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Purpose: Mathematical literacy and mathematical problem-solving are crucial abilities that link mathematics content to real life applications, facilitating both mathematics understanding and mathematical processes. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the STEMEN (STEM and educational neuroscience) teaching model in enhancing mathematical literacy and problem-solving skills. Methodology: This study adopted a pre-test and post-test control group design. Among 156 Grade 9 students from a secondary school in Phayao, Thailand, 70 were randomly selected. The STEMEN teaching model was implemented in the experimental group, while the 5E teaching model, typically used in a normal classroom was employed in the control group. Two types of tests, namely the mathematical literacy test and the mathematical problem-solving test, were used as research instruments. Pre and post-data were collected from both the experimental and control groups. Repeated measures ANOVA with Wilks' lambda was employed to analyze the mean comparison for mathematical literacy and mathematical problem-solving. Findings: The findings revealed that the mean scores for mathematical literacy and mathematical problem-solving were relatively higher in the STEMEN teaching model group compared to the 5E teaching model group. These results provide insights into the effectiveness of the STEMEN teaching model in enhancing learning outcomes, particularly mathematical literacy and problem-solving in mathematics. Significance: The results of this study showed that the STEMEN teaching model was effective in increasing learning outcomes, including mathematical literacy and problem-solving. These outcomes should enable teachers to design effective and efficient instructional strategies for enhancing mathematical literacy and problem-solving in classrooms.

Considering the negative situations faced by the migrating societies, it is known that the language and culture factors exert a stronger influence on the mathematics course than the other undesirable conditions. From this perspective, it is known that the mathematical performance of individuals is likely to increase by placing the concept of number sense in the center. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the number sense skills of Syrian immigrant students with reference to gender and duration of stay as an immigrant as well as to determine their conceptual awareness of number sense-related components. The descriptive correlational design was used in this study in which 152 immigrant students participated. Web-based two-tiertest was used in the data collection process, and descriptive statistical values and t-test for independent samples in the analysis of the data. As a result, it was found that male students compared to female students, as well as those who had been immigrants in Turkey for a long time compared to those for a shortertime showed higher number sense performances,though most of the students were at a low number sense level. In addition, the differences appeared significantly in relation to the variables of gender and duration of stay as an immigrant. A surprising result is that most students preferred number sense-based solutions as the basis for their answers. It can thus be concluded that the number sense performances of Syrian immigrant students are lower than expected and that future studies are needed not only to focus on teachers but also on teaching methods and materials in order to take immigrant problems under control and to come up with solutions with a view to overcome such challenges.

This research focuses on prospective teachers who are a group that has a key role in teaching mathematics to future generations. A qualitative approach with an ethnographic design is used to understand and explain the culture and social life of a region by relating its role as a learning resource to developing local culture-based mathematics learning plans. This research method involves collecting data through observation, interviews, and analysis of cultural artifacts. We integrate these cultural elements into mathematics instructional planning. The results of this research show that through exploring local culture, it can be used as a reference for developing learning plans to increase mathematical literacy. Cultural studies as a learning resource are not only for instilling concepts but beyond that, they can be used to develop students' problem solving and critical thinking skills. This research underscores the importance of innovative approaches in mathematics teaching that utilize local cultural assets. The integration of cultural artifacts not only improves mathematical literacy, but also promotes the preservation of cultural heritage. The results of this research can be a guide for educational institutions and teachers in developing mathematics learning strategies that are more contextual and meaningful.

Nutrition facts are the details on food packaging that describe its nutritional value, including serving size, calories, macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein, and fat, and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. These facts have mathematical concepts that can be utilized as a context for prospective teachers to create mathematical problems. By leveraging this real-world data, educators can contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), by promoting nutritional awareness, and SDG 4 (Quality Education) by enhancing student engagement and understanding through relatable examples. This study examines the profile of mathematical tasks created by prospective mathematics teachers using nutrition facts as a context that meets numeracy task criteria. Data were collected from 62 mathematical tasks created by 31 prospective teachers attending a realistic mathematics education course on numeracy based on a problem-posing task at a public university in Surabaya, Indonesia. The posed tasks were categorized into solvable or unsolvable tasks and the domains of the level of context use and the level of cognitive processes. Results revealed that the level of context use in the posed tasks varied from zero to second order. Surprisingly, most of the tasks were in the first-order level context. Most posed tasks reached the application level, with only a few identified as reasoning tasks. Interestingly, some tasks coded as second-order context were classified as reasoning tasks. The study provides implications for designing numeracy tasks using nutrition facts and interventions in teacher education related to numeracy task design.

