Digital Commons Network^™

Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy For Teaching Mathematics, Shannon Mccampbell

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Teachers self-efficacy beliefs start forming upon entering their teacher education programs and continue to develop throughout their first few years of teaching. They then remain relatively stable for the remainder of their teaching careers. Teachers' self-efficacy beliefs have been shown to influence teachers' job satisfaction, resilience, burnout rates, health, motivation, teaching behaviors, and students' academic achievement. It is important to understand how they form and what influences their development. The purpose of this study is to better understand the complex relationships involved during the formation PSTs' self-efficacy beliefs. The study examined the relationships between PSTs' self-efficacy beliefs for teaching and …

The Perceived Effectiveness Of Mixed Reality Experiences In A Master Of Arts In Teaching (Mat) Program For Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Degreed Individuals, Chana Speir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived effectiveness of mixed reality experiences on resident teachers who successfully completed an undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree and were enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program as part of RTP3 at a large research university in Orlando, Florida. The population for this study consisted of those selected to be in the RTP3, which included being in the Masters in the Art of Teaching (MAT) and becoming a middle or high school science, mathematics, or engineering teacher. The resident teachers experienced mixed reality as …

Teacher Mathematics Language: Its Use In The Early Childhood Classroom And Relationship With Young Children's Learning, Emma Whitman

Dissertations

Early mathematics instruction has been linked to children's later outcomes in both literacy and mathematics. One important component of this instruction, teachers' mathematics language in the early childhood classroom, has been connected to children's mathematical gains. However, this work is lacking in both scope and depth. The objective of this study was to provide a review of the use of math language by early childhood teachers and address the issues neglected in the current literature. The study looks at: the type of content that teachers' mathematics language emphasizes, the mediating effects of settings on the mathematics language that is used, …

Porous Medium Convection At Large Rayleigh Number: Studies Of Coherent Structure, Transport, And Reduced Dynamics, Baole Wen

Doctoral Dissertations

Buoyancy-driven convection in fluid-saturated porous media is a key environmental and technological process, with applications ranging from carbon dioxide storage in terrestrial aquifers to the design of compact heat exchangers. Porous medium convection is also a paradigm for forced-dissipative infinite-dimensional dynamical systems, exhibiting spatiotemporally chaotic dynamics if not ``true" turbulence. The objective of this dissertation research is to quantitatively characterize the dynamics and heat transport in two-dimensional horizontal and inclined porous medium convection between isothermal plane parallel boundaries at asymptotically large values of the Rayleigh number $Ra$ by investigating the emergent, quasi-coherent flow. This investigation employs a complement of direct …

The Influences Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy, Identity, Interest, And Parental Involvement On Stem Achievement In Algebra For Female High School Students, Nicol R. Howard

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictability of STEM achievement in Algebra for female high school students utilizing mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics interest, mathematics identity, and parental involvement. This study employed data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09/12) which consisted of 3,938 female eleventh-grade participants randomly selected from 944 public and private high schools during the fall 2009 academic year. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression indicated that mathematics identity was the strongest predictor of STEM achievement for female high school students, regardless of race. In spite of this significant relationship, STEM achievement outcomes …

Philosophy Of Mathematics: Theories And Defense, Amy E. Maffit

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this paper I discuss six philosophical theories of mathematics including logicism, intuitionism, formalism, platonism, structuralism, and moderate realism. I also discuss problems that arise within these theories and attempts to solve them. Finally, I attempt to harmonize the best features of moderate realism and structuralism, presenting a theory that I take to best describe current mathematical practice.

Writing In The Geometry Classroom, Amy Lynn Rome

LSU Master's Theses

This study sought a time-efficient way to implement writing in ninth-grade Geometry. Students wrote responses to five expository writing prompts spread out over the spring semester of the 2014-2015 school year. Students’ first attempts were graded and returned to them along with feedback in the form of a teacher-written exemplar. Students rewrote assignments to improve their grades. All first and second attempts were collected and evaluated. We found that students were more successful after seeing the exemplar. Moreover, on assignments occurring later in the semester, more students were able to score in the top categories of the writing assignments on …

Effects Of Successmakers Math As An Intervention For Students, Jennifer Lee Calcut

