Digital Commons Network^™

Integrating Mathematical Modeling For Undergraduate Pre-Service Science Education Learning And Instruction In The Middle School Classroom, William H. Robertson, David Carrejo

William H. Robertson

El Paso is a bicultural, bilingual community with a 76.6% Hispanic population. Combining El Paso’s population with that of its sister city, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, our community is the largest metropolitan area on any international border in the world. Students at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are mostly female, and 50% of the total student population is made up of first-generation college students. These demographics are accompanied by low socioeconomic and educational factors: 23.6% of local families live below the poverty level, compared to 12.5% nationally; 32.9% of 25-year-olds have not graduated from high school; 19% of …

Accuracy Of The Teacherinsight Online Perceiver Tool In Determining The Effectiveness Of High Rated And Low Rated Math And Science New Hire Teachers Following One Year And Three Years Of Single School District Employment, Nicole A. Regan

Student Work

The purpose of this study is to explore the accuracy of the TeacherInsight online perceiver tool (Gallup University, 2007) in determining the effectiveness of high rated (n =14) and low rated ( n =36) math and science new hire teachers summative appraisal ratings, completed graduate coursework, and retention status following one year and three years of single school district employment.

The Effects Of Changing From A Traditional Mathematics Curriculum To An Integrated Mathematics Curriculum On Student Mathematics Learning In Georgia, Catherine Lynn Mallanda

Dissertations

In 2005, the state of Georgia adopted a new integrated mathematics curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which included a task-based approach for instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if the new Georgia Performance Standards for mathematics increased students’ mean mathematics Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores or induced changes in the distribution of students’ scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition, it was determined whether the level of course the student took, the type of implementation of the GPS curriculum or the preparation for implementation affected the PSAT/NMSQT scores. The results of the study indicated …

Acquisition Of Mathematical Vocabulary Using Constant Time Delay With Individuals With Moderate And Severe Disabilities., Connie Elaine Morrison 1974-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Constant Time Delay (CST) has been used extensively as a procedure to teach children with disabilities a variety of skills. There is a preponderance of evidence that this instructional strategy is a highly effective (Handen & Zane, 1987; Koscinski & Gast, 1993; & Schuster, Stevens, & Doak, 1990). However, there appears to be a lack of research regarding the use of CTD with children with moderate and/or severe disabilities in learning core content vocabulary. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine if students with moderate and severe disabilities could acquire core mathematical vocabulary content through the use …

Analyzing Common Algebra-Related Misconceptions And Errors Of Middle School Students., Sarah B. Bush

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine common algebra-related misconceptions and errors of middle school students. In recent years, success in Algebra I is often considered the mathematics gateway to graduation from high school and success beyond. Therefore, preparation for algebra in the middle grades is essential to student success in Algebra I and high school. This study examines the following research question: What common algebra-related misconceptions and errors exist among students in grades six and eight as identified on student responses on an annual statewide standardized assessment? In this study, qualitative document analysis of existing data was used …

Algebra Knowledge In Early Elementary School Supporting Later Mathematics Ability., Scott A. Strother 1979-

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study explored the impact that algebra knowledge in 1st and 2nd grade can have in growth and achievement in mathematics through 5th grade. Previous studies have shown the positive impact of teaching algebra in middle school (e.g. Smith, 1996). Other studies have shown that students can learn and apply fundamental algebra concepts even earlier, including early elementary grades (e.g. Schifter et al., 2008; Brizuela and Earnest, 2008). The current study aimed to expand upon this research by showing students' knowledge of early algebra concepts can predict positive longitudinal outcomes. This would support cognitive and education theories that students …

The Relationship Between The Secondary Mathematics Curriculum, College Persistence, And Success At An Urban Community College, Avis R. Proctor

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to Venezia, Kirst, and Antonio (2003) and Barth’s 2002 Thinking K16 Ticket to Nowhere report, the disconnect between K-12 and postsecondary education was a contributing factor to high attrition rates. Since mathematics emerged as a primary concern for college readiness, Barth (2002) called for improving student transitions from K-12 to postsecondary institutions through the use of state or local data. The purpose of the present study was to analyze mathematics course-taking patterns of secondary students in a local context and to evaluate high school characteristics in order to explore their relationships with Associate degree attainment or continuous enrollment at …

Boundary Effects In Large-Aspect-Ratio Lasers, G.K. Harkness, W.J. Firth, John B. Geddes, J.V Moloney, E.M. Wright

John B. Geddes

We study theoretically the effect of transverse boundary conditions on the traveling waves foundin infinitely extended and positively detuned laser systems. We find that for large-aspect-ratiosystems, well above threshold and away from the boundaries, the traveling waves persist. Sourceand sink defects are observed on the boundaries, and in very-large-aspect-ratio systems these defectscan also exist away from the boundaries. The transverse size of the sink defect, relative to the sizeof the transverse domain, is important in determining the final pattern observed, and so, close tothreshold, standing waves are always observed.

