This book seeks to illustrate the research on mathematics competencies and disposition in China according to the conceptual development and empirical investigation perspective. Mathematics education in China has a distinguishing feature a focus of attention to mathematical competency. Paradoxically, there has not been an explicit, refined, and measurable evaluation system in place to assess mathematical competency in China. While academic achievement surveys or evaluations are common, these can only give an overall conclusion about mathematical thinking skills or problem solving abilities. In response to this deficiency, China is beginning to carry out national projects that emphasize defining both a conceptual framework on core competencies in school mathematics and developing a corresponding assessment framework. Thus, the main focus of this volume is the current investigations of different mathematics competencies and mathematical disposition of Chinese students, with the aim of promoting interaction between domestic and international student performance assessment, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of mathematics competencies and disposition in mainland China, and to stimulate innovative new directions in research. The primary audience of this volume is the large group of researchers interested in mathematics competencies, mathematics teaching and learning in China, or comparative studies, or the relation of the three. The book will also appeal to teaching trainers or instructors, as well as be an appropriate resource for graduate courses or seminars at either the master's or doctoral level.

Despite the modernization of the educational process both in colleges and universities, the main way of transferring information from teacher to learner remains their personal contact in classrooms and educational literature. One of the effective ways to optimize teaching and learning is the technological approach to the organization of the educational process. Modern Technologies for Teaching and Learning in Socio-Humanitarian Disciplines aims to systematize technologies for teaching social and humanitarian disciplines and discuss educational technologies that the modern teacher can and should possess including tools for person-oriented learning and for setting and achieving learning goals. The content within this publication examines interactive technologies, social educators, and visual storytelling and is designed for educators, researchers, academicians, administrators, and students.

This book offers a practical, methodological guide to conducting arts-based research with children by drawing on five years of the authors' experience carrying out arts-based research with children in Australia and the UK. Based on the Australian Research Council-funded Interfaith Childhoods project, the authors describe methods of engaging communities and making data with children that foreground children's experiences and worldviews through making, being with, and viewing art. Framing these methods of doing, seeing, being, and believing through art as modes of understanding children's strategies for negotiating personal identities and values, this book explores the value of arts-based research as a means of obtaining complex information about children's life worlds that can be difficult to express verbally.

This volume brings together recent research and commentary in secondary school mathematics from a breadth of contemporary Canadian and International researchers and educators. It is both representative of mathematics education generally, as well as unique to the particular geography and culture of Canada. The chapters address topics of broad applicability such as technology in learning mathematics, recent interest in social justice contexts in the learning of mathematics, as well as Indigenous education. The voices of classroom practitioners, the group ultimately responsible for implementing this new vision of mathematics teaching and learning, are not forgotten. Each section includes a chapter written by a classroom teacher, making this volume unique in its approach. We have much to learn from one another, and this volume takes the stance that the development of a united vision, supported by both research and professional dialog, provides the first step.

A Volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast: Monograph Series in Mathematics Education Series Editor Bharath Sriraman, The University of Montana Our innovative spirit and creativity lies beneath the comforts and security of today's technologically evolved society. Scientists, inventors, investors, artists and leaders play a vital role in the advancement and transmission of knowledge. Mathematics, in particular, plays a central role in numerous professions and has historically served as the gatekeeper to numerous other areas of study, particularly the hard sciences, engineering and business. Mathematics is also a major component in standardized tests in the U.S., and in university entrance exams in numerous parts of world. Creativity and imagination is often evident when young children begin to develop numeric and spatial concepts, and explore mathematical tasks that capture their interest. Creativity is also an essential ingredient in the work of professional mathematicians.Yet, the bulk of mathematical thinking encouraged in the institutionalized setting of schools is focused on rote learning, memorization, and the mastery of numerous skills to solve specific problems prescribed by the curricula or aimed at standardized testing. Given the lack of research based perspectives on talent development in mathematics education, this monograph is specifically focused on contributions towards the constructs of creativity and giftedness in mathematics. This monograph presents new perspectives for talent development in the mathematics classroom and gives insights into the psychology of creativity and giftedness. The book is aimed at classroom teachers, coordinators of gifted programs, math contest coaches, graduate students and researchers interested in creativity, giftedness, and talent development in mathematics.