In educational settings, reflective thinking is often overlooked, with an excessive emphasis on final answers, resulting in students needing more ability to evaluate and reconstruct their problem-solving processes. The ability for reflective thinking is required by students in solving problems, including numerical problems. This study uses a qualitative approach to focus on field-independent students' numerical problem-solving processes. The data collection technique begins by administering the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT), a valid and reliable numeracy problem instrument, and conducting in-depth interviews. Two students with similar initial mathematical abilities and field-independent cognitive styles were selected as research subjects. Findings reveal that these students face challenges such as lengthy problem descriptions and a lack of confidence but gradually develop strategies, emphasizing repeated problem analysis, concept interconnections, and error awareness. Researcher-provided scaffolding facilitates critical reflection, enabling the construction of new ideas. These results have practical implications for teachers, suggesting the need to design lessons that cater to diverse cognitive styles, providing more complex problems to field-independent students to enhance their problem-solving skills.

Mathematics is pivotal in the contemporary technology-driven world. However, poor mathematical performance continues to be a concern in many countries. Guided by Mathematics in a Cultural Context (MCC) framework, this article investigates the similarities, differences, and potential reasons behind early numeracy achievement in South Africa and China. Applying a qualitative research approach, selected teachers, parents, and government officials in the two countries were interviewed for their views on the cultural context and pedagogical practices that potentially impact mathematics teaching and learning. The findings confirmed the multifaceted and interconnected nature of mathematics teaching and learning. However, the findings raise questions about the efficacy of certain practices on mathematics learning and achievement, including the teaching approach, the value of different kinds of motivations, and methods to inspire motivation. This finding suggests the importance of practicing key mathematics concepts in building a solid foundation and confidence in mathematics.

Mastery of mathematical literacy is essential for developing life skills in the 21st century. Mathematical literacy is even more critical in elementary schools as it forms the basis for mastery at the junior and senior high school levels. Elementary school students differ in their characteristics from students at the higher education level. They, therefore, require an appropriate learning model to improve their mathematical literacy. This research aims to develop a learning model, termed Realistic Mathematics Engineering (RMEng), that combines the Realistic Mathematics Education approach with the steps of the Engineering Design Process and determines the model's effectiveness. The model was validated by seven experts from three universities in Indonesia and had an Aiken validity index value of 0.786, indicating that it was valid. The RMEng model contains the following steps: understanding realistic problems, solving problems in informal ways, developing formal mathematics, developing products, and drilling. Discussions and presentations can be incorporated into each of these five steps. The RMEng model was subjected to the stages of preliminary and main field testing and was revised based on the suggestions of teachers and observers. Through experimental research compared to a control group, the RMEng model was proven more effective in increasing elementary school students' mathematical literacy at the 0.000 significance level.

The subject Mathematical Literacy (ML) prioritises an interplay of mathematics and real-life contexts in pursuit of an empowerment agenda for improved life opportunities. In seeking to identify processes of inclusion-exclusion afforded by different conceptualisations of this interplay, a network of Bernstein's theoretical constructs -- classification, framing, discourses, and the pedagogic device -- are used to analyse how different ML curricula conceptualise the notion of mathematical literacy and the criteria for legitimate communication, knowledge and practice in the subject. This analysis illustrates that despite differences in the formulation of the school subjects ML and Mathematics, enactments of the original ML National Curriculum Statement prioritised heavily mathematised methods in pseudo-realistic contexts. This approach thwarted the critical citizenship agenda of this curriculum and made it possible for ML to be criticised as watered-down mathematics. The analysis then reveals how the current ML Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, supported by specific curriculum features, has attempted to overcome these challenges by foregrounding a life-preparedness orientation for empowered self-management and citizenship. This involved weakening the classification of academic and everyday knowledge, strengthening the framing of curriculum specifications, and foregrounding criteria for legitimate communication, knowledge and practice around contextual problem-solving and decision-making. Challenges with this approach are considered.

Poor numeracy skills among remedial pupils remained a critical issue for Malaysia to achieve educational goals. This systematic literature review identified research trends and evidence-based practices on teaching aids to enhance remedial mathematics instruction. The review followed PRISMA model through four phases, searching WoS and Scopus databases to analyze 29 studies from 2014 to 2023 that met the inclusion criteria. The predominant focus was on Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia and the United States. Mainly quantitative and qualitative research designs were utilized. Findings revealed diverse teaching aids were proposed, including digital technologies such as systems, smartphone apps, games, multimedia, augmented reality, virtual reality, as well as manipulatives, number lines and instructional modules. Both digital and handson manipulative teaching aids have been applied in remedial mathematics interventions with promising results. Key findings indicate the effectiveness of teaching aids depends on alignment with pupils' individual needs and suitable pedagogical approaches based on local context. Implications emerge for developing new teaching aids and teacher training tailored to local remedial mathematics learners. Rigorous research is needed, particularly in the Malaysian context, to evaluate the usability of teaching aids over time. Investing in specialized teaching aids and aligned instruction will help provide quality remedial mathematics education. This review highlights promising teaching aids and gaps to build essential numeracy skills among remedial pupils in Malaysia for equitable math outcomes.

