Contribution: Prior studies on pedagogical methodologies to acquire soft skills have shown that developing collaborative tasks produces positive impact in students’ abilities. In this article, a pedagogical approach based on interdisciplinary practice and realistic problems is proposed to improve students’ teamwork skills. Background: Traditionally, soft skill acquisition has received scarce attention in high education curricula. Consequently, students finish their studies without having developed important competencies, such as communication, conflict resolution and teamwork skills. Intended Outcomes: Students who follow a realistic interdisciplinary approach improve both their soft and hard skills compared to students who follow a traditional collaborative pedagogical methodology. Through the approach proposed, students progress in completing tasks, participating in the team, collaborating in the organization, accepting agreements and taking into account the others’ points of view. Application Design: The experience involved students from two different disciplines, prospective computer science engineers and preservice teachers. They worked together to design an educational application that required prospective engineers to apply Human–Computer Interaction fundamentals. A quasi-experimental study was performed using either knowledge tests or self-assessment pre-post-tests, both subsequently analyzed using quantitative methods. Findings: 1) the prospective CS engineers who followed the interdisciplinary realistic practice approach achieved better learning outcomes than those who did not; 2) the educational context affects teamwork skill development; and 3) students improved their ability to work and participate in the team after the experience.

The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) proposes to enhance active learning and student protagonism in order to improve academic performance. In this sense, different methodologies are emerging to create scenarios for self-regulation of their learning. In this study the cooperative, collaborative and interdisciplinary learning methodologies were compared in Spanish universities. The main objectives were to evaluate their effects in higher education and to explore the relationship between perceived group cooperation and self-perceived ability to work in a group, differences between educational Spanish contexts, educational methodologies and gender. To this end, a quasi-experimental design was carried out. Data analysis included the descriptive metrics, correlations and analysis of variance to evaluate the differences among pedagogical methods, their effects on cooperative learning, teamwork outcomes and gender differences, comprising a total of 229 students in Spain from Psychology, Early Childhood Education, Primary Education and Computer Engineering completed the two questionnaires. Results showed that the highest correlation between perceived cooperative activity and self-perceived ability to work in a group was found among computer science students, especially among women, suggesting that the interdisciplinary learning focused on software tool development may be the most effective methodology to improve teamwork and cooperative learning outcomes. Despite these findings concern only to Spanish universities, limiting the generalizability of results, the interdisciplinary methodology seems promising for improving both teaching quality and teamwork skills. The learning methodologies of interdisciplinary projects may therefore need to be implemented within the framework of cooperative and collaborative methodologies.

This study investigates the responses of Indonesian and Spanish students to the use of interactive mathematics comics in their education. The research aims to see the practicality of these comics on student engagement, comprehension, and retention of mathematical concepts across different cultural contexts. Using a quantitative approach, the study analyzes data through normality and homogeneity tests to ensure the reliability and consistency of responses. Results show that Indonesian and Spanish students respond positively to interactive mathematics comics, demonstrating increased motivation and interest. However, cultural differences significantly influence the perception of specific indicators such as content quality, technical quality, and language usage. Indonesian students, who are generally accustomed to traditional teaching methods, found the comics engaging and helpful in understanding complex concepts. On the other hand, Spanish students, who are more familiar with interactive and student-centered learning, showed mixed responses depending on their educational experiences and expectations. Despite these differences, both groups recognized the value of interactive comics as a supplementary educational tool. Future research could explore a larger and more diverse sample size, including longitudinal studies to assess the sustained impact of such tools and further investigate the integration of other multimedia elements like augmented reality to enhance interactivity. From these results, the Mathematics Comic on Cartesian coordinates material developed is practical and can be used in mathematics learning. This is because the Mathematics Comic on Cartesian coordinates material received a good response, and students hope that learning mathematics will be more fun and effective.

The integration of cultural heritage into mathematics learning remains underexplored, particularly in the context of Indonesian traditional arts. Existing mathematics curricula often overlook the potential of local cultural artifacts to contextualize abstract mathematical concepts. This study addresses this gap by investigating the mathematical structures embedded within Batik Lampung motifs, highlighting their novelty in representing numerical patterns through culturally significant designs. The primary aim of this research is to explore and analyze mathematical pattern concepts—specifically odd and even arithmetic sequences, square numbers, rectangular numbers, and constant sequences—within the Siger, Gajah, Pucuk Rebung, Sembagi, and Kapal motifs of Batik Lampung, while also uncovering their underlying philosophical meanings. Employing a qualitative ethnographic approach, the study collected data through visual documentation, direct observation, semi-structured interviews, and literature review. The findings reveal the presence of arithmetic sequences, square and rectangular number patterns, and constant sequences, each reflecting cultural values such as sustainable growth, balance, perfection, and continuity. These results underscore the potential of Batik Lampung as a meaningful and contextual medium for mathematics instruction. This study contributes to the development of culturally responsive teaching strategies aimed at enhancing students' mathematical understanding and motivation through the incorporation of local cultural heritage.

This manuscript aims to describe aspects of mathematical knowledge for teaching, MKT, identified in pre-service teachers (PSTs) when explaining an arithmetic property using manipulative materials. In particular, we are interested in the specialized mathematical knowledge, SCK, the pedagogical knowledge related to teaching, KCT, and the knowledge of content and curriculum, KCC. We proposed to record a video to a sample of 27 primary education students enrolled in their first mathematics education course. They had to explain an arithmetic property of natural numbers using manipulative materials. PSTs do not create contexts by the mere presence of manipulative material, but only rely on it for visual purposes; the meaning of these values are modified during the explanation. Evidence has been found of difficulties relating to the SCK such as the inadequate varying of the meanings given to the manipulative material, and to the KCC such as the selecting of an unsuitable material.

Several studies have highlighted the existence of demotivated teachers in schools. There are several demotivating factors that influence the decisions and commitment that a teacher can acquire. The literature review allows us to characterize the factors that different authors identify to explain teacher demotivation. This article aims to analyze some of the factors that influence mathematics teachers demotivation and the evaluation of the degree of demotivation in relation to work environment, teaching autonomy, extrinsic values, and students. The information was collected from a questionnaire consisting of 24 items, which was given to 121 active Albanian teachers teaching at different levels of education. These data were analyzed using a quantitative methodology. The independent variables gender, teachers age, qualification, pupils age, and type of school are also considered to perform a multivariate analysis. From the results obtained, we can state that the factors that generate the greatest demotivation are textbooks, political conversion and corruption, aspects related to the curriculum, and the costs they must bear. In addition, school status, curriculum changes, meritocracy, material costs, autonomy, and research significantly explain the demotivation of public sector teachers. It highlights the need to seek structured responses aimed at regulating teaching careers. Infinity Journal published by STKIP Siliwangi Bandung publishes original research or theoretical papers about teaching and learning in mathematics education