Education Commons^™

Increasing Number Sense At The Preschool Level, Sarah Marie Koenig

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This capstone addresses the question, “What strategies can be used to increase number sense at the preschool level?”. Current research states that preschoolers need opportunities to learn about numbers and math concepts through a balance of natural play and exploration, intentional teaching, and structured learning activities embedded in their daily routines. Through the process of curriculum design using McTighe and Wiggins’ Understanding By Design framework, the author created a learning plan that includes lessons, resources, and parent/child activities using a variety of instructional strategies to teach number sense at the preschool level. The learning plan includes a sequence of activities …

Using Guided Math And Flipped Learning In A Fifth Grade Fractions Unit, Kristin Leigh Moore

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was: How can I design a math curriculum that will increase fifth grade students’ understanding of fraction concepts? The author began her research by investigating the struggles elementary students face when learning fraction concepts, which led to a study of four instructional strategies: ability grouping, differentiation, flipped learning, and guided math. The author considered the work of Boaler, Sammons, Tomlinson, Tucker, and Vann to inform her research. After careful reflection on the benefits and limitations of each strategy, the author chose to create a hybrid unit utilizing both guided math and flipped learning. …

When And Why Do Native English Speaking Students In A Spanish Immersion Setting Switch Into English During Math Instruction?, Samantha Marie Judith Holland

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed when and why do native English speakers in a Spanish immersion switch into English during math instruction? This capstone studied 30 students in a Spanish immersion school in an affluent suburban area in the Upper Midwest. The author used literature from other types of immersion schools to highlight the lack of research on native English speakers in immersion settings. This capstone used audio- recordings, questionnaires and open-ended interviews to research the question. The researcher concludes that teaching Spanish vernacular in the immersion model would decrease the amount of English in the math classroom and that language objectives …

The Effects Of Metacognitive Writing On Student Achievement In Advanced Placement Calculus, Lindsay M. O'Neal

Education Dissertations

Grounded in metacognitive theory (Flavell, 1976) and historical foundations that reach back as far as the writings of Plato (1973), the last few decades have seen an increase in research regarding the impact of metacognitive practice on student learning, often through the use of reflective writing. Studies have focused on a range of aspects, from how to measure metacognition to the effect metacognitive practice has on the academic achievement of students in a variety of subject areas. Specifically with regard to mathematics, researchers have studied the impact of reflective strategies on primary, secondary, and university level students.

The purpose of …

Learning Support Effectiveness In Mathematics At A Tennessee University, Mark Dula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every year thousands of students graduate from high school and move on to higher education, but many of them are not yet prepared for college level courses. The Tennessee Board of Regents does not currently allow 4-year institutions to teach courses that are below college level, so many institutions are using programs such as learning support courses to assist a growing population of underprepared students. The purpose of this study was to determine if the 1-term and 2-term retention rates for students with the same ACT mathematics subsection scores were different between students who took a regular section of Probability …

Influence Of Property School Wealth On Fifth Grade Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics, Jesus R. Reyna

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether, or to what extent, property wealth of the upper and lower 5% districts, per pupil expenditure, limited English proficient students, economically disadvantaged students, membership, and teacher experience contribute to student achievement in 5th grade reading and mathematics. To do this, the fifth grade reading and math achievement scores, based on the TAKS Assessments, to represent student achievement were evaluated against district wealth, per pupil expenditure, economic disadvantage, limited English language proficiency, membership, and years of teaching experience of teachers for the years 2009, 2010, and 2011. A combination of descriptive statistics, …

Building Depth Of Understanding Of The Concept Of Number Sense And Algebra In Students Grades 7 And 8, Catherine Janes

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Mathematics instruction offers both challenges and rewards to students. Teachers tend to focus on transmission of knowledge. Student creativity and problem-solving skills are not typically activated with common teaching practices. When students are engaged in mathematics they are recognizing patterns, making connections on their own, coming up with creative solutions, and discussing mathematical ideas with peers and adults. The purpose of this study was to identify, employ, and evaluate strategies that engage students in these practices and assist them in developing a deep understanding of mathematics concepts such as number sense and algebra.