This research centers on implementing Quantitative Reasoning (QR) within a differential equations course at an urban public community college. As a participant in the Numeracy Infusion for College Educators (NICE) faculty development program, I sought to integrate QR skills into my curriculum. Students in the course were introduced to QR goals using real-world data sets, particularly those related to population growth, which aim to enhance their understanding, sharpen their problem-solving abilities, and cultivate a positive perspective on the real-world relevance of mathematics. Preliminary findings indicate varied levels of QR skill development among students. These results underscore the potential benefits of infusing QR into mathematics courses and provide insights for educators looking to adopt similar strategies in their teaching.

This study aims to describe the epistemological obstacles of prospective Indonesian secondary mathematics teachers' in designing project-based numeracy tasks (PbNTs). Three case studies focused on qualitative analyses of prospective Indonesian secondary mathematics teachers' PbNTs from responses to a semi-structured interview based on indicators of epistemological obstacles. It was found that epistemological knowledge was not the main cause of the obstacles they experienced, which is inconsistent with findings described in previous studies. It was revealed the prospective secondary mathematics teachers were too focused on the mathematical aspects and did not pay attention to the role of contextual knowledge in the process of PbNT design.

The teachers' beliefs in ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning are a crucial element to be able to develop students' numeracy skills. The teachers' beliefs in developing students' numeracy skills through ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning is a teacher's personal view about certain practices that are considered correct, which include four dimensions. The first dimension is the teachers' beliefs about numeracy. The second dimension is teachers' beliefs about the role of ethnomathematics in learning numeracy. The third dimension is teachers' beliefs about ethnomathematics-based numeracy teaching. The fourth dimension is teachers' beliefs about ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of teachers' beliefs in developing students' numeracy skills through ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning. The teacher's response was acquired through the completion of a questionnaire. The findings indicated that most teachers believed fostering students' numeracy skills could be achieved by implementing ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning inside the semi-realisticmechanistic (SRM) categories. Further analysis reveals that more extended teaching experience may mean something other than that a teacher has a realistically oriented outlook. Teachers with teaching experience of fewer than five years (new teachers) and 5 to 10 years (junior teachers') have a semi-realisticmechanistic (SRM) view. Most teachers with more than 10 to 15 years (semi-senior-teachers) of teaching experience have a dominant realistic (DR) idea. In contrast, teachers with more than 15 years (senior teachers) of teaching experience have a semi-realistic-mechanistic (SRM) view and a dominant realistic (DR) view. Teachers' positive beliefs will likely improve students' numeracy skills in general and based on teaching experience in the dominant realistic (DR) and realistic (R) categories regarding ethnomathematics-based numeracy learning.

There has been marked progress in access to education, representation of women in leadership, sexual reproductive health, and gender-based violence as a result of gender equality initiatives. However, there is still a strong focus on interventions targeting girls only. Through the adolescents' lens, this study sought to establish if there is a preference for interventions targeting girls compared to boys in two urban informal settlements; and what benefits were realized from programming for both adolescent boys and girls enrolled in an after-school support program. We employed a thematic analysis approach to answer the research questions. Results showed that most interventions at the community and school levels tended to favor girls over boys despite both facing similar challenges. Some of the benefits of programming for both sexes included sharing academic knowledge; boys gaining knowledge and skills to enable them to be future champions of change; enhanced ability for the adolescents to keep away from social ills; better gains for the society; breaking the gender inequality cycle; and enhanced social-emotional skills. Evidence from this paper highlights that there is a need for program and policy stakeholders to consider gender-transformative approaches and interventions targeting both sexes to maximize gains in education, health, and well-being.

This research aims to evaluate the Inspirational School Program using the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model, focusing on providing insights and recommendations for enhancing its effectiveness and sustainability. Data collection methods in qualitative descriptive research include interviews, observation, and documentation. The study's sample population comprises individuals associated with SMA Negeri 5 in Banjarmasin, including educators, school leaders, and grade XI students. In-person interviews were conducted with the school principal, homeroom teacher, counselling teacher, and students. Data analysis techniques encompass data collection, reduction, presentation, and verification/conclusion. The results indicate that the school's needs align with the Ministry of Education and Culture guidelines. Despite limited local government support, the program planning and evaluation processes have been implemented effectively despite obstacles. The Product Evaluation Stage reflects positive outcomes, including literacy, numeracy, character development, and school safety climate improvements. Educator and staff competence have also seen enhancements. It is recommended to align implementation with the Independent Curriculum, bolster human resources through educator and staff training, enhance infrastructure support, and seek increased government assistance to sustain and improve the program. These measures aim to enhance productivity further and ensure the continued success of the Inspirational School Program.

