Evolutionary theory provides the foundation for modern biology with evolution as a core concept and unifying principle. This research aimed to examine evolutionary knowledge and acceptance among first-year university students. The<b> </b>participants considered for analysis consisted of 87 students enrolled in the first-year bachelor’s in biology and biotechnology at the University of Tirana, Albania. The respondents’ average age was 18.95 ± 0.78 years, with a pronounced dominance of females (90.2%). The study used the standardized research instrument “evolution education questionnaire on acceptance and knowledge” to measure knowledge and acceptance about evolution in an international context. We employed descriptive statistics to analyze the collected data.<b> </b>The findings of research revealed that over half of the respondents, 61%, fall into the ‘<i>very low knowledge</i>’ category on evolution and none fall in the ‘<i>high knowledge</i>’ category. Only 60.9% accept evolution. The need for a revision of the evolutionary concepts and topics in the curricula, from primary school, is recommended coupled with the incorporation of philosophical dialogue into teaching practice.

Lots of empirical studies regarding the cultivation of spatial visualization in geometry lesson by utilizing GeoGebra software have been increasingly carried out, at least in two last decade. Of these studies, however, it can be revealed that there is a real existence of an inconsistent effect of GeoGebra-assisted geometry lesson on spatial visualization. Consequently, current study examines the overall effect of GeoGebra-assisted geometry lesson on spatial visualization, and some substantial factors that differentiate students’ spatial visualization. To perform this study, a systematic review using meta-analysis was applied whereby the random effect model was selected to estimate the effect size calculated by the Hedges’ equation. 33 eligible documents published in the period of 2010-2022 were included as the data in which those generated 40 units of effect size and involved 2,739 students. Several tests, such as Z, Q Cochrane, fill and trim, and funnel plot were performed to analyse the data. The results of this study revealed that the use of GeoGebra in geometry lesson had positive strong effect on spatial visualization (g=1.070; p˂0.001), and significantly cultivated students’ spatial visualization. Additionally, in GeoGebra-assisted geometry classroom, a few of substantial factors, such as educational level and participant significantly differentiated students’ spatial visualization, whereas there was no adequate evidence to show that class capacity and intervention duration. This current study implies that mathematics lecturers or teachers can use GeoGebra as one of teaching tools in geometry lesson, and consider students’ educational level and students’ characteristics as participants in implementing it to cultivate spatial visualization.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of private supplementary tutoring on grade 12 learners’ mathematics performance in selected schools within the OR Tambo Inland District, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The research involved 347 participants from four schools and was grounded in Lev Vygotsky’s socio-cultural learning theory. Utilizing quantitative methodology and a causal-comparative research design, data were collected through a questionnaire and the standardized mathematics test. Both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed in the analysis of data. Findings indicate that learners who attended private supplementary tutoring significantly outperformed those who did not. Additionally, 72.5% of the privately tutored learners sought tutoring to enhance their overall mathematics performance, while 86.1% of the non-tutored cited affordability as the primary barrier. Recommendations include strategies for stakeholders to maximize the benefits of private supplementary tutoring sessions and to develop alternative measures to support learners who are financially constrained from accessing such tutorials.

Mathematical creativity is the focus of most curriculum in that students with this ability are prone to solving problems in society from a multidimensional perspective. However, studies of this nature, especially in Africa, are limited, and this poses a challenge to policy development. To cover this gap, the study sought to model the predictive effect of mathematics self-efficacy, motivation for mathematics, and attitude towards mathematics on mathematical creativity from a multidimensional perspective. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey using 654 mathematics students for the study. Two instruments–the mathematics self-efficacy, attitude towards mathematics, and mathematical motivation scales and the mathematical creativity test were used for data analysis after they had undergone a qualitative and quantitatively rigorous validation process. This was done using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis with the average variance extracted and Fornell-Larcker criterion for convergent and divergent analysis, respectively, while Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the stability of the scales. Analysis was performed using hierarchical regression and the result showed that mathematics self-efficacy and attitude towards mathematics, when taken individually, are the only strong predictors of mathematics creativity from the perspective of fluency, flexibility, and originality components. Collectively, the three predictors were significant in contributing to the variance in mathematics creatively from the three dimensions assessed. However, mathematics self-efficacy was the strongest predictor, followed by attitude towards mathematics. The implications of the study were discussed for policy and curriculum redesign in mathematics education.

This study was conducted with 37 11<sup>th</sup> grade secondary school students and had as its focus to verify the different levels of sophistication in students’ explanations regarding the propagation of sound in air. A pre- and a post-test were conducted after a one-month intervention, focusing on learning about sound propagation in air. Data analysis allowed for comparing the progressions in the sophistication of students’ explanations and validating the proposed categorical structure of the hierarchical levels of learning progressions (LPs). The validity was confirmed by the consistency of the category hierarchy, assessed in terms of the difficulty coefficients of LPs levels, which were distinct in the two tests but maintained the established order in the construct maps. In the pre-test, the more sophisticated levels of LPs were not elucidated, but after instruction, in the post-test, there were explanations at all levels. The results also reveal the importance of instruction focused on LPs, so that students can present more sophisticated explanations, and their utility for future investigations using this approach.

