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Background: Game‐based learning can frame problem‐solving as a sense‐making experience with domain‐specific tasks for school students. However, multiple challenges arise when trying to support learners in such a complex, problem‐oriented learning environment. Objectives and Methods: With an architecture‐themed mathematics learning game, we conducted two mixed‐method studies to explore the impact and design of game‐based mathematical experience on the math problem‐solving performance of middle school students. Results and Conclusions: The study findings suggested a positive impact of game‐based math experience on math problem‐solving for middle school students. Problematization‐oriented game‐based math tasks with structuring features enhanced students' reasoning with problems and channelled it to doing mathematics. Takeaways: The current research findings support the initiative to frame learning as a sense‐making experience with domain‐specific tasks and inform the design of game‐based mathematical experience and learning support. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Realistic mathematical practices frame learning as a sense‐making experience.Challenges arise when involving learners in realistic mathematical experiences driven by domain‐specific tasks. What this paper adds: Game‐based simulation of math tasks framed learning as sense‐making experience.Game‐based math experiencing promoted math contextual problem‐solving performance.Structuring features enhanced problematized experiencing with math tasks. Implications for practice and/or policy: Teachers can integrate and facilitate game‐based math experiencing in class.Efforts should be made to make game‐based math tasks meaningful for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With facilitation of advanced technologies, design and application of smart become promising research issues in education. Although it is potential for students to learn geometric in authentic contexts, there were still lack of studies addressing smart learning issue in authentic context for geometry. This study aim to propose an app, called SmartUG, to support students smartly to consolidate geometry understanding and learning through enriching experience of exploring and applying related geometry surrounding. There were four smart mechanisms proposed in SmartUG (direction guidance, learning progress, object recognition and answer feedback) to guide students' measuring and applying geometry smartly and meaningfully in authentic contexts. A total of 83 fifth‐grade students participated in this experiment and were divided into three groups, an experimental group that learned with smart mechanisms, a control group that learned without smart mechanisms and a traditional control group that learning with traditional teaching approach. Basically, experimental group outperformed control group and traditional teaching group in term of geometry ability and estimation ability, which means students benefited from proposed SmartUG. Moreover, students showed positive attitude and high intention to use toward SmartUG. Students should be provided more chances to learn geometry smartly in authentic contexts with SmartUG. It is potential to future studies to implement more smart mechanisms to support students learning in authentic contexts. Moreover, the learning system can get smarter and smarter when the learning system gets more and more input data from students' use. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Geometry is important and strongly related to our surroundings.Students have few chances to learn Geometry through practicing in authentic contexts.Innovative technologies are potential to be utilized to facilitate smart learning. What this paper adds: Proposed a framework of smart mechanisms to support learning Geometry in authentic context.Utilized innovative technologies to facilitate smart learning in authentic context. Implications for practice and/or policy: Smart learning in authentic context helped improving students' motivation and achievements.The proposed smart mechanisms are effective to support smart learning.The smart mechanisms can be implemented not only for Geometry but also other subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overarching goal of this research project is to develop a set of theoretical and empirical based design principles to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning. We used a design‐based research approach in which a series of studies was conducted in a secondary school. First, an analysis of practical problems was performed via exploratory studies (Studies 1A and 1B), randomized experiments (Studies 2A and 2B), and a literature review (Study 3). Second, a basic flipped lesson prototype was developed based on our empirical findings and relevant theoretical work of student engagement and self‐determination theory. Third, we refined and evaluated our practice with two empirical studies (Studies 4 and 5). Finally, we reflected on each stage of our research project to produce a set of design principles for future practice. This study thus contributes to our knowledge of methods to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Flipped learning can increase student achievement in mathematics education.After flipping, studies reported non‐significant or even negative results in terms of student engagement.Little work has been done to support student engagement in flipped learning. What this paper adds: This study investigated methods to support student engagement in flipped mathematics learning.A 2‐year design‐based research was conducted consisting of a series of five studies.Theoretical work of student engagement and self‐determination theory were drawn. Implications for practice and/or policy: The use of group competitions increased student engagement in flipped mathematics learning.Peer interaction inside the classroom fostered students' cognitive engagement.Design principles are proposed to support student engagement in future practice.The principles cover five major instructional activities of flipped learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]