Recent decades have seen a rapid acceleration in global participation in formal education, due to worldwide initiatives aimed to provide school access to all children. Research in high income countries has shown that school quality indicators have a significant, positive impact on numeracy and literacy--skills required to participate in the increasingly globalized economy. Schools vary enormously in kind, resources, and teacher training around the world, however, and the validity of using diverse school quality measures in populations with diverse educational profiles remains unclear. First, we assessed whether children's numeracy and literacy performance across populations improves with age, as evidence of general school-related learning effects. Next, we examined whether several school quality measures related to classroom experience and composition, and to educational resources, were correlated with one another. Finally, we examined whether they were associated with children's (4-12-year-olds, N = 889) numeracy and literacy performance in 10 culturally and geographically diverse populations which vary in historical engagement with formal schooling. Across populations, age was a strong positive predictor of academic achievement. Measures related to classroom experience and composition were correlated with one another, as were measures of access to educational resources and classroom experience and composition. The number of teachers per class and access to writing materials were key predictors of numeracy and literacy, while the number of students per classroom, often linked to academic achievement, was not. We discuss these results in the context of maximising children's learning environments and highlight study limitations to motivate future research.

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of ordinality skills in early numerical development. Here, we investigate individual differences in ordering sets of items and suggest that children might also differ in their tendency to spontaneously recognize and use numerical order in everyday situations. This study investigated the individual differences in 3- to 4-year-old children's tendency to spontaneously focus on numerical order (SFONO), and their association with early numerical skills. One hundred fifty children were presented with three SFONO tasks designed as play-like activities, where numerical order was one aspect that could be focused on. In addition, the children were administered tasks addressing spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON), numerical ordering, cardinality recognition, and number sequence production. Our results showed that children had substantial individual differences in all measures, including SFONO tendency. Children's SFONO tendency was associated with their early numerical skills. To further investigate the association between SFONO tendency and numerical ordering skills, a hierarchical regression was conducted for a group of children who could successfully order sets from one to three at a minimum and were regarded as likely having the requisite skills to spontaneously focus on numerical order. The findings reveal that SFONO tendency had a unique contribution to children's numerical ordering skills, even after controlling for age, cardinality recognition, and number sequence production. The results suggest that SFONO tendency potentially plays a relevant role in children's numerical development.

Background: Recent research suggested fluent processing as an explanation on why number sense contributes to simple arithmetic tasks--'Fluency hypothesis'. Aims: The current study investigates whether number sense contributes to such arithmetic tasks when other cognitive factors are controlled for (including those that mediate the link); and whether this contribution varies as a function of participants' individual maths fluency levels. Sample: Four hundred and thirty-seven Chinese schoolchildren (186 females; Mage = 83.49 months) completed a range of cognitive measures in Grade 1 (no previous classroom training) and in Grade 2 (a year later). Methods: Number sense, arithmetic (addition and subtraction), spatial ability, visuo-spatial working memory, perception, reaction time, character reading and general intelligence were measured. Results: Our data showed that the link between number sense and arithmetic was weaker in Grade 1 (Beta = 0.15 for addition and 0.06 (ns) for subtraction) compared to Grade 2 (0.23--0.28), but still persisted in children with no previous maths training. Further, math's performance in Grade 1 did not affect the link between number sense and maths performance in Grade 2. Conclusion: Our data extended previous findings by showing that number sense is linked with simple maths task performance even after controlling for multiple cognitive factors. Our results brought some evidence that number sense-arithmetic link is somewhat sensitive to previous formal maths education. Further research is needed, as the differences in effects between grades were quite small, and arithmetic in Grade 1 did not moderate the link at question in Grade 2.

The National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is intended to assess all Australian students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 to ensure equity and inclusion. This paper explores the extent to which equity and inclusion are achieved for students with disability through NAPLAN reporting. Document analysis of publicly accessible NAPLAN reports, technical reports, handbooks and protocols was conducted to evaluate how this cohort is represented in NAPLAN reports. This paper demonstrates the paucity of NAPLAN reporting about students with disability. It highlights opportunities for NAPLAN data from this cohort to be reported and used to inform educational decisions at all levels (teachers, schools, systems and parents) for students with disability.