Mastering Primary English introduces the primary English curriculum and helps trainees and teachers learn how to plan and teach inspiring lessons that make English learning irresistible. Topics covered include: * Current developments in English * English as an irresistible activity * English as a practical activity * Skills to develop in English * Promoting curiosity * Assessing children in English * Practical issues This guide includes examples of children's work, case studies, readings to reflect upon and reflective questions that all help to exemplify what is considered to be best and most innovative practice. The book draws on the experience of two leading professionals in primary English, Wendy Jolliffe and David Waugh, to provide the essential guide to teaching English for all trainee and qualified primary teachers.

This nine-chapter book narrates a writing-centered approach to the teaching of literature and literary research. As the title suggests, the book also embraces a thematic approach to reading and writing about twentieth-century American literature, focusing on the grounds for hope in an age of despair. The first five chapters explore in detail the teaching of the twentieth-century American literature course at the University of Pristina in Kosovo, where the author served as Fulbright Professor of American Literature in the spring semester of 2012. Throughout, these chapters narrate students' in-class interactions to illustrate writing-to-learn strategies for teaching the literature. Chapter six then follows the same cohort of 22 students as they learned to ground their literary research in their own questions about American and Balkans narratives of oppression and liberty, of despair and hope. The last three chapters document the responses of students and their professors to this American theme of liberty and hope as seen through the Balkans lenses of ethnic violence and emerging republican government. Specifically, chapter seven focuses on students' participation in a blog featuring Balkans literature that explores the same issues of liberty and justice examined in the American literature they have read. Chapter eight then celebrates student writing, the fruit of the writing-to-learn strategies narrated in earlier chapters. Finally, chapter nine narrates professors' and students' responses, gathered through surveys and interviewing, to questions about their country's violent past and the value of literary study in preparing citizens to shape a new republic.

By 2020, half of the world's population and most university students will have a supercomputer in their pockets. This revolution will affect the way students respond to higher education. The university classroom must henceforth engage students, and the classic lecture format alone might not be enough to do so. This book answers the question how university students can learn in the classroom what they cannot learn in any other way. The answer is inspired by options that are not available to political scientists - in the way that they are in the laboratories for the sciences, in the performances for the live arts, and in the studios for visual arts - as well as ideas that are already present, but not widespread in the discipline: problem-solving and case studies, as in the professional schools, and simulation exercises in many other disciplines. This book proposes therefore an active pedagogy for political science, at a time when active pedagogy is more important than ever. Prof. Laure Paquette, PhD, has been a visiting researcher or professor in 23 countries. She has advised several foreign governments as well as her own, Canada, and has published extensively in four languages. This is her sixteenth book.

This book introduces the specifics of mathematics lesson study with regard to regional/national particularities, discussing the methodological and theoretical tools that can be used to pursue research on lesson study (its forms, contents, effects etc.) from an international perspective. Lesson study and learning study (LS) are becoming increasingly important in teacher education, mostly in continuous professional development, but also in prospective teachers' education, and this interest is accompanied by a demand for more solid theorization of the lesson study process. A number of social, cultural, cognitive and affective issues are reflected in the way LS develops, and the book examines the latest results of these developments.

The need to improve the mathematical proficiency of elementary teachers is well recognized, and it has long been of interest to educators and researchers in the U.S. and many other countries. But the specific proficiencies that elementary teachers need and the process of developing and improving them remain only partially conceptualized and not well validated empirically. To improve this situation, national workshops were organized at Texas A&M University to generate focused discussions about this important topic, with participation of mathematicians, mathematics educators and teachers. Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction is a collection of articles that grew out of those exciting cross-disciplinary exchanges. Developing Mathematical Proficiency for Elementary Instruction is organized to probe the specifics of mathematical proficiency that are important to elementary teachers during two separate but inter-connected professional stages: as pre-service teachers in a preparation program, and as in-service teachers teaching mathematics in elementary classrooms. From this rich and inspiring collection, readers may better understand, and possibly rethink, their own practices and research in empowering elementary teachers mathematically and pedagogically, as educators or researchers.

