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Exploring Beginning Teachers' Ability to Design Mathematical Games

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Title: Exploring Beginning Teachers' Ability to Design Mathematical Games
Language: English
Authors: Mark Applebaum (ORCID 0000-0002-1131-6188)
Source: International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology. 2026 14(1):178-199.
Availability: International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Meram, Konya, 42090, Turkey. e-mail: ijermst@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.ijemst.net/index.php/ijemst/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 22
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Beginning Teachers, Secondary School Teachers, Mathematics Teachers, Game Based Learning, Educational Games, Secondary School Mathematics, Instructional Design, Teacher Developed Materials
ISSN: 2147-611X
Abstract: This paper investigates how novice secondary-school mathematics teachers develop problem-posing skills through the design of game-based mathematical tasks. Conducted within a graduate-level teacher education course, the study engaged 14 early-career teachers working in pairs to explore mathematical games, analyze their underlying structures, and create original classroom-ready tasks. Using a qualitative case study approach, we focus on two representative pairs: one that undertook a reflective inquiry into the classical NIM game and another that designed two novel, parity-based strategy games. The findings address how teachers engage with mathematical games as tools for creative task design, how the design process supports pedagogical insight and the development of teacher identity, and what forms of mathematical and instructional reasoning emerge during task creation. Participants reported heightened creativity, deeper conceptual understanding, strategic reasoning, and an evolving sense of pedagogical agency. The study underscores the value of integrating structured opportunities for problem design into mathematics teacher education programs as a means of cultivating reflective, innovative, and student-centered educators.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1494401
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Exploring Beginning Teachers' Ability to Design Mathematical Games
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  Data: International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology. Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Meram, Konya, 42090, Turkey. e-mail: ijermst@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.ijemst.net/index.php/ijemst/index
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  Data: This paper investigates how novice secondary-school mathematics teachers develop problem-posing skills through the design of game-based mathematical tasks. Conducted within a graduate-level teacher education course, the study engaged 14 early-career teachers working in pairs to explore mathematical games, analyze their underlying structures, and create original classroom-ready tasks. Using a qualitative case study approach, we focus on two representative pairs: one that undertook a reflective inquiry into the classical NIM game and another that designed two novel, parity-based strategy games. The findings address how teachers engage with mathematical games as tools for creative task design, how the design process supports pedagogical insight and the development of teacher identity, and what forms of mathematical and instructional reasoning emerge during task creation. Participants reported heightened creativity, deeper conceptual understanding, strategic reasoning, and an evolving sense of pedagogical agency. The study underscores the value of integrating structured opportunities for problem design into mathematics teacher education programs as a means of cultivating reflective, innovative, and student-centered educators.
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      – SubjectFull: Secondary School Teachers
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