This study examined difficulties middle school students have in learning mathematics and proposed a flipped classroom consisting of Khan Academy activities, small-group problem solving, and mathematical modeling to help improve their learning. A mixed-method approach was used to identify difficulties students have in learning mathematics, explore how the flipped classroom helped them reduce the learning difficulties identified, and examine if there were differences in students' mathematics achievement and their affective characteristics after participating in the flipped classroom. Qualitative analyses showed that students had difficulties in understanding mathematical concepts and finding effective ways to learn as well as negative views towards learning mathematics. This study also found that each activity of the flipped classroom had a different impact on student learning. Before class, the Khan Academy activities were most likely to help students understand mathematical concepts. In class, small-group problem solving activities were most helpful for students who had trouble finding effective learning methods and environments. Mathematical modeling activities were most likely effective in changing students' negative views towards mathematics. A quantitative analysis showed that the flipped classroom not only significantly improved the students' mathematics achievement, but also positively affected their confidence and motivation and how much they valued learning mathematics.

Examining ways to interact with students in small groups is an important topic for researchers to understand. Existing studies pertaining to the topic have not shed light on knowing why teachers interact with students in small groups the way they do. Given that teacher identity shapes teaching practices, this study explores how teacher identity shapes teachers' interaction with students in small groups. Working with two beginning teachers, I conducted four interviews to collect the data related to reasons behind their interactions with students in small groups in the interview. I analyzed the interview transcripts using a thematic analysis. I found that one teacher's teacher identity was related to her personal experiences as a child and a learner and another teacher's teacher identity was related to her view of teachers' roles as a teacher. I provide discussion and implications of this study.

This study aimed to building models to understand the relationships between reasoning resources and content knowledge. We applied Support Vector Machine and linear models to the data including fifth graders' scores in the Cornel Critical Thinking Test and the Iowa Assessments, demographic information, and learning science approach (a student-centered approach to learning called the Science Writing Heuristic [SWH] or traditional). The SWH model showing the relationships between critical thinking domains and academic achievement at grade 5 was developed, and its validity was tested across different learning environments. We also evaluated the stability of the model by applying the SWH models to the data of the grade levels. The findings can help mathematics educators understand how critical thinking and achievement relate to each other. Furthermore, the findings suggested that reasoning in mathematics classrooms can promote performance on standardized tests.

Critical mathematics education has developed in many directions and has a broad range of approaches. There will probably be many different ways of expressing critical mathematics education. The book, An Invitation to Critical Mathematics Education by Ole Skovsmose (2011) has elucidated critical mathematical education by discussing and reinterpreting its concerns and preoccupations. He reinterprets thoughts and arguments that have been taken for granted and premised in mathematics education, and also discusses unquestioned widespread notions by associating them with his projects or specific practices carried out by him and his colleagues. This review intoduced and examined his crucial notions of critical mathematics education, such as "Diversity of situations," "Students' foreground, Landscapes of investigation," "Mathemacy," and "Uncertainty." These notions will make you to meet his theories with his pratices and look back on something overlooked in mathematics education.

Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics, Grades K-12: 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning is Liljedahl's latest book that cumulated his long-term research project. He provides concrete advice on each of 14 research-based teaching practices, along with answers to frequently asked questions and suggestions for getting started, which will help you build your thinking classroom.