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools throughout the United States use the IQ-achievement discrepancy method to

identify children with learning disabilities. This current method allows many students to fall behind in the regular education setting. In 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was reauthorized to provide states with the option of using a response to intervention (RtI) model in lieu of or in conjunction with the IQ-achievement discrepancy model. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, single subject, pre/posttest design study was to determine the impact of a Tier II intervention using SuccesMakers Math, a learning system that adapts to the unique needs of the individual …

Perceptions Of Teachers On Instructing Remedial Mathematics Students, Christy Leigh Defilippis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 12% of students at the study middle school failed to reach proficient levels on state assessments in mathematics from 2010-2012. Poor performance on assessments can limit future mathematical trajectories and opportunities for students. One of the causes for failing to meet proficient levels on mathematics assessments could be the inconsistent use of teaching practices targeted at supporting lower achieving students; according to such reasoning, a consistent use of research-supported practices could result in improved student performance. Kolb's experiential learning theory, Vygotsky's social development theory, and Maslow's motivation theory provided a framework for this case study. Interviews and observational data …

Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Affective Dispositions Toward Mathematics, Benjamin R. Mcdermott

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure and report pre-service elementary teachers' affective domain of productive disposition toward mathematics during the semester they were enrolled in a reform-based mathematics methods course. The study attempted to observe and report dynamic and enduring aspects of disposition as well as the perceived reasons for any changes, or lack thereof, in disposition. The rationale for focusing on disposition is related to Kilpatrick, Swafford, and Findell's (2001) inclusion of productive disposition as one of the five interdependent strands of the mathematical proficiency conceptual framework. Furthermore, it has been argued that dispositions develop at very …

Gender, Self-Efficacy, And Mathematics Achievement: An Analysis Of Fourth Grade And Eighth Grade Timss Data From The United States, Jennifer Anne Evans

Educational Studies Dissertations

It has been argued by some that boys are inherently better in mathematics than girls (Halpern, 2012; Summers, 2005). However, according to international assessments such as the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study’s (TIMSS) and Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), boys do not always outperform girls in mathematics (Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Arora, 2012; OECD, 2014). As such, something other than biology might better explain variations in mathematics performance. One explanation may be self-efficacy, a label used to describe judgments people make about themselves in terms of whether or not they have the capability of doing something (Bandura, 1995; …

Math Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Development And Student Mathematics Performance, Michael Edward Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Math Teacher Perceptions of Professional Development

and Student Mathematics Performance

by

Michael Edward Smith

EdS, Tennessee Technical University, 2007

MA, Tennessee Technical University, 2006

BS, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, 2003

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

February 2015

The standardized math test scores at a Tennessee high school have trended below the state and national averages. One strategy to improve math performance is a pedagogical structure that facilitates peer interaction and discovery learning. A program of professional development (PD) designed to foster such interactive learning was delivered to …

A Program Evaluation Of My MathTm: Improving Student Computational Fluency Through Inquiry-Based Instruction, Andrea Townsend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This program evaluation study addressed a critical deficiency in early childhood math proficiency for a local urban school district. To strengthen students' skills in mathematics, the district adopted the Common Core State Standards and piloted an inquiry-based instructional program called My Math. The purpose of this project study was to determine the extent to which My Math met the goals of improving Grades K-2 students' math proficiency. The conceptual framework was based on theories of multiple intelligences, social learning, and foundations of social development. The National Program Evaluation Standards were used to guide the program evaluation. The research questions centered …

Effects Of Embedded Study-Skills Instruction On High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Alberta Diahann Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The target school used embedded study skills in Algebra I classes to improve attitudes toward mathematics. The purpose of this sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study was to examine the effect of embedded study-skills instruction on students' attitudes toward mathematics. Metacognitive theory was used for this study's framework. Participants were 28 Grade 9 and 10 students who repeated Algebra I. Quantitative data from the Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory assessed students' pre- and post-instruction attitudes toward mathematics in 4 domains. Data were analyzed using 4 independent samples t tests for students who did and did not receive embedded instruction. Qualitative data were collected …

Students With High Incidence Disabilities: What Teaching Strategies And Interventions Work?, Tori A. Letizia

