In recent decades, there has been rapid development in digital technologies for automated assessment. Through enhanced possibilities in terms of algorithms, grading codes, adaptivity, and feedback, they are suitable for formative assessment. There is a need to develop computer-aided assessment (CAA) tasks that target higher-order mathematical skills to ensure a balanced assessment approach beyond basic procedural skills. To address this issue, research suggests the approach of asking students to generate examples. This study focuses on an example-generation task on polynomial function understanding, proposed to 205 first-year engineering students in Sweden and 111 first-year biotechnology students in Italy. Students were encouraged to collaborate in small groups, but individual elements within the tasks required each group member to provide individual answers. Students’ responses kept in the CAA system were qualitatively analyzed to understand the effectiveness of the task in extending the students’ example space in diverse educational contexts. The findings indicate a difference in students’ example spaces when performing the task between the two educational contexts. The results suggest key strengths and possible improvements to the task design. 

The use of programming in mathematics education is undergoing a renaissanceand, in this paper, we analyse students’ handling of programming in mathematicsusing the Instrumental approach as a theoretical lens. We are especially interestedin analysing the development of mental schemes using two analytical frameworkswhich are compared and contrasted according the idea of networking theories. Thestudy illustrates that the frameworks’ detail of richness can have both advantagesand disadvantages and that one of the frameworks are more customed to be appliedwhen analysing students’ instrumental genesis concerning the use of a programmingenvironment as a mathematical artefact.

This paper provides some insights into the use of example-generating tasks in the design of a technology-rich learning environment to enhance students’ mathematical thinking. The paper reports on an early stage of a design-based research project concerning the design of tasks and associated feedback utilising the affordances provided by a combined use of a dynamic mathematics software environment and a computer-aided assessment system. In example-generating tasks, students are asked to generate examples that fulfil certain conditions. Based on data in terms of examples generated by 491 first-year engineering students, taking a first course in calculus, the paper examines patterns of student response to three example-generating tasks. As a theoretical lens, the notions of dimensions of possible variation and associated ranges of permissible change are used. In light of the observed patterns, the paper provides some guiding principles for designing example-generating tasks and associated formative feedback to foster students’ mathematical understanding by enriching their example spaces. For example, this paper illustrates occasions where it might be instructive to start by asking for two examples, followed by adapted feedback before requesting a third example.

This paper reports on a pilot study with the focus on (re)design of a digitized task environment utilizing two types of technology – a dynamic mathematics software and a computer-aided assessment system. The data consist of responses from 256 first year engineering students, taking their first Calculus course, on two different types of task. The results are discussed in relation to (re)design of tasks as well as possible feedback design options to enable a formative assessment approach.

This paper reports on the planning of a design-based research (DBR) study, where the main aim is to develop principles in designing technology-enhanced learning environment utilizing a combination of a dynamic mathematics software (DMS) and a computer-aided assessment (CAA) system. The focus is on the design of tasks and automated feedback of high quality so as to enhance first year engineering students’ engagement in and conceptual understanding of mathematical contents. The paper outlines the rationale for the project and highlights theoretical aspects that will be considered in the study. Moreover, some findings from a pilot study that will inform the first cycle of the DBR study are presented.

Based on the patterns of response to an example-generating task, this paper provides suggestions onhow the task could be redesigned to enrich students’ example spaces in relation to the key ideasaddressed by the task. The participants are 236 first-year engineering students

The Swedish educational system has, so far, accorded little attention to the development of gifted pupils. Moreover, up to date, no Swedish studies have investigated teacher education from the perspective of mathematically gifted pupils. Our study is based on an instructional intervention, aimed to introduce the notion of giftedness in mathematics and to prepare prospective teachers (PTs) for the needs of the gifted. The data consists of 10 dynamic geometry software activities, constructed by 24 PTs. We investigated the constructed activities for their qualitative aspects, according to two frameworks: Krutetskii’s framework for mathematical giftedness and van Hiele’s model of geometrical thinking. The results indicate that nine of the 10 activities have the potential to address pivotal abilities of mathematically gifted pupils. In another aspect, the analysis suggests that Krutetskii’s holistic description of mathematical giftedness does not strictly correspond with the discrete levels of geometrical thinking proposed by van Hiele.

The paper examines the quality of digitized tasks designed by 10 (small) groups of prospective upper secondary school teachers as part of a geometry course assignment. The results indicate that a small instructional intervention, addressing the planning and implementation of tasks in digitized task environments as well as how to stimulate students to make mathematical generalizations, led to a relatively high proportion (8 out of 10) of high-quality tasks designed by the prospective teachers.

This paper reports a study of teachers’ use of Connected classroom technology to prepare for whole-class discussions building on students’ computer-based work in mathematics. The study investigates four upper secondary school teachers’ management of time and progression during the phase of the lesson where students are working in pairs. The findings highlight various didactical choices made by the teachers. These choices and some related challenges are discussed