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Social Justice Mathematics: Classroom Practices That Give Students Rigor While Building Agency, Emily Marquise

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a social justice approach to mathematics instruction. While many students have math aversion, students in low socioeconomic communities exhibit this to a higher degree putting them at a disadvantage as they progress through their educational career. More than 3.4 million K-12 students in the United States come from families that earn less than the median income yet achieve scores in the top percentile (Wyner et al., 2007). This raises the question of why so many students in low-socioeconomic settings are not given rigorous content that will keep them competitive …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Using Point-Of-View Video Modeling On Mathematics Improvement In Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia, Tirad Alsaluli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Video Modeling (VM) is one of the most widely used approaches by researchers to improve many skills, such as academic skills in students with Learning Disabilities (LD; Boon et al., 2020). As the incidence rate of individuals with LD in Saudi Arabia increase (Almedlij & Rubinstein-Ávila, 2018), the need for evidence-based math interventions focused on the math development of individuals with LD also increases. Although VM is recognized as an Evidence-based Practice (EBPs), a limited number of studies have implemented VM as an intervention to improve mathematic skills. Implementing VM as a math intervention strategy would explore its effects on …

An Application Of The Pagerank Algorithm To Ncaa Football Team Rankings, Morgan Majors

Honors Theses

We investigate the use of Google’s PageRank algorithm to rank sports teams. The PageRank algorithm is used in web searches to return a list of the websites that are of most interest to the user. The structure of the NCAA FBS football schedule is used to construct a network with a similar structure to the world wide web. Parallels are drawn between pages that are linked in the world wide web with the results of a contest between two sports teams. The teams under consideration here are the members of the 2021 Football Bowl Subdivision. We achieve a total ordering …

What Is A Number?, Nicholas Radley

HON499 projects

This essay is, in essence, an attempt to make a case for mathematical platonism. That is to say, that we argue for the existence of mathematical objects independent of our perception of them. The essay includes a somewhat informal construction of number systems ranging from the natural numbers to the complex numbers.

Curriculum Connectivity In Montclair State University’S Undergraduate Mathematics Program, Ana G. Da Silva Jesus

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

According to Piaget’s cognitive development theory and the constructivism learning theory of education, real learning occurs when students establish long term connections between disciplines by either adapting or redefining previously acquired knowledge. These ideologies have important teaching and learning implications that directly influence curriculum development and the design of a course of study. This thesis explores the interconnectedness of the subjects required for the successful completion of an undergraduate math program at Montclair State University. More specifically, it models students’ unique connections through a learning network and investigates the correlation between the interconnectivity of subjects and students’ overall performance. Results …

Using A Distributive Approach To Model Insurance Loss, Kayla Kippes

Student Research Submissions

Insurance loss is an unpredicted event that stands at the forefront of the insurance industry. Loss in insurance represents the costs or expenses incurred due to a claim. An insurance claim is a request for the insurance company to pay for damage caused to an individual’s property. Loss can be measured by how much money (the dollar amount) has been paid out by the insurance company to repair the damage or it can be measured by the number of claims (claim count) made to the insurance company. Insured events include property damage due to fire, theft, flood, a car accident, …

The Theatre Of Math: The Stage As A Tool For Abstract Math Education, Blaine Hudak

Honors Projects

So often in the education of Mathematics does instruction solely consist of the lecture. While this can be an effective method of communicating the ideas of math, it leaves much to be desired in gathering the interest and intrigue of those who have not dedicated their lives to the study of the subject. Theatre, by contrast, is a tool that has been used in the past as means of teaching complicated and difficult to understand moral and emotional subjects. While Theatre and Mathematics have been used in combination many times in the past, it is most often done in the …

Length Bias Estimation Of Small Businesses Lifetime, Simeng Li

Honors Theses

Small businesses, particularly restaurants, play a crucial role in the economy by generating employment opportunities, boosting tourism, and contributing to the local economy. However, accurately estimating their lifetimes can be challenging due to the presence of length bias, which occurs when the likelihood of sampling any particular restaurant's closure is influenced by its duration in operation. To address the issue, this study conducts goodness-of-fit tests on exponential/gamma family distributions and employs the Kaplan-Meier method to more accurately estimate the average lifetime of restaurants in Carytown. By providing insights into the challenges of estimating the lifetimes of small businesses, this study …

Using Visual Imagery To Develop Multiplication Fact Strategies, Gina Kling

Dissertations

The learning of basic facts, or the sums and products of numbers 0–10 and their related differences and quotients, has always been a high priority for elementary school teachers. While memorization of basic facts has been a hallmark of elementary school, current recommendations focus on a more nuanced development of fluency with these facts. Fluency is characterized by the ability to demonstrate flexibility, accuracy, efficiency, and appropriate strategy use. Despite recommendations to focus on strategy use, there is insufficient information on instructional approaches that are effective for developing strategies, particularly for multiplication facts. Using visual imagery with dot patterns has …

Spectral Sequences And Khovanov Homology, Zachary J. Winkeler

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

In this thesis, we will focus on two main topics; the common thread between both will be the existence of spectral sequences relating Khovanov homology to other knot invariants. Our first topic is an invariant MKh(L) for links in thickened disks with multiple punctures. This invariant is different from but inspired by both the Asaeda-Pryzytycki-Sikora (APS) homology and its specialization to links in the solid torus. Our theory will be constructed from a Z^n-filtration on the Khovanov complex, and as a result we will get various spectral sequences relating MKh(L) to Kh(L), AKh(L), and APS(L). Our …

The Relationships Between Flow, Mathematics Self-Efficacy, And Mathematics Anxiety Among International Undergraduate Students In The United States, Samah Abduljabbar

Dissertations

Problem

A worldwide problem, math anxiety is defined as an anxious state with an unpleasant feeling of tension characterized by fear of failing to achieve mathematics targets. Psychologically, math anxiety involves anxiety, tension, discomfort, nervousness, fear, shock, and insecurity. Math anxiety has been perceived as a key influencer of reduced math achievement, and avoidance of math-related careers. On the other hand, abilities, flow, interests, and psychological conditions contribute to student mathematics success. Belief in one's ability to perform a specific task boosts self-efficacy, which has been studied widely as a predictor of student academic performance. When students are interested in, …

Finding The Common Denominator: Understanding The Shared Experiences Of Female Math Majors, Abigail R. Rosenbaum

Honors Theses

Despite efforts to increase gender diversity in STEM fields, women remain underrepresented in mathematics, especially in advanced academic and research positions. This study aimed to explore the experiences of female math majors as they attempt to navigate this male-dominated space. Through qualitative interviews with seven female math majors, two female math professors, and a focus group with education majors at Woodbridge College, small liberal arts college in the United States, several common themes were identified that define the experiences of female math majors. The findings suggest that math is held at an elevated status in society and that there is …

Elliptic Functions And Iterative Algorithms For Π, Eduardo Jose Evans

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Preliminary identities in the theory of basic hypergeometric series, or `q-series', are proven. These include q-analogues of the exponential function, which lead to a fairly simple proof of Jacobi's celebrated triple product identity due to Andrews. The Dedekind eta function is introduced and a few identities of it derived. Euler's pentagonal number theorem is shown as a special case of Ramanujan's theta function and Watson's quintuple product identity is proved in a manner given by Carlitz and Subbarao. The Jacobian theta functions are introduced as special kinds of basic hypergeometric series and various relations between them derived using the triple …