The home numeracy environment (HNE) is an essential factor to explain family engagement in relation to numeracy. Research in this field has mostly focused on English-speaking families and has not taken into consideration cultural differences that contextualize the home environment. Measuring HNE in more ethnically diverse samples might counter results that are biased from using a deficit perspective. Given the growth of the Latine population in the United States, there is a need to redefine family engagement in numeracy and update the HNE measures to increase their cultural relevance. This mixed methods study used a strengths-based framework to develop an HNE measure for Latine families. Fourteen Latine caregivers were interviewed (57% mothers) in the first study, and 216 Latine caregivers (63% mothers) participated in the second study, which examined the scale's factor structure. The validation process included parent reports of their child's numeracy skills (child M[subscript age] = 2.93 years, SD = 0.74). Three factors were identified (caregiver-child interactions, caregivers' math anxiety, and math beliefs). The first and third factors were significantly associated with parental reports of their child's numeracy skills.

The aim of this study was to investigate current trends in research of math anxiety (MA) through bibliometric perspective. Three main clusters were formed based on author keywords: cognitive correlates (working memory, attention, numerical cognition, mental arithmetic), psychological factors and effects (self-concept and self-efficacy, motivation, confidence, attitudes), and educational context (PISA, measurement, gender differences, math achievement, math education, assessment). Analysis of the index keywords revealed somewhat different organization with two dominant clusters: the experimental cluster in which the most frequent are psychophysiological measures and terms and the correlational cluster in which the topics of MA psychosocial factors are most represented. The map of bibliographic coupling showed several relatively separated groups of authors with different focus in cited references. However, a map of co-citation of authors revealed closeness of these separated groups, with Beilock, S. L. and Ashcraft, M. H. by far the most-cited authors in this field.

The O?THO exhibit, situated within the LivingLab at Copernicus Science Centre (CSC) in Warsaw, Poland, introduces visitors to the Cartesian principles of representing numerical data as points in a two-dimensional space--the coordinate system. This interactive tabletop digital exhibit takes the form of a collaborative two-player game where participants manually control a virtual ball's x- and y-axis values, respectively, to navigate it through maze-like paths, with the objective of completing the course in the shortest time and with the fewest moves. An action-based embodied design, O?THO draws on: (1) the enactivist tenet that individuals' cognitive structures emerge from recurring task-effective sensorimotor patterns discovered through explorative perceptuomotor activity; and (2) cognitive-anthropological theorizations of shared ontologies as emerging through multimodal social interaction to facilitate the coordinated enactment of joint action. We overview the exhibit's theoretical underpinnings and design conjectures; detail design challenges particular to the museum context, both in terms of the institution's civic mandate and in terms of attracting and sustaining user engagement; present the exhibit itself; and speculate on the typology of research projects centered on mixed-methods multimodal data analysis based on expected 70,000 annual users.

Empirical research on number sense to date has been conducted with preschoolers and elementary school students. Despite their contributions to the literature, these studies have used variable-centered analytic approaches that may prevent distinct number sense profiles for preschoolers and first graders from being identified. This study aimed to determine the number and proportions of distinct number sense profiles, the variables influencing these profiles, and the characteristics of the children with different profiles in the transition from preschool to elementary school. We conducted a quantitative study using a cross-sectional design for this purpose and used latent profile analysis to identify and describe distinct number sense profiles for preschoolers and first-grade students. A total of 1688 children, 848 from preschool and 840 from the first grade of elementary school, took part in the study. A Number Sense Screener was used to determine number sense profiles. The data collection tool used in the study was found to be reliable. Based on the findings of the study, we identified three profiles for both the preschoolers and first graders, namely, moderate very low, moderate low, and moderate high. We examined family and household income variables to help predict the profiles. We then took the characteristics and components of number sense that caused the differentiation in the profiles as revealed by the results of the study and discussed them in light of the literature.

The purpose of the current study was to qualitatively explore the home mathematical environment across two regions in two different countries (i.e., Cuba and Mexico), replicating a qualitative study previously conducted in Northern Ireland (NI), United Kingdom (Cahoon et al., 2017). Semi-structured interviews with parents/caregivers of children (3- to 5-year-olds) in both Mexico (n = 13) and Cuba (n = 40) were completed to investigate their views, experiences and attitudes towards the home mathematical environment. Thematic analysis was used to explore themes relevant to the home mathematical environment. Three consistent themes were found in the Mexican and Cuban data: Numeracy Environment Structure, Expectations and Attitudes and Views of Technology. Two unique themes were found in the Mexico data: Interactions Related to Reading or Mathematics, and Child's Attitudes in Relation to Mathematics. One unique theme was found in the Cuban interviews: Interactions for Learning. Although diverse themes were identified, consistencies were also observed. This suggests that some home numeracy practices may be universal in nature. This research increases the understanding of human development in context.

