Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Associating Mathematics To Its History: Connecting The Mathematics We Teach To Its Past, Joseph M. Furner, Ernest A. Brewer

Transformations

Across the USA and around the world now, globalization has taken a strong hold. The purpose of this paper is to explore the historical considerations that can be incorporated in the teaching of mathematics. The paper will also provide suggestions for teaching math by interweaving historical elements into the mathematics instruction. Teachers should strive to bridge the cultural and historical gap among all students by incorporating innovative ideas as well as historical and cultural connections into their teaching so to foster understanding, appreciation, and tolerance for the richness inherent in diversity and a sound understanding of mathematics and appreciation for …

Art-Integration Through Making Dioramas Of Women Mathematicians’ Lives Enhances Creativity And Motivation, Audrey C. Rule, Dana L. Atwood-Blaine, Clayton M. Edwards, Mindy M. Gordon

Journal of STEM Arts, Crafts, and Constructions

Creativity is essential for solving problems in the workplace, natural environment, and everyday life, necessitating that creativity be nurtured in schools. Identification of factors that intrinsically motivate students to learn difficult or initially unappealing content is also important. This project, in which 24 racially diverse fifth grade girls created dioramas of the lives of diverse successful women mathematicians, explored the girls’ reactions to art integration into mathematics through a phenomenological qualitative analysis of their products, essays, and responses to questionnaires. The project supported the Next Generation Science Standard for engineering design, Standard 3-5-ETS1-1 and two National Core Arts Standards for …

Differentiating Instruction Through Math Stations And Literacy Centers, Olivia Bates

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Differentiating instruction based on students’ readiness, interests, and learning profiles is essential for creating effective and meaningful learning activities. Identifying these characteristics allows teachers to meet students’ needs and engage them in learning. By differentiating instruction, educators target specific students’ strengths and challenges in developing lessons to support their understanding of content. Two useful strategies for differentiating math and literacy instruction include stations and centers. In stations and centers, students work on specific skills catered to their educational needs while rotating activities in flexible groups. This guide supports teachers in identifying strategies and understanding the benefits of differentiating math and …

Analyse D’Un Projet Pilote D’Intégration D’Une Approche Par Les Situations Dans L’Éducation De Base De La République Démocratique Du Congo, Stéphane Cyr, Annie Savard, Emna Braham

Comparative and International Education / Éducation Comparée et Internationale

En 2015, la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) a entrepris une démarche transitoire de réforme scolaire en adoptant une Approche par les Situations (APS) dans ses programmes pour le primaire. Pour initier cette démarche, le pays a mis en place un projet pilote visant l’amélioration de l’enseignement et des apprentissages des mathématiques et des langues. Dans ce dispositif, des situations ont été crées et des enseignants ont été formés à l’utilisation de ces situations en classe. Le présent article présente les résultats issus des différents outils de collecte de données visant à rendre compte de cette démarche expérimentale en mathématiques …

Project-Based Learning And Design-Focused Projects To Motivate Secondary Mathematics Students, Kelly W. Remijan

Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning

This article illustrates how mathematics teachers can develop design-focused projects, related to project-based learning, to motivate secondary mathematics students. With first-hand experience as a secondary mathematics teacher, I provide a series of steps related to the engineering design process, which are helpful to teachers in developing design-focused projects, describe various projects that have been developed and implemented within my classroom, and share project artifacts illustrated by pictures, student work, and student comments. Referring to the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation and reflecting upon personal observations, student outcomes, and student comments, I provide personal insight on how design-focused projects can be …

Examining The Influence Of Number Line Fraction Task Characteristics On Student Work, Sharlee Hatch

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Research supports the claim that classrooms with teachers who respond to student thinking in the mathematics classroom will see greater student gains and student success (Lamon, 1996; Sleep & Boerst, 2012). The topic of fractions is both difficult to teach and learn, but has important implications on future success in mathematics and in life. This study set out to explore the ways in which student work is influenced by characteristics of number line fraction tasks. By examining task type, number line structure, and number choice this study shares the way these task characteristics influenced student strategies. The relationship between task …

Stem Education Discrepancy In The United States And Singapore, Elizabeth K. Worsham, Aaron Clevenger, Kelly A. Whealan-George