The review of the literature began with …

Investigating Teachers' Content Knowledge And Pedogogical Content Knowledge In A Middle School Physical Science Curriculum On Force And Motion, Daniel Patrick Laverty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching is a profession that requires the incorporation of many types of knowledge in order to create effective instructional experiences that promote student learning. Teachers need to blend their knowledge of the content with the methods for delivering that content and an understanding of their students' thinking. With increasing concern in the United States over student achievement in science and mathematics, there is ongoing discussion about which elements of teacher knowledge most directly correlate with effective instruction. How do specific strands of teacher knowledge blend to influence student learning outcomes? This study explores the roles of teacher content knowledge (CK) …

Montessori Mathematics Curriculum And Lower Elementary Students Understanding Of Length Measurement, Katherine L. Mcintosh

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The intent of this action research project was to determine to what extent the Montessori Mathematics curriculum support lower elementary students’ understanding of length measurement. The research took place in a private Montessori school classroom with first and second-grade students. There were 22 students in the class, 11 first graders, and 11 second-graders. Data was collected through a pre and post-test, field notes, and observations. The students also kept a journal and performed self-assessments. Photographs were taken to record the students’ use of different measurement tools. Children’s literature about length measurement was read and discussed with the students. The data …

The Impact Of An Interactive Technology Application On Elementary Student Achievement In Fractions., Shannon M. Stone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data reported locally and nationally show that students struggle to understand fractional concepts. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an interactive tablet application on student achievement in fractions. Students in grades three through five at the treatment school worked with an interactive tablet application designed to facilitate student construction of fractions knowledge. The interactive tablet application is an open-platform that allowed teachers the autonomy to work with the researcher to load their desired content activities on the topic of fractions to develop instructional sessions for students. Students worked independently during the math workshop to complete …

Understanding The Meaning Of The Equal Sign : An Investigation Of Elementary Students And Teachers., Victoria Miller Bennett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of two different policies for implementing new mathematics standards in two schools, for grades two through five, on student understanding of the equal sign. The study also examined teachers’ knowledge of the equal sign. The research used a mixed methods design to explore differences in student understanding of the equal sign as a result of how standards were implemented in two adjoining states with two different decisions as to when the standards would be implemented. This dissertation shares research that may be of interest to teachers, administrators, teacher educators and …

Flipping In A Technological Rich Classroom, John W. Budge

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore eighth grade students’ perception of a flipped classroom environment. It is difficult to engage and motivate eighth grade students. This study was created in order to determine if a flipped classroom would spark more interest and therefore eventually lead to an increased ability. More specifically, this study investigated how students perceive their learning is progressing in a flipped math classroom, and how engaged are they using the technology compared to the traditional classroom setting. The classroom environment was switched to a flipped classroom at the start of a new unit in October. …

Achievement In Mathematics And Self-Concept Among Gifted Female High School Seniors, Leah M. Battin

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The author sought to explore the research question, What is the relationship between mathematics achievement and self-concept of gifted female high school seniors? Review of the literature included discussions of definitions and stereotypes of giftedness, gender differences in math/STEM attitudes and achievement, malleable versus fixed intelligence and ability in math, self-concept, and stereotype threat. The author worked with gifted female high school students at a summer camp for gifted students in South Dakota. Participants were recruited from the group of young women who had finished the camp in 2014. Of 20 young women contacted, five returned letters of consent. A …

Using Graphic Organizers, Cooperative Learning, And Written Reflection To Improve Mathematics Problem Solving Skills, Kara Jean Odegaard

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed is, how can cooperative learning, graphic organizers, and writing improve eighth grade advanced geometry students’ problem solving skills? The motivating factor for this capstone was students being unsuccessful when trying to solve an assignment which required synthesizing information and problem solving. This capstone documents the process of having students complete problem solving assignments using a graphic organizer, cooperative learning, and reflecting on the assignment through writing. The researcher found success and struggles with the use of these tools and concludes that 1) students were more successful in the problem solving process when they used the graphic …

What Concerns Are Secondary Mathematics Teachers Experiencing With The Implementation Of The Common Core State Standards For Mathematics And Is There A Relationship Between The Concerns And Professional Development Received?, Suzanne Therez Jennings

Dissertations

Using the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) as the theoretical framework, this mixed-methods study utilized three research methods, quantitative, profile interpretation, and qualitative to answer the research questions to investigate the concerns teachers were experiencing during the first year of implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) and to determine if professional development affected those concerns. The Stage of Concern questionnaire which included two open-ended questions was employed to survey 88 secondary Mississippi mathematics teachers. MANOVA was used to investigate any differences in the means of the relative levels of intensity present within the subgroups which are inconclusive. …