Eliciting Student Judgments Of Intrinsic Difficulty For Studying Student Misconceptions In Solving Basic Mathematics Items, Eric Magaram, Jean Phanor, Charles Secolsky, Preston Hasbrouck

NERA Conference Proceedings 2011

The misconceptions of developmental mathematics students in solving basic arithmetic problems are becoming a national crisis. If instructors better understood the conceptions that students have that lead to incorrect responses when solving arithmetic problems, instruction of the material presented to the students may improve. Four groups of five students were given five basic math questions for a total of 20 questions, and the only instructions the students were given was to solve the problems out loud and to please continue talking. Their answers were transcribed and the student responses were used to create solution strategies for each of the 20 …

A Comparison Of Two Alternative Pathway Programs In Secondary Mathematics Teacher Certification, Brian R. Evans

NERA Conference Proceedings 2011

The purpose of this study was to compare the mathematics content knowledge, attitudes toward mathematics, and concepts of self-efficacy held by teachers in two alternative pathways to mathematics teacher certification: New York City Teaching Fellows and Teach for America. Findings revealed that there were no differences between Teaching Fellows and TFA teachers in mathematics content knowledge, attitudes toward mathematics, and concepts of self-efficacy. However, learning and teaching journals revealed several differences between Teaching Fellows and TFA teachers.

Elementary Teachers’ Mathematical Content Knowledge, Efficacy, And Problem Solving Abilities In Alternative Certification, Brian R. Evans

NERA Conference Proceedings 2011

The purpose of this study was to understand teachers’ mathematical content knowledge, self-efficacy, problem solving abilities, and teacher beliefs in an elementary education mathematics methods course for special education teachers in the New York City Teaching Fellows and Teach for America alternative certification programs. Findings revealed a significant increase in mathematical knowledge and self-efficacy. Additionally, teachers were found to have high self-efficacy and strong problem solving abilities. Teachers generally found that helping students with disabilities learn mathematics was the biggest issue in their teaching, and that the use of technology and manipulatives were the most important topics in their learning.

Exit Survey Of Undergraduate Students Completing Degrees In The Spring 2011: Descriptive Statistics, John M. Krieg, Beth Hartsoch, Linda D. (Linda Darlene) Clark, Kieran Seaman

Office of Institutional Effectiveness

The Exit Survey of Undergraduate Students Completing Degrees in the Spring of 2011 (Exit Survey) is the third annual survey of graduating students conducted at Western Washington University. This survey is designed to better illuminate departmental-, college-, and university-level information on student satisfaction, barriers to success, experiences in upper division courses, and post-graduation plans. This survey also includes questions submitted to the Office of Survey Research (OSR) by the Honors Program, the Math Center, the Division of Enrollment and Student Services, Environmental Health and Safety, University Residences, the proposed renewable energy degree program, and the departments of Mathematics and Modern …

The Impact Of Singapore Math On Student Knowledge And Enjoyment In Mathematics, Jenny Taliaferro Blalock

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the Singapore Math curriculum and approach to teaching on enjoyment and knowledge in mathematics in one rural school district in north Louisiana. The quantitative data used were collected from a Math Enjoyment Inventory and a mixed skills pre and posttest. Additional supplemental data were collected from a Teacher Response Form. All data were gathered in the 2010–2011 school year, and an intact population was utilized. Participants were categorized into two groups, the Singapore Math group and the traditional math group. The participating district implemented Singapore Math in the fall …

On The Utility Of I = √-1, Adam J. Hammett

Science and Mathematics Faculty Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Single-Gender Education On The Achievement Of Sixth Grade Mathematics Students, Rhonda Lee Hill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact on students' academic achievement when served with a single-gender instructional model. Sixth grade students enrolled in single-gender classes were compared to heterogeneous classes utilizing the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). MAP data from the fall and spring administrations were evaluated to determine academic growth. In the analysis of growth in academic achievement between groups based upon MAP scores, there was no significant difference found between academic growth and gender. While there was group variability that may have impacted achievement scores, overall growth of MAP scores and the amount of achievement …

Simplicial Bredon-Illman Cohomology With Local Coefficients., Debashis Sen Dr.

