This paper reports an overview of contemporary research on early childhood mathematics teaching and learning presented at recent mathematics education research conferences and papers included in the special issue (2020--4) of "ZDM Mathematics Education." The research covers the broad spectrum of educational research focusing on different…

The variation theory of learning emphasizes variation as a necessary condition for learners to be able to discern new aspects of an object of learning. In a substantial number of studies, the theory has been used to analyze teaching and students' learning in classrooms. In mathematics education, variation theory has also been used to explore…

The idea of using fingers as a key component in arithmetic development has received a great deal of support, much of which is based on neuroscientific evidence. However, this body of work pays limited attention to how fingers are used and possible different outcomes in arithmetic problem solving. The aim of our paper, based on an analysis of 126…