The home numeracy environment is an essential construct that helps explain children's numeracy skills. However, this field has been developed mostly focusing on monolingual English-speaking families, and cultural differences that contextualize the home environment have not been considered. This study describes the home numeracy environment of Latine families by (1) identifying the more and less common numeracy activities in the home of Latine families; (2) exploring differences, such as family members involved in the activities and generation in the United States; and (3) examining the association between activities and math anxiety and beliefs. Participants were 341 caregiver-child dyads (M age = 2.9 years, SD = 0.7 months). We found that the less common numeracy activities in the home of Latine families are items commonly used in the literature to measure numeracy home environment. In addition, the role of family members varies across generations. This study provides a foundation for understanding the home numeracy environment of Latine families.

Early academic skills and behavioral characteristics in students are predictive of later school achievement, but academics and behavior are commonly compartmentalized in research and practice. This study investigated to what extent first-grade early numeracy (EN), literacy, and behavior ratings predicted fourth-grade mathematics achievement. In fall of first-grade, 501 students were given EN and literacy measures and a behavior rating scale completed by their teachers. In spring of fourth-grade, students were given mathematics computation and concepts assessments. Regression analyses indicated EN, early literacy, and behavior uniquely predicted 39% of the variance in participants' fourth-grade mathematics achievement. Significant predictors were EN and behavior ratings (p < 0.001), which accounted for 29% and 9% of the variance in mathematics scores, respectively.

Textbooks offer instructors an opportunity to promote data visualization and statistical literacy throughout the sociology curriculum. In this study, we examined 463 data visualizations from 27 textbooks for Introduction to Sociology, Social Problems, and intermediate elective courses to illuminate the range of data visualizations and their use of statistical data and numerical variables. We find that textbooks rely on a narrow range of data visualizations (e.g., bar/column charts and tables), statistical data (e.g., percentages), and numerical variables (e.g., age). Introduction to Sociology textbooks used more data visualizations, and Social Problems textbooks incorporated more types of statistics. In contrast, intermediate-level textbooks presented more measures of central tendency. Overall, our results suggest textbooks could better integrate a broader range of figures, statistical data, and numerical variables. We conclude with resources for integrating data visualization in instruction.

Understanding the magnitudes represented by numerals is a core component of early mathematical development and is often assessed by accuracy in situating numerals and fractions on a number line. Performance on these measures is consistently related to performance in other mathematics domains, but the strength of these relations may be overestimated because general cognitive ability has not been fully controlled in prior studies. The first of two meta-analyses (162 studies, 33,101 participants) confirmed a relation between performance on whole number (r = 0.33) and fractions number (r = 0.41) lines and overall mathematics performance. These relations were generally consistent across content domains (e.g., algebra and computation) and other moderators. The second (71 studies, 14,543 participants) used meta-analytic structural equation modeling to confirm these relations while controlling general cognitive ability (defined by IQ and working memory measures) and, in one analysis, general mathematics competence. The relation between number line performance and general mathematics competence remained significant but reduced ([beta] = 0.13). Controlling general cognitive ability, whole number line performance consistently predicted competence with fractions but not performance on numeracy or computations measures. The results suggest an understanding of the magnitudes represented by whole numbers might be particularly important for students' fractions learning.

This article describes a hands-on geometric tiling art activity used in two third-grade classes and four fifth-grade classes in a rural public elementary school with class sizes of around 20 students each. The lesson investigates concepts in geometry, number sense, and probability. Examples of student work and takeaways for other teachers interested in implementing the tasks in their own classrooms are also shared.

This study investigated the role of tools in supporting students to reason about even and odd numbers. Participants included Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 students (ages 5-8) at two schools in the USA. Students took part in a cross-sectional early algebra intervention in which they were asked to generalize, represent, justify, and reason with mathematical structure and relationships. Interviews were conducted with students before, during, and after the year-long intervention to explore the ways in which tools mediated their engagement in these practices in the context of questions about parity. In addition to cubes and "dot cards," which were introduced during the interviews, we found that students also used their fingers and hands as tools. We outline the affordances and constraints of these tools in supporting students' reasoning about the properties of even and odd numbers.

This article proposes an in-depth mathematics analysis of simple and compound interest through an exploration of the mathematical structures underlying these concepts. Financial numeracy concepts (simple and compound interest, interest rates, interest period, present and future value, etc.) have been added to the mathematics curriculum of the Canadian province of Quebec in 2016. Yet, little is known with regards to mathematics teachers' knowledge of financial concepts. We mobilized the relational paradigm framework in the context of simple and compound interest to construct an assessment instrument of teacher knowledge. Based on 36 teachers' responses to the questionnaire, we observed that the majority of teachers did not use mathematical structures in problem solving; they were not able to make sense of simple and compound interest in ways that do not involve standard formulas. Such results indicate opportunities for professional development in regard to secondary mathematics teachers' knowledge of mathematics in the context of simple and compound interest situations.

