Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Framing Of Mathematical Discussions After Problem-Solving Through Mursion™ Simulation, Sezai Kocabas, Melva Grant, Signe Kastberg, Hanan Alyami

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Research on pre-service teachers' discussion practices has focused on decompositions of practice into subskills, while acknowledging the importance of the role of context, identity, and relationships between interactive moves. We focused on 66 elementary preservice teachers' (PSTs') framing-launching moves in discussions after problem-solving in a MursionTM custom simulation. PSTs used five moves: gathering information about student processes, focusing on problem features, task and non-task oriented social interactions, and partner talk. Empirical findings of PSTs' intentions and tacit actions coupled with study findings of the diversity in PSTs' framing moves, highlight the complexity of teacher decision making involved in discussion subsills …

Mathematics Teacher Educators' Exploring Self-Based Methodologies, Elizabeth Elizabeth, Signe E. Kastberg, Dana Cox, Jennifer Ward, Olive Chapman, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Historically underused methodologies in mathematics teacher education such as narrative inquiry, self-study, and autoethnography (i.e., self-based methodologies) are becoming a more frequent choice of mathematics teacher educators (MTEs). This has opened new challenges for MTEs as they try to disseminate their findings in mathematics education journals. Building from our working group at PME-NA 2018, we respond to the need for creating spaces (communities) where MTEs can feel supported in their study design, implementation, representation of findings, and publication using self-based methodologies. This year, we shift our focus from discussion to mentoring and scholarship on self-based methodologies. We invite MTEs with …

Toys Redesigned: The Intersection Of Industrial Technology And Service-Learning Principles, Jill Stefaniak, Petros Katsioloudis, Basim Matrood

STEMPS Faculty Publications

To provide students with a situated learning experience that encouraged them to develop creative design solutions, the authors created a service-learning activity that required industrial technology students to apply design principles and procedures to design and develop toys to be given to pediatric patients at a local children's hospital. The following are excerpts from student reflections addressing the technological skills used and key takeaways from the project: * "I was able to use my mechanical skills in this project by knowing how to operate the drill press and by cutting all the pieces that were needed and assembling them." * …

Effects Of Guided Project-Based Learning Activities On Students’ Attitudes Toward Statistics In An Introductory Statistics Course, Timothy Jonathan Bayer

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This research sought to determine if the use of a guided project-based learning instructional approach improved students’ attitudes and academic performance in a college-level introductory statistics course at a community college. It also sought to determine if the guided project-based approach improved attitudes and academic performance more than a traditional lecture-based instructional approach. The research used a quasi-experimental Pre-test, Post-test approach. The independent variable was either the use of a guided project-based learning instructional approach or the use of a traditional lecture-based instructional approach. The dependent variables were student attitudes and final course grades. Students’ attitudes were measured using the …

Discover Math With Sketchpad Explorer, Helen Crompton

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

Review of Geometer's SketchPad.

Productive Peer Culture: Algebra Project Students’ View, Melva R. Grant

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine students’ perspectives about productive peer culture for mathematics learning. The participating students were attending an annual residential summer institute and have been participating in Algebra Project activities for at least one year. Of the 26 high school students attending the institute, they all participate in mathematics literacy work1 through their local Young People’s Project (YPP) groups, while 20 of those students also receive their regular school-based mathematics instruction within an Algebra Project Cohort Model (APCM) structured classroom².

The Algebra Project targeted persistently underserved mathematics students who typically scored in the …