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

One of the hottest topics over the past several years has been science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The United States is lagging behind in the STEM education rankings as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, ranked second overall in math and science based on the Program of International Student Assessment. Even as such a small country, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world, one of the busiest ports, and is a leader in the science and technology market. One factor of this is the family life and the culture that …

An Examination Of Accessible Hands-On Science Learning Experiences, Self-Confidence In One’S Capacity To Function In The Sciences, And Motivation And Interest In Scientific Studies And Careers., Mick D. Isaacson, Cary Supalo, Michelle Michaels, Alan Roth

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This study examined the potential relationship of accessible hands-on science learning experiences to the development of positive beliefs concerning one’s capacity to function in the sciences and motivation to consider science as a college major and career. Findings from Likert survey items given before and after engaging in accessible hands-on science laboratories show that students who were blind or had low vision (BLV) were more likely to agree with the following items after engaging in accessible science experiences: 1) I plan on enrolling as a science major in college; 2) My educational experiences, so far, have given me the …

‘When I Am Being Rushed It Slows Down My Brain’: Constructing Self-Understandings As A Mathematics Learner, Rachel Lambert

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Understanding learning disabilities (LDs) as constructed through multiple cultural practices including discourse, this paper focuses on a Latino middle school student with a LD named Elijah. This study documents both the discourses and practices used to position Elijah as a mathematics learner, as well as his use of similar discourses as he constructs a complex set of self-understandings as a mathematics learner. Elijah is positioned by discourses that prioritise speed as an indicator of mathematical ability, as well as discourses that construct students with LD as having both intelligence and differences such as processing speed. An analysis of interview and …

Using A Repeated Measures Anova Design To Analyze The Effect Writing In Mathematics Has On The Mathematics Achievement Of Third Grade English Language Learners And English Speakers, Zoe A. Morales

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The gap that exists between English language learners and English speaking students’ achievement in mathematics continues to grow. Moreover, students are now required to show evidence of their mathematics knowledge through writing in standardized assessments and class assignments.

The purpose of this study was to analyze students’ writing in mathematics and the metacognitive behaviors they portrayed through their writing as they solved mathematics problems. The instruments included a pretest, two biweekly tests, and a posttest. The writing instruction encompassed students learning to solve problems by using Polya’s four phases of problem solving which was completed in 12 sessions over a …

An Examination Of How One University Is Preparing Elementary And Middle Level Education Majors For Common Core Mathematics, Michelle Elizabeth Schwartze

Theses and Dissertations

In 2010 the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics and English Language Arts were introduced into K – 12 classrooms (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2015b). The standards for mathematics focus on having students demonstrate and explain understanding more than the standards have in the past (Burns, 2013). McCallum (2011) divides the eight Standards for Mathematical Practice into four main themes: reasoning and explaining, modeling and using tools, seeing structure and generalizing, and overarching habits of mind of a productive mathematical thinker. These four themes encompass what a mathematics classroom should look like when utilizing the CCSS for mathematics. …

Indicators Of Future Mathematics Proficiency: Literature Review & Synthesis, Claudia Preciado

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The beauty of mathematics can arguably be found in the way in which all concepts are interrelated and interwoven to create a massive web of knowledge and in the ways this can be applied to all aspects of life and technology. Given this inextricable interrelationship amongst several mathematical topics, many students encounter issues in learning mathematics due to gaps in their understanding of previously taught material. As a result, mathematics education in the K-12 setting has emphasized the need for interventions in order to help students grasp the progressively complex concepts that are required by our current society and education …

Infographic: Stem And Gender, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

A recent report from the Australian Council for Educational Research explored gender differences in relation to STEM participation, achievement and engagement. Here are some of the results.

Math Emporium Model: Preparing Developmental Students For College Algebra, Stephanie Patton Williams

Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of the Emporium Model in reducing math anxiety and in preparing developmental math students at a community college to be successful in College Algebra. The study involved 59 students enrolled in Intermediate Algebra at a community college and compared those in the Emporium class format to those in the Traditional class format. Participants completed a pre-post math anxiety rating scale questionnaire and a pre-post algebra readiness test to address the research questions of the study. Two mixed model ANOVAs were done and the findings showed that there was a significant difference in math anxiety level …

Bringing Students Back To Mathematics: Classroom Knowledge And Motivation, Giang-Nguyen T. Nguyen, Joel B. Goodin

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

This paper reports part of a larger research study that investigated how teachers motivate students to learn mathematics at the college level. Findings from the study indicated that teachers have the power to influence and reinvigorate students who had given up learning mathematics. In the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the researchers analyzed five students’ motivational levels based on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to see how each student was motivated by their teacher. Findings from the study could provide some directions for future research on students’ motivation to learn mathematics.

