International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 

About: International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology is an academic journal published by Taylor & Francis. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Connected Mathematics & Reform mathematics. It has an ISSN identifier of 0020-739X. Over the lifetime, 4570 publications have been published receiving 31829 citations. The journal is also known as: Mathematical education in science and technology & Journal of mathematical education in science and technology.

Concept definition, concept image and the notion of function

Abstract: A simple model for cognitive processes will be constructed using the notions of concept image and concept definition. The model will be used to analyse some phenomena in the process of the learning of the function concept in grades 10 and 11. Educational conclusions, similar to those in [3] which were based on historical arguments, will be drawn.

Student Learning and Perceptions in a Flipped Linear Algebra Course.

Abstract: The traditional lecture style of teaching has long been the norm in college science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, but an innovative teaching model, facilitated by recent advances in technology, is gaining popularity across college campuses. This new model inverts or ‘flips’ the usual classroom paradigm, in that students learn initial course concepts outside of the classroom, while class time is reserved for more active problem-based learning and practice activities. While the flipped classroom model shows promise for improving STEM learning and increasing student interest in STEM fields, discussions to date of the model and its impact are more anecdotal than data driven – very little research has been undertaken to rigorously assess the potential effects on student learning that can result from the flipped classroom environment. This study involved 55 students in 2 sections of an applied linear algebra course, using the traditional lecture format in one section and the flipped ...

Scaffolding and Metacognition

Abstract: This paper proposes an expanded conception of scaffolding with four key elements: i. scaffolding agency – expert, reciprocal, and self-scaffolding; ii. scaffolding domain – conceptual and heuristic scaffolding; iii. the identification of self-scaffolding with metacognition; and iv. the identification of six zones of scaffolding activity; each zone distinguished by the matter under construction and the relative positioning of the participant(s) in the act of scaffolding. These key elements are illustrated with empirical examples drawn from a variety of research studies. Scaffolding, thus conceived, brings together several theoretical domains, and by situating metacognition within a framework derived from the social activity of scaffolding, a bridge is formed between the instructional support a teacher might provide and the learner's self-control of the learning process. With regard to instruction and the role of the teacher, it is the authors’ contention that a major object of instruction is the progressiv...

Teaching Children to be Mathematicians vs. Teaching About Mathematics

Abstract: Summary The important difference between the work of a child in an elementary mathematics class and that of a mathematician is not in the subject matter (old fashioned numbers versus groups or categories or whatever) but in the fact that the mathematician is creatively engaged in the pursuit of a personally meaningful project. In this respect a child's work in an art class is often close to that of a grown‐up artist. The paper presents the results of some mathematical research guided by the goal of producing mathematical concepts and topics to close this gap. The prime example used here is ‘Turtle Geometry’, which is concerned with programming a moving point to generate geometric forms. By embodying the moving point as a ‘cybernetic turtle’ controlled by an actual computer, the constructive aspects of the theory come out sufficiently to capture the minds and imaginations of almost all the elementary school children with whom we have worked—including some at the lowest levels of previous mathematical perfo...

The computation of nearly minimal Steiner trees in graphs

Abstract: The computation of a minimal Steiner tree for a general weighted graph is known to be NP‐hard. Except for very simple cases, it is thus computationally impracticable to use an algorithm which produces an exact solution. This paper describes a heuristic algorithm which runs in polynomial time and produces a near minimal solution. Experimental results show that the algorithm performs satisfactorily in the rectilinear case. The paper provides an interesting case study of NP‐hard problems and of the important technique of heuristic evaluation.