Naomi Ingram

Mathematics education and the affective domain

This is the fourth chapter on affective issues to appear in the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (MERGA) reviews of research in mathematics education. In our review of topics and findings of studies that have been published in Australasia during the period 2012–2015, some themes and issues have been identified that appear noteworthy. Past reviews on affect and mathematics have noted a limited amount of theorising, with many studies providing description of teacher and student perceptions of affective issues. This does not appear to have changed significantly in this period, however it does appear that the foci of affective research within specific topics is beginning to broaden, with a shift in attention on student engagement and attitudes towards mathematics. It is noted that although research has increased in the area of engagement, there have been no substantive explorations of any links between engagement and academic achievement.

Using Show and Tell Apps to Engage Students in Problem-Solving in the Mathematics Classroom

Show and Tell apps, which record students as they speak and write on a tablet, have a number of affordances for student learning in mathematics. One of these affordances is their utility in engaging students in problem-solving processes. Three iterations of research into Show and Tell apps present evidence that using Show and Tell apps for problem-solving can lead to improvements in the level and quality of student engagement. Students are encouraged to socially negotiate their understandings and Show and Tell apps can make student thinking more visible during this process. The apps also scaffold students to reflect on the processes they used for problem-solving.