Teaching methods can help learners to develop problem-solving skills and enhance their achievement in stoichiometry. Process oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) is one of the teaching methods that promote problem-solving skills because it provides opportunities for learners to work with many formulae through many steps in solving problems such as stoichiometric calculations of number of moles and concentration of solutions. To understand how POGIL can improve learners’ achievement and develop problem-solving skills, four grade 11 physical sciences classes of mixed gender and multicultural black learners were purposefully and conventional sampled from four different township schools in Pretoria, South Africa. Through pre- and post-test case study and lesson observations, two different independent groups (POGIL group and lecture group) were included in the study. POGIL group constituted 48 students, while lecture group 62 students taught by their respective teachers at their schools for three weeks using English second language. The results from the pre-test suggest that learners in all the four classes lacked problem-solving competencies in solving both the low-order and the high-order stoichiometry questions. According to the research interpretation, lesson observations of POGIL were active learning while lecture method was passive learning. The post-test results indicate statistically significant greater problem-solving competencies in POGIL group than in the lecture group. The study recommends the use of POGIL in teaching stoichiometry.

Self-efficacy is one of the important variables for teachers’ professional development. However, there have been few studies investigating the relationship between anxiety related to teaching science, interest in science, and self-efficacy. Therefore, this study aimed to explore this relationship with preservice teachers. The researchers used a path analysis model, descriptive statistics, correlations, and a path diagram to analyze the data. The results revealed that outcome expectancy positively predicted personal self-efficacy beliefs, and variables accounted for 64.0% of the variance in personal self-efficacy. Personal science-teaching self-efficacy has no significant direct relationship with science-teaching anxiety or interest in science. Specifically, anxiety has a small positive effect on personal science-teaching self-efficacy. Interest in science does not directly predict personal self-efficacy efficacy beliefs. Anxiety related to teaching science had a major negative effect on interest in science and a minor positive impact on outcome expectancy. The results also showed that personal self-efficacy beliefs depend profoundly on perceptions of outcome expectancy rather than directly on teaching anxiety or science interest levels per se. These findings are noteworthy for future research that aims to boost teachers’ science-teaching self-efficacy. Recommendations are made based on these findings.

This bibliometric study examines the scientific production in mathematical education of 23,094 articles from 37 specialized mathematical education journals, indexed in <i>Scopus</i> and <i>Web of Science</i>, considering all records up to the year 2022. The analysis was conducted globally and regionally, including Latin America, Africa, Europe, the United States, and Canada. Articles were analyzed using <i>rhizomatic conceptual spaces</i>, which allow the representation of relationships between words present in the titles and keywords of articles through graphs, thereby identifying thematic nodes and connections, as well as visible and invisible peripheral elements. The results reveal the diversity of terms used in the field and the difficulties in capturing a disciplinary field using certain keywords. Common thematic nodes such as teaching, learning, knowledge, problem-solving, curriculum, assessment, and technology were observed, as well as regional differences in focus areas and theoretical currents. The study also highlights underexplored areas and suggests possible future research paths, including expanding searches in specialized sources, bibliometric analysis of specific topics, and temporal comparison of trends in the field.

The study aimed to establish the influence of formative assessment on the attainment of scientific and technological competencies in a school in Lima, Peru. We formulated and subsequently tested hypothesis of the positive impact of formative evaluation on science and technology competencies. The authors used the questionnaire associated with formative evaluative practices and to measure the development of competencies gradings of 116 second-grade high school students. It was found that formative assessment significatively influences the development of scientific and technological competencies, predicting a 0.708 increase in educational outcomes (pseudo R-squared Nagelkerke). This influence on competency attainment was examined through regression analysis. It was concluded that formative assessment, along with all its dimensions, influences the achievement of competencies related to science and technology. We recommend that its implementation in classrooms should receive greater dissemination.

The flipped classroom is an innovative pedagogical approach in which students are introduced to instructional content outside of class and engage in active problem-solving and discussions during in-class sessions. This pedagogical shift empowers students to take greater responsibility for their learning pace, transforming teachers into facilitators. Despite increased interest in flipped classrooms, their implications for mathematics teacher education still need to be clarified. This study employs a Delphi methodology to investigate the advantages and challenges associated with implementing the flipped classroom approach in Vietnam’s initial mathematics teacher education. The findings reveal a high consensus among experts regarding the importance of the identified indicators related to the advantages and challenges of flipped classroom in initial mathematics teacher education. Our study also uncovers contextual and institutional constraints, providing insights into unique challenges within the Vietnamese context. This research offers guidance for improving initial mathematics teacher education through flipped classroom model.