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Finite Embeddability Property For Some Noncommutative Knotted Varieties Of Rl And Drl, Riquelmi Salvador Cardona Fuentes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Residuated lattices, although originally considered in the realm of algebra providing a general setting for studying ideals in ring theory, were later shown to form algebraic models for substructural logics. The latter are non-classical logics that include intuitionistic, relevance, many-valued, and linear logic, among others. Most of the important examples of substructural logics are obtained by adding structural rules to the basic logical calculus FL. We denote by 𝖱𝖫𝑛 � the varieties of knotted residuated lattices. Examples of these knotted rules include integrality and contraction. The extension of �� by the rules corresponding to these two equations is …

Teacher Leadership Practices, Supports And Challenges In Implementation Of The Common Core High School Math Standards, Shelley Fetterolf-Klein

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the practices of teacher leaders in a PLC content team along with the supports they received and needed as well as the challenges they encountered during implementation of the Common Core State Standards for high school mathematics in a Southern California school district. Because research shows most change initiatives require active leadership and yet are difficult to sustain there existed a need to study and describe the experiences of the teacher leaders during this curricular change to the Common Core State Standards. The experiences described by the seven …

The Effects Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On The Mathematics Achievement Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Kenya Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematics is essential in everyday life activities and most educational opportunities and careers require mathematical knowledge, thus it is vital that students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receive sufficient instruction that leads to proficiency in the subject. Performing poorly in mathematics can result in dire future outcomes. This is particularly true for students with EBD, who already experience significant difficulties throughout and after their educational career. While studies have documented the academic and behavioral problems of students with EBD, not until recently have studies begun to concentrate on academic interventions that may aid in preventing some of the academic …

An Applied Mathematics Approach To Modeling Inflammation: Hematopoietic Bone Marrow Stem Cells, Systemic Estrogen And Wound Healing And Gas Exchange In The Lungs And Body, Racheal L. Cooper

Theses and Dissertations

Mathematical models apply to a multitude physiological processes and are used to make predictions and analyze outcomes of these processes. Specifically, in the medical field, a mathematical model uses a set of initial conditions that represents a physiological state as input and a set of parameter values are used to describe the interaction between variables being modeled. These models are used to analyze possible outcomes, and assist physicians in choosing the most appropriate treatment options for a particular situation. We aim to use mathematical modeling to analyze the dynamics of processes involved in the inflammatory process.

First, we create a …

Teacher Influence On Elementary School Students’ Participation In Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics, Courtney Hartman

Honors College Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of elementary school teachers on encouraging students’ interest and participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The researcher sought to understand what methods teachers use in their classrooms to encourage students to participate in STEM subjects and programs. This mixed methods study consisted of a questionnaire to collect quantitative data, as well as an interview of selected teachers who participated in the questionnaire to collect qualitative data. The data was analyzed to determine the overall perceptions of teachers regarding the importance of encouraging students to participate in STEM. The qualitative …

An Evaluation Of Math Assessment Policy Process In A Southwestern School District, Alicia O'Brien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An Evaluation of Math Assessment Policy Process in a Southwestern School District

by

Alicia Taber O'Brien

EdS, Walden University, 2011

MA, Western Governors University, 2004

BS, New Mexico State University, 1994

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Teacher Leadership

Walden University

September 2015

This project study addressed the lack of evaluation of a math assessment policy in a rural elementary school district in the southwestern United States. This district implemented a math assessment policy in the spring of 2005, yet no evaluation had been conducted to determine whether the policy …

Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspective Of Technology Integration: A Qualitative Case Study, Patricia Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many studies have documented that technology integration increases summative assessment scores, yet many teachers do not integrate technology in their teaching. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover the extent to which middle school mathematics educators are or are not integrating technology in a school district where summative scores were below mathematics state benchmarks. Guided by instructional constructivism and the technology acceptance model, this case study examined how teachers perceived advantages and barriers to mathematics instruction that uses technology. Five of the nine mathematics teachers at the middle school volunteered to participate in a semi-structured interview and be …

I Don't Play Chess: A Study Of Chess Piece Generating Polynomials, Stephen R. Skoch

Senior Independent Study Theses

This independent study examines counting problems of non-attacking rook, and non-attacking bishop placements. We examine boards for rook and bishop placement with restricted positions and varied dimensions. In this investigation, we discuss the general formula of a generating function for unrestricted, square bishop boards that relies on the Stirling numbers of the second kind. We discuss the maximum number of bishops we can place on a rectangular board, as well as a brief investigation of non-attacking rook placements on three-dimensional boards, drawing a connection to latin squares.

