In this article, Janice Padula discusses and compares schools of thought on what mathematics is and what mathematicians do. This discussion aims to encourage lively classroom discussion and interest in mathematics for high achieving Form 12 students and first (or higher) year university students enrolled in a mathematics degree program.…

This book presents the findings of two case studies in the 'Making Connections' two-year project funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. It shows how science literacy was improved in a state coeducational school with Pacific Island students from diverse linguistic backgrounds. This book details ideas and strategies relevant to schools…

School climate measures are important tools that assist educators in evaluating the "norms, values, and expectations that support people feeling socially, emotionally and physically safe" (National School Climate Council, 2007, p. 4). Positive school climate is associated with academic performance indicators such as grade point average,…

The present study examined the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study "Advanced" data to examine how the educational credentials of maths teachers and other teacher characteristics were related to attitude towards advanced mathematics and perceptions of engaged teaching among 12th-grade students enrolled in advanced…

The college major choice is a critical decision students make as they progress along their education and career pathways. In addition to defining what programs of study students will take during college, major choice affects students' success and satisfaction. However, the National Center for Education Statistics (2017) reported that within three…

Educators are often looking for ways to increase engagement and academic achievement in their classrooms; therefore, the problem addressed in this study is the decrease in academic achievement caused by a low level of classroom engagement amongst high school seniors. The purpose of this qualitative action research study is to increase academic…

Purpose: With the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (AI), it is important to consider how young people are making sense of these tools in their everyday lives. Drawing on critical postdigital approaches to learning and literacy, this study aims to center the experiences and perspectives of young people who encounter and…

In this study, the evaluation of mathematical proficiency (MP) in one NSW Year 12 standardised exam paper was investigated. By considering the multi-strand model of MP, a literature-based criteria for scoring the assessment of MP in individual exam questions was first developed. The criteria were then applied to quantitatively evaluate the 2023…

Logarithms, pivotal in advanced mathematics and real-world applications, often present challenges to students who resort to rote memorization without grasping their essence. While the emotional dimensions of learning mathematics are increasingly recognized, research in this area remains limited. This dissertation addresses this gap by examining a…

This qualitative, phenomenological research study explores the best practices that secondary Grades 6-12 educators employ when using microcontrollers in the classroom. Governmental and private organizations have investigated and promoted the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) and computer science in education (Code…

Within the secondary level of education covering students in grades 6-12, reading comprehension continues to be an area of concern for traditional public-school educators. Because students lack the foundations of reading upon entering middle and high school, on average across the United States, many students struggle to meet high school graduation…

High-achieving minority students have fewer friends than their majority counterparts. Exploring patterns of friendship formation in the Add Health data, we find strong racial homophily in friendship formations as well as strong achievement homophily within race. However, we find that achievement matters less in cross-racial friendships. As a…

Addressing the participation rates in senior secondary mathematics courses in Australian schools remains a critically important issue. In this paper, the authors report on quantitative findings from a study in which all year 11 and year 12 (aged 17-18 years) Australian Tertiary Admissions Ranking (ATAR) students in Western Australia were invited…

Background: This empirical study aims to investigate the association between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement gaps among students in Grades 4, 8, and 12, utilizing data from the 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The study also considers student-level (e.g., mathematics self-efficacy, gender,…

Less engagement in learning among students' becomes an obstacle to their academic journey, which teacher self-efficacy can influence. This study examined the level and linkages between students' engagement and teacher self-efficacy using data from 714 selected secondary school teachers in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Descriptive and…