Teacher Beliefs And The Common Core State Standards For Mathematics, Erin M. Smith

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Widespread adoption of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) marks an unprecedented event in American education: nearly all students have an opportunity to learn the same mathematics content at the same stage of their K-12 educational experience. One goal of the CCSSM is to promote mathematics educational equity and excellence through common, rigorous standards. However, common standards may not translate to a common learning experience for all students. Teachers’ mathematical beliefs act as filters through which new information is interpreted and dispositions toward actions taken in the classroom. This study examined this beliefspractice relationship by asking two questions: …

Examining The Effects Of College Algebra On Students' Mathematical Dispositions, Kevin Lee Watson

Theses and Dissertations

As Mathematics Educators, we want to help our students not only develop a deep, conceptual understanding of mathematical concepts and processes, but also a positive disposition towards mathematics. Despite the importance of helping students develop a positive mathematical disposition, little research has been conducted examining how students' dispositions develop as they progress through their mathematical studies. In particular, the effects of college algebra on students' mathematical dispositions is not well understood. To examine the influence of college algebra on students' dispositions, students using two different college algebra curriculums were studied at Brigham Young University. Using a mathematical disposition survey, student …

Preparing English Learners For Academic Language Demands Of Mainstream Mathematics, Tracie Lynn Cavalli

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Secondary English language teachers and content mathematics teachers are called upon to develop the language and mathematics skills of students. English learners need learning methods in place that will aid in learning both sets of skills. This research outlines methods to incorporate language usage into mathematics instruction through incorporating direct vocabulary instruction, problem solving procedures and oral presentations. The research was conducted in a sheltered mathematics classroom over the course of two weeks. Data was collected from pre-­‐ test and post-­‐test scores, students presented problems after following a set of problem solving procedures, and a completing a written assessment where …

Concerns Of Elementary School Leaders And Teachers When Implementing A Common Core Aligned Mathematics Program, Leela J. George

Dissertations - ALL

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, the research is an investigation of the concerns of school leaders and teachers when implementing a Common Core Learning Standards-aligned elementary mathematics curriculum in an age of accountability and reform; second, this research aims to identify the interventions that school leaders employ in response to the concerns of teachers.

This is a mixed methods study using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). Specifically, the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and the Change Facilitator Stages of Concern Questionnaire (CFSoCQ) were administered three times during the initial year of implementation of a new mathematics program …

How Can Inquiry-Based Instruction Be Implemented In A Secondary Mathematics Classroom?, Jennifer Colley Smith

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The research question addressed in this project was, how can inquiry-based instruction be implemented in a secondary mathematics classroom? The motivating factors for this capstone were the inability for students to retain information and the challenges that students often face due to lack of investment in secondary mathematics classrooms. This capstone documents the creation of tools that support teachers in implementing and using inquiry-based methods in a secondary mathematics classroom, rooted in mitigating the challenges that may arise as an inquiry-based structure is introduced. The author supports the creation and implementation of each tool through research literature, documenting purpose and …

Interventions To Improve Student Achievement In Mathematics For Middle School Students With Autism, Sherria L. Burney

Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using Concrete-Representational-Abstract (CRA) teaching sequence and explicit instruction to improve student achievement in mathematics in middle school aged students with autism and moderate intellectual disabilities. The effects of the CRA teaching sequence and explicit instruction were examined using a Multiple Baseline Design. Although the results in the curriculum-based measurements were inconsistent, all participants showed an increase in the pre-test and post-test scores.

Culturally Responsive Curriculum: Third Grade Dual Language Immersion Fraction Unit, Katherine Elizabeth Jacques

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

While there is a growing body of research about best practice teaching in the dual language immersion setting as well as how to structure culturally responsive instruction, there is far less research that connects the dual language immersion model with culturally responsive mathematics instruction. This capstone primarily seeks to demonstrate how cooperative learning strategies, culturally responsive instructional techniques and the response to intervention and curriculum-based measurement model can be used to develop a math fractions unit for third-grade bilingual students in the dual language immersion setting. This study describes the components of dual language immersion, establishes the existence of racial …

Examining Implementations Of Blended Learning In A K-12 Mathematics Classroom, Kelsey Waynick

Honors Projects

In this research project, I investigated the effects on eighth grade students’ performances and perceptions throughout a blended learning experience by implementing a combination of face-to-face and online instructional strategies in an Algebra classroom. This blended experience was segmented into two units – a face-to-face unit and a blended unit – to allow for comparison within the participant group of high-achieving mathematics students. Edmodo, an online educational platform, was utilized to provide students with access to online resources at home during the blended unit. Students completed a series of three identical tests to quantitatively measure learning growth at designated checkpoints …