The development of young children's counting has been extensively researched, yet detailed studies that examine development over multiple years are curiously absent from the literature. This research examined 15 preschoolers' (ages 3-4) use of number words as they engaged in two counting tasks, an oral counting task and counting a collection of 31 pennies, at four time points over 2 years. This study highlights patterns in the development of a number word list for the 15 children and presents three cases that illustrate the ways in which development varied for different children over time. Findings indicate that children demonstrated emerging understandings of the structure of the number sequence within the teen numbers and beyond before consistently using the conventional, "correct" sequence. Implications for research and instruction include how assessment of mathematical tasks are conducted and coded to capture children's important understandings beyond accuracy as well as how the development of counting and mathematical practices are viewed.

The present study investigated parental antecedents of children's learning interests in numeracy and literacy. Parents of 110 five- to six-year-old Chinese kindergarten children were recruited. One parent of each child completed the questionnaire on demographics, parental attitudes, home environment, home activity, parental involvement in school, and children's learning interests in numeracy and literacy. The results indicated that parents' attitudes could exert direct impacts on their children's learning interests in numeracy and literacy when demographic variables and parental practices were controlled for. Parents' attitudes toward their own learning were also indirectly correlated with their children's learning interests via their attitudes toward their children's learning. Moreover, parental practices explained the relationship between parental attitudes and children's learning interests, albeit slightly differently across literacy and numeracy. Home activity and parental involvement in school significantly mediated the relationship between parental attitudes and children's learning interests in numeracy, while in literacy, only home learning activity was a significant mediator. These findings have important implications for guiding parents in cultivating the kindergarten children's learning interests in numeracy and literacy.

Effective classroom management is critical to supporting student learning and success in school. However, little research has focused specifically on the impact of classroom management on student mathematics achievement, especially in the early elementary grades or in a small group (i.e., Tier 2) context. To address this need we investigated the relationship between classroom management and student mathematics achievement within the context of ROOTS, a validated Tier 2 kindergarten mathematics intervention taught by paraprofessionals. Results show that the quality of classroom management within the ROOTS intervention predicted gains in student mathematics achievement from pretest to posttest. These findings have critical implications for practitioners, including the importance of integrating effective classroom management techniques into Tier 2 mathematics intervention groups and supporting paraprofessionals' knowledge and use of effective classroom management.

This study assessed the effectiveness of a program aimed at improving the early numeracy skills of students with moderate intellectual disability. The persistence of the acquired skills and the program's impact on learning were monitored. Feedback from the students and their mothers was also gathered. Using a multiple-probe design across subjects, the results were visually presented through graphical analysis. Three male students aged 8-9 years participated. After obtaining high-reliability findings from reliability analyses, results showed the program effectively increased students' number skills with a high effect size. These skills persisted post-intervention, and both students and mothers expressed positive views of the intervention.

Mobile devices in the primary school classroom may improve literacy and numeracy learning, though concerns about risk of bias and uncertainty about modes of effect limit conclusions. This review gathered evidence on how mobile devices (including tablets, mobile phones, and handheld digital games) are used in primary school classrooms to help children's literacy and numeracy skills. An Expert Advisory Group supported the process to help findings relate to everyday practice. The review aimed to assess the impact of mobile devices in primary school classrooms on children's literacy and numeracy achievement, and its methodological quality. The secondary objectives were to assess whether some devices or classroom activities were more effective than others in supporting literacy and numeracy; whether some children benefitted more from these devices (e.g., across age or gender); and whether effects lasted beyond the duration of the studies.

We explore the potential of merging numeracy and literacy, through using number stories to stimulate mathematical engagement with young, marginalized learners in their communities. Our data emerges from the Family Maths Storytime Programme (FMSP) run in partnership with teachers in two South African schools. The FMSP conducted sessions with caregivers of pre-Grade 1 learners that focused on supporting mathematical talk in the home centred around four number storybooks with linked activities and games. Drawing on Bourdieu's notion of habitus and other socio-cultural theories emphasising opportunities for talk and reasoning for learning we explore: Did the FMSP enable the integration of home and school numeracy and literacy practices? If so, what evidence is there of such integrated practices? What is the nature of the described practices? Our analysis focuses on 20 caregiver interviews following their participation in the FMSP that was initially run after school in two English medium pre-Grade 1 classrooms. NVivo coding highlighted key themes across interviews. The findings show how modelling engagement with merged literacy and numeracy practices in the programme enabled changing practices, dispositions, and forms of capital in relation to engaging with these in the home. We highlight how supporting home-based and story inspired engagement with marginalised learners supports equity goals in contexts where learners from indigenous backgrounds often begin and remain mathematically behind grade expectations in school.