This book examines the ways in which PDSs build cultural competence for various stakeholders including pre-service teachers, classroom teachers, school leaders, college faculty, and K-12 students. Given the increased national attention on the opportunity gap present in underserved marginalized communities across the country, the authors in this series identify a combination of research-based practices and institutional changes that increase student attainment and develop educators' capacity to serve a range of diverse learners.We are certain the timeliness of the topic will provide educators with context for understanding the role PDSs play in the creation of culturally responsive schools.

This invaluable professional resource instructs teachers on how to successfully implement Guided Math Workstations into K-2 classrooms. With detailed instructions that are easily adopted into today's classrooms, this book contains everything teachers need to set up, plan, and manage workstations. Guided Math Workstations allow teachers to address their students' varied learning needs within a carefully planned numeracy-rich environment where students are challenged to not just do math, but to become mathematicians. Teachers will be able to successfully target the specific needs of learners with small-group lessons as students work independently on math workstation tasks. Each workstation task includes: an overview of the lesson, materials, objective, procedure, and differentiation tactics; a Student Task card with directions and a materials list for the task to help with implementation and organization; a Talking Points card with math vocabulary words and sentence stems to encourage mathematical discourse; and additional resources for each task.

This work looks at critical issues in social studies teacher education. It covers such topics as: what social studies teachers need to know; social studies teacher education in an era of globalization; social studies teacher education for urban classrooms; and more.

When students have access to a great physical education program, they tend to be happier, be more socially adjusted, and cause fewer discipline problems. "Starting an Elementary Physical Education Program" guides educators through the process of implementing a program that provides each student with the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports and activities in a positive and safe environment.

William M. Thomas has over thirty-five years of experience teaching in a public school system, five years of which were dedicated to building a successful elementary physical education program. Thomas not only shares a guideline of activities that helps students develop good sportsmanship, he leads educators through the creative process of developing and beginning the program. A scope and sequence is also included, explaining what activities and competency levels children should be achieving in each grade. By using this model, a teacher is able to plan activities for the entire year.

Educators who have the desire to leave a lasting impression on all students will benefit from the step-by-step mentoring and guidance provided in "Starting an Elementary Physical Education Program," allowing every teacher and administrator to focus on what is most important-helping students excel one child at a time.

This book describes the practice of poetic inquiry and takes the reader through the process of translating lived experience into poetry that attends to the lives of others. Using her own writing-from early drafts to published poems-Apol demonstrates elements of poetic inquiry that both give it strength and make it complicated: the importance of craft (the aesthetic); the imperative of accuracy and reliability (the investigative); the significance of ethical responsibility that leads to action (witness); and the centrality of relational connectedness and accountability (withness). Apol raises questions about what it means for poems to function as both research and art, and illustrates what happens when there are irresolvable conflicts between the demands of the poem and a commitment to relationship. Throughout, Apol addresses her white privilege, as well as the dominant white/colonial narrative that often seeps into arts-based work unless it is overtly and critically addressed. The book goes beyond arts-based research, speaking as well to other forms of cross-national, cross-cultural research. It is a call for relational scholarship that moves toward action, a heart-rending teaching, a post-traumatic aesthetic map laid down with clear and poignant theory and praxis to extend, serve and guide.

