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Science and Mathematics Education Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2013

University at Albany, State University of New York

Articles 1 - 8 of 8

Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education

Performance Assessments, Caro C. Williams-Pierce Nov 2013

Performance Assessments, Caro C. Williams-Pierce

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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Broadening What We Perceive: A Method For Analyzing Gesture And Language, Caro C. Williams-Pierce Nov 2013

Broadening What We Perceive: A Method For Analyzing Gesture And Language, Caro C. Williams-Pierce

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

Gesture and language are deeply intertwined, and attending to both simultaneously when examining mathematical processes is a complex yet rewarding task. We share our budding research methodology for analyzing gesture and language and discuss the methodology from a generic perspective that can be easily adapted to different contexts, participants, and mathematical domains. We further share our problem-specific gesture coding scheme as an example of the grain size and foci of such schemes. Finally, we close by discussing the importance of gesture and language to understanding mathematical justifications and proofs.

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Correspondence And Covariation: Quantities Changing Together, Caro C. Williams-Pierce Nov 2013

Correspondence And Covariation: Quantities Changing Together, Caro C. Williams-Pierce

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

Exponential functions are important topic in school algebra and in higher mathematics, but research on students’ thinking suggests that understanding exponential growth remains an instructional challenge. This paper reports the results of a small-scale teaching experiment with students who explored exponential functions in the context of two continuously covarying quantities, height and time. We present two major conceptual paths that occurred in the development of an understanding of exponential growth, the covariation view and the correspondence view, and discuss the influence of each perspective on the growth of students’ understanding.

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Strategically Chosen Examples Leading To Proof Insight: A Case Study Of A Mathematician’S Proving Process., Caro C. Williams-Pierce Nov 2013

Strategically Chosen Examples Leading To Proof Insight: A Case Study Of A Mathematician’S Proving Process., Caro C. Williams-Pierce

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

Examples play a critical role in the exploration and proving of conjectures. Although proof has been studied extensively, the precise ways in which examples might facilitate successful proofs are not well documented or understood. Working within a larger set of studies that argue for the value of examples in proof-related activity, in this paper we present a case study of one mathematician’s work on a conjecture in which his strategic, intentional use of examples led to a proof of that conjecture. By examining his work in detail, we highlight specific mechanisms by which the mathematician’s examples led to successful proof …

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Gesture As A Window To Justification And Proof, Caro C. Williams-Pierce Nov 2013

Gesture As A Window To Justification And Proof, Caro C. Williams-Pierce

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Scholarship

The role of the body, particularly gesture, in supporting mathematical reasoning is an emerging area of research in mathematics education. In the present study, we examine undergraduate students providing a justification for a task about a system of alternating gears, which involves concepts of number relating to even/odd patterns. Some participants were directed to perform gestures relevant to alternation and parity before attempting their justification, while others were not. Although these directed actions did not seem to influence the gestures participants used to solve the problem, we found an important relationship between gesture and mathematical reasoning. In particular, certain types …

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The Impact Of Teachers' Characteristics And Self-Reported Practices On Students' Algebra Achievement, Liza Cope Jan 2013

The Impact Of Teachers' Characteristics And Self-Reported Practices On Students' Algebra Achievement, Liza Cope

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study examined the impact of teachers' characteristics and self-reported practices on students' Algebra achievement while controlling for students' characteristics. This study is based on the secondary analysis of data collected from a nationally representative sample of 9th grade students and their mathematics teachers during the base year of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS). Student and teacher data were obtained through questionnaires and students' Algebra achievement was measured by an ability-adaptive assessment designed to measure a cross-section of understandings representative of the six major Algebraic content domains (The language of algebra; Proportional relationships and change; Linear equations, …

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How The Nature Of Science Is Presented To Elementary Students In Science Read-Alouds, Seema Rivera Jan 2013

How The Nature Of Science Is Presented To Elementary Students In Science Read-Alouds, Seema Rivera

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

HOW THE NATURE OF SCIENCE IS PRESENTED TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN SCIENCE READ-ALOUDS

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Dismantling The Birdcage : Adolescent Girls' Attitudes Towards Learning Mathematics With A Relational Pedagogy In A Problem-Based Environment, Carmel Schettino Jan 2013

Dismantling The Birdcage : Adolescent Girls' Attitudes Towards Learning Mathematics With A Relational Pedagogy In A Problem-Based Environment, Carmel Schettino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Although the Gender Achievement Gap is closing in mathematics, the "interest gap" in pursuing STEM fields is not. Mathematics education research has discussed constructivist, student-centered and inclusive methods of teaching that have been found to encourage students that have underachieved and been underrepresented in STEM fields. One recommendation for encouraging young women to continue in their mathematical studies is to find instructional methods that allow them to feel included in the learning process and "unfix" the dichotomous, gendered socio-cultural view of mathematics and the mathematics classroom fostering positive attitudes such as self-confidence, empowerment and agency.

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