Women's Decision To Major In Stem Fields, Stephanie Conklin

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This paper explores the lived experiences of high school female students who choose to enter into STEM fields, and describes the influencing factors which steered these women towards majors in computer science, engineering and biology. Utilizing phenomenological methodology, this study seeks to understand the essence of women’s decisions to enter into STEM fields and further describe how the decision-making process varies for women in high female enrollment fields, like biology, as compared with low enrollment fields like, computer science and engineering. Using Bloom's 3-Stage Theory, this study analyzes how relationships, experiences and barriers influenced women towards, and possibly away, from …

Explaining Participation : An Explanatory History Of Select Gender Patterns In Undergraduate Stem, Michael Pasquale Mastroianni

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This explanatory study examines three focal periods in undergraduate STEM as related to the gender gap. Social, economic, and more general historical data are used to develop a clear and powerful explanation of baccalaureate trends in biology and engineering. Specifically, historical accounts are offered for 1) a ten-year period in undergraduate biology in which the number of baccalaureates awarded to men decreased 44 percent, while the number of baccalaureates awarded to women decreased one percent; 2) the start of a twenty-year period in which the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the biological sciences increased 150 percent—from 36,068 degrees in …

High School Mathematics Teachers' Connective Knowledge Of The Challenges And Possibilities In Implementing The Flipped Learning Model: An Embedded Mixed-Methods Study, Karla Huereca

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The impact of technology advancements in our current society continues to transform the ways in which we interact with each other, and the educational field has not been exempt from this transformation. Integration of technology in schools has influenced educators to seek new ways of teaching that adapt to the needs of students who are impacted by a digital wave. That is the case of a new instructional approach, which is being known as the Flipped Learning Model (FLM). The FLM intends to use pre-recorded video lessons to teach outside the classroom and incorporate homework and problem solving inside the …

The Importance Of A Strong Mathematical Foundation, Jasmine M. Wriston

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The mathematical skills students learn from kindergarten through eighth grade are the foundational skills upon which all higher level mathematics courses build. It is highly beneficial that students master previous mathematics concepts, applications, and skills, prior to learning algebra and other higher level mathematical courses. Mastering elementary and middle level mathematics before learning algebra increases students’ chances for success when taking an algebra course. This study tested 39 ninth and tenth graders, from the college preparatory program Upward Bound, on the mathematical domains of fractions and ratios/proportions. Participants took one of two tests, each composed of three questions increasing in …

Beyond Ss: An Analysis Of Alternative Risk Measures, Jai Kedia

Senior Independent Study Theses

Investors require a return from investing in stock securities that adequately compensate the investors for the risk level assumed. Therefore, any calculation of expected returns from a stock requires knowledge of the risk of the security. While there is no strong consensus on an ideal risk measure, traditionally risk has been conceptualized as volatility and is measured by the ß of the stock or portfolio. This paper hypothesizes that alternative risk measures such as higher order moments, size, leverage, and price-to-book value add explanatory power to the ß when predicting stock returns. Empirical analysis is conducted using both regression and …

Mathematical Analysis Of Energy Harvester Model, Oleksandr Vdovyn

Master's Theses and Capstones

Energy Harvesting from ambient waste energy for the purpose of running low-powered electronics has emerged during last decades. The goal of energy harvesting devices is to provide remote sources of electrical power and/or recharge storage devices such as batteries and capacitors.

The evolution of low-power-consuming electronics have led to and active academic research in energy harvesting. One of the most studied areas is the use of the piezoelectric effect to convert ambient vibration into useful electrical energy. The focus of this study on placed on detailed mathematical analysis of electromechanical models of piezoelectric energy harvester. The area of vibration-based energy …

The Impact Of Peer-Mediated Video Modeling On The Mathematics Achievement Of High School Students, Keriann Currlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A significant percentage of US students are not reaching expected proficiency on mathematics content. As a response, educators have been urged to use more evidence-based practices; however, due to the lack of readily available strategies, these efforts have been thwarted. In related fields, video modeling (VM) has been successful in teaching behavioral skills through edited video clips that allow target populations to observe models successfully performing featured tasks. Stemming from Bandura's social learning theory, the intent of VM is to increase the frequency of the modeled behavior through observational learning. Despite the many studies that have shown success with VM, …