Using Ibl In A History Of Mathematics Course: A Skeptic’S Success, Michael E. Matthews, Angela M. Hodge

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A college professor, who is highly skeptical of change, but sensing a need for teaching in a more inspiring and engaging way, implements an inquiry-based learning (IBL) approach to teaching the history of mathematics. The first author (Matthews) worked with an experienced IBL colleague mentor (Hodge) on the course. Some student data was collected to document the effects of the class on the students. The approach taken for the course is described in detail including how the students of the course learned about and used IBL in key peer-to-peer teaching about historical mathematics (with a primary focus on the mathemat- …

Using Manipulatives To Investigate Esol Students' Achievement And Dispositions In Algebra, Donna L. Marsh

Doctor of Education in Teacher Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this embedded quasi-experimental mixed methods research was to investigate the effectiveness of concrete and virtual manipulatives on the achievement of English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as they employ them to explore linear and exponential functions in high school Sheltered Common Core Coordinate Algebra. Also of interest were the effects concrete and virtual manipulatives have on their disposition towards mathematics and math class. Another goal was to investigate the benefits and disadvantages of using concrete and virtual manipulatives versus traditional instructional practices.

This was a 5-week study. The control group (N=20) was instructed through the use of …

The Impact Of Response To Intervention In A High School Mathematics Setting, Lauren Dominick

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the impact of response to intervention (RTI) in a high school mathematics setting. A major concern in the literature related to the fact that majority of RTI research focused on students at the elementary level and in reading. Therefore in this study RTI was implemented in a high school mathematics classroom and the effects were analyzed. This study is focused on a sample of ninth and tenth grade students from two classes and taught by one teacher in the same high school in an action research setting. Quantitative and qualitative methods of …

Should Students Assessed As Needing Remedial Mathematics Take College-Level Quantitative Courses Instead? A Randomized Controlled Trial, Alexandra W. Logue, Mari Watanabe, Daniel Douglas

Publications and Research

Many college students never take, or do not pass, required remedial mathematics courses theorized to increase college-level performance. Some colleges and states are therefore instituting policies allowing students to take college-level courses without first taking remedial courses. However, no experiments have compared the effectiveness of these approaches, and other data are mixed. We randomly assigned 907 students to (a) remedial elementary algebra, (b) that course with workshops, or (c) college-level statistics with workshops (corequisite remediation). Students assigned to statistics passed at a rate 16 percentage points higher than those assigned to algebra (p

Stemming On Stem: A Stem Education Framework For Students With Disabilities, Jiwon Hwang, Jonte C. Taylor

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

There has been increased attention paid to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics also known as STEM. The focus on STEM has been both educational and occupational. Unfortunately, students with disabilities perform below their peers without disabilities in math and science. The authors discuss issues related to STEM and students with disabilities. These issues include (1) traditional views of STEM education, (2) the importance of STEM education, and (3) students with disabilities performance in STEM. The authors posit a framework for STEM education for students with disabilities and promote the incorporation of the arts to increase students’ STEM knowledge and achievement.

Utilizing Assessment Resources To Support Classroom Instruction In Mathematics, Jennifer A. Judkins

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

Mathematics teachers in the state of Washington have the responsibility of helping students develop the knowledge and skills included in the Mathematics K-12 Learning Standards (also known as the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics) and measured by the Smarter Balanced summative assessments in mathematics. A great need existed for teachers to have additional support to help students learn the standards and be prepared to demonstrate their knowledge on the Smarter Balanced assessments as well as more working knowledge of how to utilize the supports provided within the system of Smarter Balanced. Mathematics educators in the state of Washington were …

Infographic: Stem Workforce And Careers, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

School educators are being encouraged to give students more information about STEM-related careers. So, what are the top occupations of STEM graduates? Find out in this Teacher infographic.