This book highlights recent developments in literacy research in science teaching and learning from countries such as Australia, Brazil, China, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United States. It includes multiple topics and perspectives on the role of literacy in enhancing science teaching and learning, such as the struggles faced by students in science literacy learning, case studies and evaluations of classroom-based interventions, and the challenges encountered in the science classrooms. It offers a critical and comprehensive investigation on numerous emerging themes in the area of literacy and science education, including disciplinary literacy, scientific literacy, classroom discourse, multimodality, language and representations of science, and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). The diversity of views and research contexts in this volume presents a useful introductory handbook for academics, researchers, and graduate students working in this specialized niche area. With a wealth of instructional ideas and innovations, it is also highly relevant for teachers and teacher educators seeking to improve science teaching and learning through the use of literacy.

The computer graphics (CG) industry is an attractive field for undergraduate students, but employers often find that graduates of CG art programmes are not proficient. The result is that many positions are left vacant, despite large numbers of job applicants. This book investigates how student CG artists develop proficiency. The subject is important to the rapidly growing number of educators in this sector, employers of graduates, and students who intend to develop proficiency for the purpose of obtaining employment. Educators will see why teaching software-oriented knowledge to students does not lead to proficiency, but that the development of problem-solving and visualisation skills do. This book follows a narrow focus, as students develop proficiency in a cognitively challenging task known as 'NURBS modelling'. This task was chosen due to an observed relationship between students who succeeded in the task, and students who successfully obtained employment after graduation. In the study this is based on, readers will be shown that knowledge-based explanations for the development of proficiency do not adequately account for proficiency or expertise in this field, where visualisation has been observed to develop suddenly rather than over an extended period of time. This is an unusual but not unique observation. Other studies have shown rapid development of proficiency and expertise in certain professions, such as among telegraph operators, composers and chess players. Based on these observations, the book argues that threshold concepts play a key role in the development of expertise among CG artists.

This open access book is intended to assist teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum designers, editors and authors of textbooks in developing strategies to teach the multiplication of natural numbers based on the experience of the Lesson Study in Japan. This approach to mathematics education dates back to the 1870s and reconciles the emphasis on problem solving with the treatment of the curricular contents. It has gained international recognition since the 1990s and thanks to it mathematics education in Japan has been recognized as one of the most efficient and innovative in the world. This growing international awareness has led to an effort to apply the principles of Lesson Study to other parts of the world and this book shows how experienced authors from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain and Portugal have worked to adapt some of these methods and techniques to the Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries of Ibero-America. Drawing on the impact of Lesson Study on government curriculum decisions and teacher behavior in Japanese classrooms; offering examples of lessons, lesson plans and suggestions for teaching; and presenting examples of the good reception of the principles of Lesson Study in Ibero-America, Teaching Multiplication with Lesson Study - Japanese and Ibero-American Theories for Mathematics Education shows how an efficient and cutting-edge experience in mathematics education can travel the world and help teachers in many different countries.

"Changing Urban Education" considers the way we approach teaching and learning in the urban context and examines the debates concerning developments in wider social, cultural, political and economic contexts. Grounded in a strong conceptual, theoretical framework, this accessible text will guide the reader through this evolving area.
Reflective exercises, interviews, chapter summaries and useful websites will encourage and support student learning and the application of new concepts. Recent debates and developments are considered, including:
* The city as a social, cultural and economic resource
* Virtual communities
* The impact of the forces of globalisation on urban education
* Challenging schools and urban policy
* Mobile urban learning
"
Changing Urban Education" is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students on education studies and related courses.

This book builds on current and emerging research in distance learning, e-learning and blended learning. Specifically, it tests the boundaries of what is known by examining and discussing recent research and development in teaching and learning based on these modalities, with a focus on lifelong mathematics learning and teaching. The book is organized in four sections: The first section focuses on the incorporation of new technologies into mathematics classrooms through the construction or use of digital teaching and learning platforms. The second section presents a wide range of perspectives on the study and implementation of different tutoring systems and/or computer assisted math instruction. The third section presents four new innovations in mathematics learning and/or mathematics teacher education that involve the development of novel interfaces' for communicating mathematical ideas and analyzing student thinking and student work. Finally, the fourth section presents the latest work on the construction and implementation of new MOOCs and rich media platforms developed to carry out specialized mathematics teacher education.