Fractions are core content of elementary school mathematics, and conceptual knowledge of fractions is essential when developing a comprehensive understanding of fractions. Previous research, however, has indicated limitations in student teachers' fraction knowledge. This study investigated 57 Swedish elementary school student teachers' conceptions…

Although there have been a huge number of attempts to improve school algebra teaching, several countries are still struggling to improve students algebraic skills. In this study, we focus on the specific case of Sweden where students for several decades have had major problems mastering algebra. In order to get a better understanding of the…

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare lessons given in primary school teacher education in Japan, Finland and Sweden. We analyse one lesson from each country and compare them using a common framework. Chevallard's anthropological theory of the didactic (ATD) is used to frame this analysis and in particular to model teacher educators'…

The assessment of individual knowledge and abilities should be frequently undertaken when learning is developed in interactions with other students, such as in group work and/or cooperative learning. Previous research reveals that group work assessment is a neglected research area, and this applies in particular to group work assessment…

This article reports on an educational design research study exploring the potential of combining entrepreneurship and mathematics -- two of the key competencies stressed as important in a society of lifelong learning. The aim of the study was to explore what happens when entrepreneurship is integrated into mathematics lessons. Eight Swedish…

Purpose: The conducted examination of programming affordances and constraints had the purpose of adding knowledge and value that facilitate the on-going national curricula revision; knowledge that also could be of general interest outside the Swedish K-12 context. Design/methodology/approach: With a qualitative approach, the study was conducted as…

This article investigates how the recent implementation of programming in school mathematics interacts with algebraic thinking and learning. Based on Duval's theory of semiotic representations, we analyze in what ways syntax and semantics of programming languages are aligned with or divert from corresponding algebraic symbolism. Three examples of…

The public and academic debate about mathematics education has been intensified during the last decade. In relation to this it is important to investigate what ideas concerning mathematics education that are expressed by teachers and students. The aim of this article is to study how teachers and students in primary school talk about the math book…

In this paper, we study year 2 and year 5 students' expressed motivations for doing mathematics. The responses were analysed using thematic analysis; first with a deductive approach using themes from previous research, and then an additional inductive analysis searching for new themes. The results show that the children express both intrinsic…

This paper targets patterns of expressed emotional directions towards mathematics. By using TIMSS data and recoding two of the instruments, we compared responses from the same student cohort in Grade 4 (11 years old) and Grade 8 (15 years old) in Sweden. Two hypotheses were tested: negative emotions including negative motivations increase with…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyse and discuss K-12 mathematics and technology teachers' perceptions on integrating programming in their teaching and learning activities, and perceptions on different programming tools. Design/methodology/approach: The approach of a case study was used, with data collected from three instances of a…

Background: In Sweden, the introduction of new national curricula for primary and secondary schools has implied, for example, that programming has become a compulsory part of mathematics education since August 2018. We study Swedish fifth and sixth graders and the distributions of their motivational values related to studying mathematics with…

This study reports from a pre-service teacher's online learning and assessment activity on determining variability of two graphical artefacts. Using a critical-analytical perspective to data, the present study indicates that the prospective teachers surveyed showed awareness of relevant subject specific operators and methods; however, these seem…

This article draws on data from a bigger project where we explore what is taking place in the daily life of classrooms during the national testing period in mathematics for 9-10-year-old children in Sweden. Data were produced by observations, video-recordings and interviews with children. The article shows on a micro level how assessment trends,…

In this article, the focus is on task construction and the importance of this process to develop and promote classroom communication in mathematics. The students' tests, examination of students' mathematical work, the teachers' lesson plans, and reports of the lessons' instructions are the basic data for this article. The analysis indicated that…