Digital Commons Network^™

Mathematics Coaching, Professional Development, And Teacher Practice, Beth Downing

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

Recently, math coaching has begun to be utilized in pockets of communities throughout the country. Coaching is a strategy that can be used to provide on site, continual professional development in a specific area. Although it has been used in literacy for decades, it is new to the area of math. Therefore, research on the effect of math coaching has been limited. There have been a handful of initial studies investigating the relationship between math coaching and teacher knowledge or student achievement, but the results are often conflicting (Althuser, 2015; Killion, 2017; Kutaka et al., 2017; Obara, 2010).

By learning …

The Impact Of Mathematics Coaching On Teacher Pedagogy And Student Understanding In Rural School Districts, Renee Bouchard Charette

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

This study collected data from teachers and math coaches in rural Maine schools to determine if working with a mathematics coach had an impact on teacher’s pedagogy. Participants were asked about their perception of whether coaching interactions impacted students understanding of mathematics. The design included interviews with four coaches who had been trained through the Maine Mathematics Coaching Project. Data from nineteen teachers was collected through surveys that were emailed to all teachers who had worked with the four coaches. Conclusions indicate that most coaches and teachers do believe that working with a mathematics coach has a positive impact on …

Using Project Based Learning To Increase Motivation In A Seventh Grade Mathematics Proficiency Based Classroom, April King

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

Students learn in a variety of ways. When it comes to showing their knowledge, a paper and pencil assessment is not the only option. Students are not always motivated to try their best assessment after assessment. Project Based learning is an alternative that may motivate more students to succeed. This research study explored student motivation and what effect, if any, Project Based learning had on student motivation while engaged with the project. This mixed-methods research project further examined students’ beliefs and attitudes while engaged with Project Based learning.

Supporting The Intrinsically Motivated Learner, Alison Attura Loud

M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership Research Projects

This study investigated the use of student-led goal setting, and the use of student-choice with assessments, in a 4th grade mathematics classroom. Specifically, this study analyzed how the goal setting and assessment choice of students impacted their intrinsic motivation with regard to learning mathematics skills. The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach. Results found that these implemented strategies increased student intrinsic motivation in regards to meeting their goals and their ability to prove mastery of math standards. Recommendations for classroom teachers included providing guidance for students in goal setting and increase student autonomy in the classroom.