Doctoral Theses

The notion of cohomology with local coefficients for topological spaces arose with the work of Steenrod [Ste43, Ste99], in connection with the problem of extending sections of a fibration. This cohomology is built on the notion of fundamental groupoid of the space and can be described by the invariant cochain subcomplex of the cochain complex of the universal cover under the action of the fundamental group of the space. This later description is due to Eilenberg [Eil47]. Cohomology with local coefficients finds applications in many other situations.We focus on one such application of this cohomology which is due to S. …

Squaring, Cubing, And Cube Rooting, Arthur T. Benjamin

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

We present mentally efficient algorithms for mentally squaring and cubing 2-digit and 3-digit numbers and for finding cube roots of numbers with 2-digit or 3-digit answers.

Spectral Properties Of Large Dimensional Random Circulant Type Matrices., Koushik Saha Dr.

Doctoral Theses

Consider a sequence of matrices whose dimension increases to infinity. Suppose the entries of this sequence of matrices are random. These matrices with increasing dimension are called large dimensional random matrices (LDRM).Practices of random matrices, more precisely the properties of their eigenvalues, has emerged first from data analysis (beginning with Wishart (1928) [132]) and then from statistical models for heavy nuclei atoms (beginning with Wigner (1955) [130]). To insist on its physical applications, a mathematical theory of the spectrum of the random matrices began to emerge with the work of E. P. Wigner, F. J. Dyson, M. L. Mehta, C. …

Mathematics: Giving Classical, Christian Education Its Voice, James W. Seidel

Master of Education Program Theses

Classical, Christian education developed in the late twentieth century as the result of the influence of authors and educators such as Dorothy Sayers, Douglas Wilson, and Mortimer Adler. Building upon the educational approach taken in the Middle Ages and earlier, the classical, Christian approach has slowly grown in popularity over the past thirty years. As classical, Christian education has matured, however, some areas of its educational philosophy have developed more slowly than others. In particular, mathematics education within the classical, Christian model has received minimal treatment. This thesis attempts to initiate a more intentional educational philosophy for mathematics in a …

A New Undergraduate Curriculum On Mathematical Biology At University Of Dayton, Muhammad Usman, Amit Singh

Mathematics Faculty Publications

The beginning of modern science is marked by efforts of pioneers to understand the natural world using a quantitative approach. As Galileo wrote, "the book of nature is written in the language of mathematics". The traditional undergraduate course curriculum is heavily focused on individual disciplines like biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics rather than interdisciplinary courses. This fragmented teaching of sciences in majority of universities leave biology outside the quantitative and mathematical approaches. The landscape of biomedical science has transformed dramatically with advances in high throughput experimental approaches, which led to the huge amount of data. The best possible approach to generate …

Yes We Can Achieve In Mathematics And Why We Don't : African American Female Eleventh And Twelfth Grade Students In A Career And Technical Setting., Courtenay Grace-Rochelle Mayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The underachievement of African American students in the mathematics classroom and the underrepresentation of African Americans in advanced mathematics courses and mathematics related career fields has been a concern for the mathematics education community for many years. The objective of this research was to investigate the perceptions and mathematical experiences of seven African American female high school students who were on a continuum from succeeding at high levels to struggling in mathematics. These particular African American females were eleventh and twelfth grade students enrolled at a career and technical high school located in the Midwestern United States of America. This …

Effective Technology Strategies Teachers Use In The Urban Middle Grades Mathematics Classroom, Tammie R. Cravens

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations

The 21^st century mathematics classroom looks and operates differently than it did half a century ago. Not only are teachers expected to facilitate activities rather than lecture, they are also expected to utilize technology. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics established the technology principle to guide teachers into this practice in 2000. Today there are middle school mathematics teachers who use technology effectively in the classroom. However, there is a dearth of literature in this area on how they select and use technology. The purpose of this qualitative study is to understand the process by which these teachers …

Mapping The Road To Instructional Coach Effectiveness: Exploring The Relationship Between Instructional Coaching Efficacy, Practices, And Outcomes, Marsha Mccrary

Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology Dissertations

Despite the presence and potential impact of instructional coaches, many schools are not experiencing significant improvements in teachers’ practices or student achievement. In gaining more insight into forces that impact instructional coach effectiveness, this study (a) explored the relationship between sources of instructional coaching efficacy and dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy [Mathematics Content & Mathematics-Specific Pedagogy (ME), Student Centered & General Pedagogy (SE), Interpersonal & Communication Coaching (IE), and Personal Coach Characteristics]; and (b) explored the relationship between dimensions of instructional coaching efficacy and instructional coach outcomes. Participants included teachers (n=144) and their instructional coaches (n=19), from elementary …

A Validation Of The Monitoring Academic Progress Mathematics: An Experimental Multidimensional Group Administered Curriculum-Based Measure Of Mathematics Fluency And Problem Solving, Michael Brandon Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations

