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1. Teachers’ Knowledge of Fraction Magnitude

   Copur-Gencturk, Yasemin (January 2021, International journal of science and mathematical education)

   This article explores three attributes of teachers’ understanding of fraction magnitude: the accuracy and reasonableness of teachers’ estimations in response to fraction arithmetic tasks as well as the alignment of the estimation strategies they used with the concept of fraction magnitude. The data were collected from a national sample of mathematics teachers in Grades 3–7 in which fraction concepts were taught (N = 603). The results indicated the teachers’ estimations were only partially accurate and reasonable, particularly when fraction division was involved. Furthermore, teachers’ credentials and the grade level at which they taught mathematics were significantly related to teachers’ understanding of fraction magnitude. 

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2. Teachers' Attention to and Flexibility with Referent Units

   https://doi.org/10.51272/pmena.42.2020  

   Copur-Gencturk, Yasemin; Olmez, Ibrahim B. (January 2020, Mathematics Education Across Cultures: Proceedings of the 42nd Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education)

   A.I. Sacristán, J.C. Cortés-Zavala (Ed.)

   In this study, we explored teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units as well as how teachers’ understanding of referent units is related to their performance on other fraction concepts and their professional background. By using data collected from 246 U.S. mathematics teachers in Grades 3–7 where fractions are taught, we found that teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units were moderately related. Whereas some teachers’ professional background variables could explain their flexibility with referent units, none of the variables was linked to their attention to referent units. Furthermore, both teachers’ attention to and flexibility with referent units seemed to be associated with their performance on other fraction concepts. 

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3. Physics through Algebra for Preservice Elementary Teachers: A Comparison of Asynchronous and Hybrid/Face-to-Face Learning

   Kurz, T.L.; Meltzer, D.E.; Nation, M. (November 2022, Proceedings of EdMedia + Innovate Learning Online 2022)

   At a large Hispanic-Serving Institution in the southwestern United States, physics was integrated into an algebra content course for preservice teachers. Due to the pandemic, content was asynchronously taught during the fall 2020 semester. During the fall 2021 semester, content was taught in both hybrid and face-to-face format. This research question was: Regarding preservice teachers’ leaning and academic experiences, what were the differences between perceptions of preservice teachers’ learning on the subject of physics-based algebra in an asynchronous format compared to a hybrid or face-to-face format? Data were gathered from both preservice teachers and their instructors. Data from preservice teachers showed that the in-person and hybrid instruction cohort saw a significant change in Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy from pre- to post-test when testing at the .05 level, whereas this was not the case for the online instruction cohort. There was no statistical difference in the post Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy and post Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy scores between the face-to-face and hybrid preservice teachers and the asynchronous preservice teachers. Their instructors felt that experiences were more fruitful in a face to face format. 

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4. Teaching Coding to Elementary Students – the Use of Col- lective Argumentation

   Foutz, Tim (June 2019, ASEE annual conference & exposition)

   This project, titled Collective Argumentation Learning and Coding (CALC), aims to use the principles of collective argumentation to teach coding through appropriate reasoning. Creating and critiquing arguments as part of a coding activity promotes a more structured approach rather than the trial-and-error coding activity commonly used by novice programmers. Teaching coding via collective argumentation allows teachers to use methods that are already in use in mathematics and science instruction to teach coding, thus increasing the probability that it will be taught in conjunction with mathematics and science as regular parts of classroom instruction rather than relegated to an after-school or enrichment activity for only some students. Specific objectives of the CALC project are to - increase the attention that coding is given in the elementary classrooms taught by our participating teachers, and -direct students away from informal approaches (e.g.trial-and-error) to develop code to the more formal, structured approach recommended for novice programmers. Our research activities investigate teachers’ understanding of argumentation using the CALC concept and how the implementation of the CALC concept helps students (grades 3-5) learn how to code. The CALC approach supports the learning of coding by providing teachers with a formal, structured means to a) trace the growth of students’ understanding, and misunderstanding, of ideas (i.e., coding) as they form, b) facilitate students’ use of evidence, not opinion, to select a solution among multiple solutions (i.e., different sequencing of the code), and c) help each student realize she/he, as well as others, is a legitimate participant (i.e., a programmer) in the activity of developing, assessing and implementing an idea (e.g., coding of a robot). This paper/presentation discussed the first phase of an on-going investigation and focuses on a prototype graduate-level course designed for and taught to practicing elementary school teachers. The discussion outlines how the course impacted the participating teachers content knowledge of coding and their belief that coding can be made an integral part of everyday lessons, not as an add-on activity. 

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5. A Study of Common Concerns Inhibiting Teacher Enactment of Computational Thinking into Project-based Mathematics and Career Technical Education.

   https://doi.org/10.5220/0009337403410349  

   Majumder, Subhrajit (May 2020, CSEDU)

   null (Ed.)

   Recent studies have shown that US high school students are not as prolific as other countries in terms of their performance in mathematics. One of the most effective solutions can be a change in the way mathematics subjects is taught in high school. The NSF-funded “Understanding How Integrated Computational Thinking, Engineering Design, and Mathematics Can Help Students Solve Scientific and Technical Problems in Career Technical Education (INITIATE) project is a collaboration of The University of Toledo and high schools in Toledo that aims to improve mathematics teaching. Project-based learning (PBL) and integrating math with career technology education (CTE) have been established as efficient ways to improve high school students’ understanding of mathematics. Nevertheless, implementation of new ways of teaching is not always easy for the teachers, and many factors may inhibit the teachers from implementing PBL methods. This research analyzes common concerns teachers experienced regarding enacting new teaching methodologies in their classroom. The Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) was used to measure the teachers’ perceptions of and comfort with implementing computational thinking (CT) concepts PBL lessons. Possible relationships between teachers’ SoCQ CBAM score and other variables such as their understanding of PBL and CTE are examined and discussed. 

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