Gender differences in early childhood development are under-researched in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where almost 90% of the world's young children live. This study examines the direction, magnitude, and variation of gender similarities and differences in 3- and 4-year-olds' early childhood development in 71 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Moreover, we explore whether country-level gender inequality correlates with gender differences in early development. We analyzed Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) data from UNICEF's Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys and the Demographic and Health Surveys between 2010 and 2019 (n = 226,980). Using logistic regression, we estimated children's odds of being developmentally on track in literacy-numeracy, approaches to learning, social-emotional, and physical domains. We also used meta-analytic regression to examine associations between early childhood development and country-level indicators of gender inequality. In approximately one-half of LMICs, odds of being developmentally on track did not significantly differ for girls and boys; in countries with significant differences, girls were more likely to be on track than boys (odds ratio [OR] = 1.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.18-1.24], p < 0.001). Differences favoring girls were largest in the social-emotional domain (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = [1.24-1.30], p < 0.001). Country-level gender development index explained a substantial amount of variation in gender differences across countries. Overall, findings suggest that when gender differences exist, girls are more likely than boys to be developmentally on track, particularly in the social-emotional domain and in countries with greater gender equality.

Although the acceptance of educational apps and their contributions to learning have been widely researched, none of these studies have examined links between teachers' acceptance of apps and their students' skills. The present study investigated this issue with respect to a new, French-language educational app for helping preschool children improve their early literacy and early numeracy skills. To this end, we measured the app's acceptance by 33 French preschool (école maternelle) teachers, who used it in class for ten weeks, and the early literacy and early numeracy skills of their 353 students (aged between 3.92 and 4.91 years). Multilevel regression analyses revealed a significant link between the students' post-test early literacy and early numeracy scores and their teachers' perception of the app's usability. These results show that taking teachers' acceptance into account is an interesting opportunity to better understand the potential effectiveness of educational apps in school settings. Implications for teachers' training are also discussed.

Social institutions function not only by reproducing specific practices but also by reproducing discourses endowing such practices with meaning. The latter in turn is related to the development of the identities or subjectivities of those who live and thrive within such institutions. Meaning and subjectivity are therefore significant sociological categories involved in the functioning of complex social phenomena such as that of mathematical instruction. The present paper provides a discursive analysis centered on these categories of the influential OECD's PISA mathematics frameworks. As we shall see, meaning as articulated by the OECD primarily stresses the utilitarian value of mathematics to individuals and to society at large. Furthermore, molding students' subjectivities towards endorsing such articulation of meaning is emphasized as an educational objective, either explicitly or implicitly, as connected to the OECD's definition of mathematical literacy. Therefore, the OECD's discourses do not only serve to reproduce the type of mathematical instruction implied in the organization's services concerning education, but also concomitantly provide a potentially most effective educational technology through which the demand of these very services may be reproduced.

The paper responds to the need for understanding trends and gaps in extant research related to adult education in mathematics and numeracy, given changing skill demands and skill gaps regarding adults, and related policy, theorizing, and practice trends. This paper presents the results of a scoping review of recent empirical research related to adult education in mathematics and numeracy, published in 22 selected journals from 2019 to 2022, including 15 journals in adult education and seven in mathematics education. The results show that only 39 relevant empirical studies were found among over 2300 research papers reviewed, and that few of those focus on practice-related of adult education in mathematics and numeracy. The results provide quantitative evidence suggesting that the field of adult numeracy education is under-researched, and help to identify gaps in empirical research involving adult numeracy, including on emerging topics such as on modeling and critical interpretation. The results also point to research opportunities that can strengthen theorizing and practice in both mathematics education and adult numeracy education.

Computerized assessments and interactive simulation tasks are increasingly popular and afford the collection of process data, i.e., an examinee's sequence of actions (e.g., clickstreams, keystrokes) that arises from interactions with each task. Action sequence data contain rich information on the problem-solving process but are in a nonstandard, variable-length discrete sequence format. Two methods that directly extract features from the raw action sequences, namely multidimensional scaling and sequence-to-sequence autoencoders, produce multidimensional numerical features that summarize original sequence information. This study explores the utility of action sequence features in understanding how problem-solving behavior relates to cognitive proficiencies and demographic characteristics. This is empirically illustrated with the process data from the 2012 PIAAC PSTRE digital assessment. Regularized regression results showed that action sequence features are more predictive of examinees' demographic and cognitive characteristics compared to final outcomes. Partial least squares analysis further aided the identification of behavioral patterns systematically associated with demographic/cognitive characteristics.