources for setting up, operating and repeating experiments has also limited the required progress. These problems can be addressed by developing better mathematical models on skin permeability. Progress, regarding the mathematical modelling of solute transport in skin, has been achieved in the last decades. The mathematical modelling strategy is used as a skin permeability predictor tool based on common physicochemical properties of the skin and penetrated solute molecules. Many factors play an important role in the formulation of a mathematical model and in determining how reliable the predicted results are. Therefore, the more skin physiological details are included in the model, the more computational efforts are required to interpret the solute permeation mechanisms in the dermal region and simulate a drug transport in the transdermal administration. The mathematical complexities associated with formulating a mathematical model of drug transport in skin significantly limit the utilities of such models in practice. Thus, a balance between the model’s complexity and how realistic it is in describing the solute transport processes in skin has to be achieved. Therefore, a mathematical model formulated on principles familiar to the pharmaceutical scientific community could be of value. In this thesis, we have developed a novel mathematical model using a compartmental approach. The proposed model enables for simulating solute transport across the stratum corneum (SC) in a variety of exposure scenarios in percutaneous drug delivery systems. The obtained results were compared with the diffusion model outcomes – which can be considered the current ‘golden standard’ for modelling skin transport – and showed a good agreement. The mathematical foundations of the model are relatively simple and better aligned with the physiology of the stratum corneum. In addition, this work shows that performing a numerical simulation using the compartmental model is less demanding than using the diffusing model, especially for complex exposure scenarios, and can be performed using free software, such as Python. The research findings of this thesis contribute towards a better understanding of transport phenomena across the skin. Also, the compartmental model proposed in this work can be used to describe transport phenomena in the membrane. Due to the similarity between the governing equations of diffusion and heat transfer, the proposed approach also offers a mathematical framework for studying heat transfer problems in biomaterials with minimum model development or computational efforts.

Abstract: This study aims to find out how the signs of the Qur’an against arithmetic operations in mathematics education, determine the urgency of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an against mathematics education, and see the relevance of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an to modern mathematics education. The method used in this study is qualitative in library research design, because all that wants to be investigated is sourced from literature and in this study using maudhu’s interpretation. The results of the study of arithmetic operations in the Qur’anic cues to Mathematics Education are: first, the Qur’an implies arithmetic operations in mathematics education implicitly wherein the sum by stating the results and in subtraction, multiplication and division only shows the part of the arithmetic operations, the existence of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an as a means of human thinking in order to think mathematically. Second, the urgency of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an for mathematics education is stated that arithmetic operations in the Qur’an are very important for mathematics education as a means of thinking, cues for the need for innovation in learning, justification of mathematical principles, erasing thought of dichotomy in science, and as a cue for learning mathematics. Third, the relevance of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an to modern mathematics education is in line with the spirit of Islamic integration in science and learning carried out by Islamic education in this modern era. Qur’anic arithmetic operations can be material in integrated mathematics learning. The existence of arithmetic operations in the Qur’an for mathematics education is also very related in learning the 2013 curriculum which emphasizes the scientific approach.