Critical Thinking Skills And Academic Maturity: Emerging Results From A Five-Year Quality Enhancement Plan (Qep) Study, Ian N. Toppin, Shadreck Chitsonga

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

The QEP that was implemented in this study focused on enhancing students’ critical thinking skills. A pretest/ posttest approach was used to assess students’ critical thinking progress in freshman level core English and Math courses. An intervention was performed involving intensive instruction and assignments relating to a set of reasoning strategies such as: analytical, analogical, inductive, deductive, and comparative reasoning, among others. When students performed well on assignments by applying the reasoning strategies, it was assumed that critical thinking occurred. However, pre/ posttest results in these classes were often disappointing, and seemed at times to suggest that freshmen are not …

An Examination Of Black Male Success In High School Mathematics, David Walters Jr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

For a national sample of Black male students, what is the relative impact of instructional technology on 10th and 12th grade math scores? This dissertation employs two waves of the Education Longitudinal Study (2002 & 2004) and multivariate statistical techniques to explore the relative importance of instructional technology (implementation by teachers and training for teachers), student perception of math ability, teacher and school effects, as well as socioeconomic status on high school math scores for this unique population.

Bourdieu’s cultural and social capital, Coleman’s cultural capital and social action, Martin’s equity-based math education, and Gutierrez’s socio-political mathematics will serve as …

The Effects Of Cognitive Strategies Paired With Hands-On Or Virtual Manipulatives On Math Instruction For Students With Mathematical Learning Disabilities To Learn Word Problem Solving Skills, Kimberly Plute

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using cognitive strategies with hands-on manipulatives, and cognitive strategies with virtual manipulatives to enhance problem solving skills of students with Mathematical Learning Disabilities (MLD), as well as their satisfaction with those strategies. Five, 5th graders with MLD participated in the study to learn word problem solving skills in a math class for 80 minutes, 5 days a week for 10 weeks. A single subject research design with ABC phases was used in the study. Results showed each student gained from 3.6 to 5.2 mean points of the weekly quizzes …

Mathematics Uncovered Through Action Science, William H. Robertson

William H. Robertson

Teaching Critical And Creative Thinking Skills Through Problem-Solving In High School Mathematics Classes, Daniel L. Albert

Critical and Creative Thinking Capstones Collection

I am a high school mathematics teacher who wants students to develop the thought process that allows them to uncover and use the patterns that are the heart of mathematics. Misconceptions belittle the subject, however, and disrupt the progress of my high school students because it disguises the purpose of studying math. My purpose in joining the Critical and Creative Thinking program at the University of Massachusetts Boston was to learn about the skills and methodologies that assist in the teaching and learning of thinking critically and creatively. This paper shows the progress and evolution of my capstone project—a set …

The Effects Of Using The Gomath Program On Teaching Computation Skills For Students With Learning Disabilities, Patricia Virginia Giordano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects on teaching math computation skills to students with learning disabilities (LD) using the GoMath program and to examine the teachers’ and students’ satisfaction with this program in their teaching and learning. Four, 3rd and 4th graders with LD were taught by one special education teacher in a resource room and participated in learning computation skills for 60 minutes, 5 days per week for 12 weeks, using the Go Math program. A multiple baseline research design with A B phases across students was used to evaluate their performance. The findings indicated …

Office Of Stem Education Annual Report 2015-2016, Uno Office Of Stem Education

Student Learning

During 2015-2016 the Office of STEM (OSTEM) Education at UNO has continued to move aggressively forward in undertaking and leading STEM Learning projects, many of which collaborate closely with several other UNO colleges and other formal and informal educational institutions. Also continuing into 2016, OSTEM is steadily transitioning to becoming more of a focused departmental organization, while the UNO STEM Leadership Team takes over more of the campus-wide STEM Priority efforts.

This report describes the TED STEM successes, ongoing efforts and challenges this last year with a direct focus on the TED and COE context, and only lightly touches on …

Strategies For Teaching Developmental Mathematics Students At The College Level, Natalie Lynn Kautz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to identify strategies used by effective instructors of developmental mathematics, and to discover the perceptions developmental mathematics students have about these strategies. While there are research projects focusing solely on developmental mathematics achievement, this study fills a need by incorporating views of teaching effectiveness from multiple viewpoints.

In this research project, college-level instructors of developmental mathematics students were recorded on video before, during, and after the teaching of an algebraic concept. Students were given a pre-lesson survey and post-lesson survey to see if there were gains in their learning. Students completed a survey about …