The study investigated the psychometric properties of a newly developed math curriculum-based measure, the Monitoring Academic Progress: Mathematics (MAP:M), through examination of its internal consistency, alternate-form, slope, and test-retest reliability and validity. Participants included 1688 first through third-grade students from a school district in Northeast Tennessee. Application of Generalizability Theory produced reliability coefficients, score variances, and standard-error-of-measures (SEM) for both absolute and relative decisions based on a particular number of probes. MAP:M reliability coefficients for relative decisions ranged from .67 to .97 across eleven probes. The highest percentage of score variance at all three grades was attributed to the Person …

Effect Of Geometer’S Sketchpad On Student Knowledge And Attitude, David J. Dekker

Master of Education Program Theses

This study examines the effects of Geometer’s Sketchpad on student achievement and attitudes in algebra classrooms. It has a quasi-experimental design. The sample included 93 students enrolled in Advanced Algebra courses at Calvin Christian High School in Grandville, MI. Four classes participated in a five-day unit that explored graphs of equalities and inequalities. Two classes used traditional graphing calculators and two classes used Geometer’s Sketchpad. One class of each type took a pretest to measure prior knowledge. All classes took a posttest and attitude survey at the end of the study. A t-test was used to compare class averages. There …

Measurement: Surviving Our Multi-Dimensional World, Courtney Bryand

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

Measurement: Surviving our Multi-Dimensional World is a measurement unit with a “Survivor” theme. Many components are based on the project based learning activity Stranded! The unit begins and ends in a survivor scenario - students are stranded on a deserted island and must use a piece of scrap metal (an irregular figure) to design a device to catch fresh rain water so they can survive until they are rescued.

Throughout the unit, students build understanding of measurement concepts through hands on learning activities and collaboration with peers. Students learn to use measurement concepts to describe the world around them. The …

Shapes, Beth Morrow, Anne Peppers

Understanding by Design: Complete Collection

This unit addresses the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines “Child recognizes/describes common shapes” (MVC1) and “Child slides, flips, turns shapes to demonstrate they remain the same” (MVC4), as well as the math standard “Child covers an area with shapes.” At the conclusion of this unit, students will know:

- names and features (number of sides/angles) of common shapes: rectangle, square, triangle, circle, oval, and rhombus; and

- shapes remain the same regardless of their position;

and will be able to:

- identify and describe common shapes: rectangle, square, triangle, circle, oval, and rhombus

- cover an area with shapes and explain how …

Quantitative Characterization Of Microstructure Features For 1st Generation Advanced High Strength Steels, Margarita Vidrio, Ellen Liu, Donsheng Li, Kyoo Sil Choi, Xin Sun

STAR Program Research Presentations

The role of Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) in the automotive industry is important because of its affordability and excellent mechanical properties. The 1st generation of AHSS achieves its preferred combination of strength and ductility by embedding harder martensite grains into softer ferritic matrix. Ductility and strength of these steels are important to safety, formability, application, and life. However, a noticeable degree of inconsistent forming behaviors has been observed in the 1st generation AHSS in production, which seems to be related to the microstructure-level inhomogeneity. The objective of this project is to grain fundamental understandings on how different microstructure level …

Does The Use Of A Graphing Calculator Tutorial Affect The Attitudes, Achievement, And Calculator Ability Of Non-Mathematics Majors In A Calculus Course?, Kari Michelle Everett

Dissertations

The use of graphing calculators in a mathematics classroom is becoming more common place. Teaching with technology has allowed for advancements in the rapidity with which students learn and the degree to which they retain the material taught. As a result, teachers have time to delve more deeply into mathematical topics that might otherwise have merely been touched upon.

This study shows the effects of a graphing calculator tutorial for non-mathematics major students taking calculus as a required course. Qualitative methods were used in order to provide information about the types of students taking a calculus course for nonmathematic students. …

Mathematical Modeling And Analysis Of Epidemiological And Chemical Systems, Calistus N. Ngonghala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This dissertation focuses on three interdisciplinary areas of applied mathematics, mathematical biology/epidemiology, economic epidemiology and mathematical physics, interconnected by the concepts and applications of dynamical systems.;In mathematical biology/epidemiology, a new deterministic SIS modeling framework for the dynamics of malaria transmission in which the malaria vector population is accounted for at each of its developmental stages is proposed. Rigorous qualitative and quantitative techniques are applied to acquire insights into the dynamics of the model and to identify and study two epidemiological threshold parameters reals* and R0 that characterize disease transmission and prevalence, and that can be used for disease control. It …