The Relationship Between Students’ Applied Mathematics Skills And Students’ Attitudes Towards Mathematics, Taylor Andrew Kilman

Dissertations

Mathematics is a subject with which many students struggle. It has been noted that students’ attitudes towards mathematics can often affect their performance in related courses. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between students’ basic applied mathematics skill and students’ attitudes towards mathematics. That is, do students, as they learn how to use mathematics in the real world, tend to develop a more favorable outlook towards mathematics? Or, on the other hand, do the attitudes towards mathematics of students remain unaffected as their ability to use mathematics in the real world increases? The current research seeks …

Teacher Perceptions Of Leadership And Student Growth In Reading And Mathematics In Northeast Tennessee, Kyle Anderson Loudermilk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine whether there is a significant relationship between teacher perceptions of administrator leadership focus and student growth in reading and mathematics for elementary and middle schools in nine school systems located in northeast Tennessee during the 2012-2013 academic year. Specifically, this study was an analysis of the leadership focuses of trust and respect, collaboration, shared leadership, data use and analysis. All data were collected through public online databases. Teacher perceptions of administrator leadership focus were gathered from the Tennessee Teaching, Empowering, Leading, and Learning (TELL) Survey and data on student growth …

Student Perspective And Frequency Of Mathematical Textbook Use, Lance Kruse

Honors Projects

The purpose of this action research study was to explore students’ perspective and use of their mathematical textbook as a resource to learn mathematics. Participants were 18 students who attended an eighth grade mathematics class for 45 minutes each day in a suburban school setting. An initial survey was provided to participants to gauge perspective about current use of textbook as a resource and was then followed up with a focus group interview of six participants. Specifically designed instruction was aimed at creating a reader-centered learning environment by instructing participants about key components of the textbook and encouraging proper reading …

Community College Student Achievement In Web Based Software-Enhanced Developmental Mathematics Courses, Andrew Mark Aberle

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare the performance of students receiving web based software-enhanced instruction with the performance of students receiving lecture only instruction in terms of retention rates, success rates, test grades, and final exam scores for developmental mathematics courses at Ozarks Technical Community College. The researcher randomly selected 250 participants from the population of students experiencing software-enhanced instruction during the 2012-2013 academic year and 250 participants from the population of students experiencing lecture only instruction during the 2010-2011 academic year. Several demographic variables were compared to control for intervening variables. The sample data was tested …

The Effects Of Integrating Mathematics Into The Physical Education Setting, Steven D. Thompson, Jacqueline L. Robertson

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this paper was to describe the effects of integrating mathematics curriculum into the physical education setting. The study was conducted in an elementary school in Northern Minnesota where a strong emphasis is being placed on preparation for standardized testing. The research was designed to find the results of integration in four classes of first-grade students. The data collecting methods used included pre- and post-assessments, observational journal, student feedback, and a teacher dialog. The results of the research indicated that integration enhanced the learning environment and improved mathematics performance for students. The data also showed that physical activity …

The Effects Of Physical Activity On Reading And Mathematics Achievement In An Elementary Classroom, Chelsey Earney, Emily A. Berg, Jill M. Wallert

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to determine the effects of physical activity on reading and mathematics achievement on two first grade classrooms. The intervention took place over a period of four weeks in a public school setting with 38 students. Data was collected using teacher feedback, student self-assessment, a teacher log, and weekly reading and mathematics probes. Our results show that reading scores slightly improved after the intervention while mathematics scores stayed fairly consistent. Both first-grade teachers reported that they would continue to use physical activity prior to academic instruction in their classrooms because it helped students to …

Identifying Factors Common Among Students Who Do Not Fit The Typical Mathematics Self-Efficacy And Achievement Correlation, Jodi H. Mantilla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A student’s self-efficacy, or their belief in their ability to perform a specific behavior, has been shown to have a positive correlation with their academic achievement. In other words, if their self-efficacy is high, their academic achievement is high. If self-efficacy is low, likewise their achievement is low. Research has shown that this correlation is especially true when looking at the self-efficacy and academic achievement in a specific subject, such as mathematics. However, in a typical classroom, teachers experience students who have very high self-efficacy in their mathematics abilities yet perform mathematics tasks at a low level. They may also …