Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Review Of Towards Equity And Justice In Mathematics Education, Edited By Tonya Gau Bartell, Emily Lardner

Numeracy

Tonya Grau Bartell, editor. 2018.Toward Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education. (Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing). 341 pp. ISBN 978-3-319-92906-4 (also available as an e-book).

Toward Equity and Social Justice in Mathematics Education is a welcome addition to ongoing conversations about what mathematics should be taught and how it should be taught at both the college and pre-college level. Although the primary audience for the volume will be math educators and researchers, readers of this journal will discover intersecting interests, concerns, and strategies.

Using Machine Learning And Traditional Statistics To Explore Retention And Knowledge Structure In Stem With An Emphasis On Physics, Cabot Alexander Zabriskie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Retention of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students is a serious problem as STEM graduation rates continue to lag the growing demand for the skills taught by these degree programs. Critical to fixing this “leaky pipeline” is investment in improving retention in the first two years of college study and increasing and maintaining the interest of K-12 students in STEM. This thesis will address this in three parts. The first is through evaluation of conceptual tests used to evaluate course improvements to determine the structure student knowledge measured by them. The second part uses machine learning to construct early …

The Near-Peer Mathematical Mentoring Cycle: Studying The Impact Of Outreach On High School Students’ Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Aaron T. Wilson, Sergey Grigorian

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

College students may be seen as near-peers to high school students and high school students are often able to see themselves in the college students who are but one step ahead. This nearness in maturity and educational level may place college students in a particularly powerful position when it comes to reaching out to high school students to promote higher education in math and science. In this study college students gave dynamic mathematics outreach presentations, MathShows, to minority and low-income high school students in a mid-sized public school district on the U.S. border with Mexico. The study investigated the impacts …

Student Understanding Of Dna Structure–Function Relationships Improves From Using 3d Learning Modules With Dynamic 3d Printed Models, Michelle E. Howell, Christine S. Booth, Sharmin M. Sikich, Tomáš Helikar, Rebecca Roston, Brain A. Couch, Karin Van Dijk

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Understanding the relationship between molecular structure and function represents an important goal of undergraduate life sciences. Although evidence suggests that handling physical models supports gains in student understanding of structure–function relationships, such models have not been widely implemented in biochemistry classrooms. Three-dimensional (3D) printing represents an emerging cost-effective means of producing molecular models to help students investigate structure–function concepts. We developed three interactive learning modules with dynamic 3D printed models to help biochemistry students visualize biomolecular structures and address particular misconceptions. These modules targeted specific learning objectives related to DNA and RNA structure, transcription factor-DNA interactions, and DNA supercoiling dynamics. …

Investigating How Faculty Social Networks And Peer Influence Relate To Knowledge And Use Of Evidence-Based Teaching Practices, A. K. Lane, J. Skvoretz, J. P. Ziker, Brian A. Couch, B. Earl, J. E. Lewis, J. D. Mcalpin, L. B. Prevost, S. E. Shadle, Marilyn Stains

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Calls for science education reform have been made for decades in the USA. The recent call to produce one million new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates over 10 years highlights the need to employ evidence-based instructional practices (EBIPs) in undergraduate STEM classes to create engaging and effective learning environments. EBIPs are teaching strategies that have been empirically demonstrated to positively impact student learning, attitudes, and achievement in STEM disciplines. However, the mechanisms and processes by which faculty learn about and choose to implement EBIPs remain unclear. To explore this problem area, we used social network analysis to …

Welcome To Normalton: Leveraging Effective E-Learning Principles For Adult Learners, Robert L. Moore

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This design case details the critical design decisions used in the development of an e-learning module library for North Carolina local government officials focused on land use regulations. These modules cover topics from an introduction to land use regulations, to evidentiary hearing conduct guidelines, defining vested rights, and explaining how to adopt and amend an ordinance. This project was in response to the North Carolina League of Municipalities (NCLM) members’ increased requests for training in this subject area. This organization requested the assistance of the two faculty members at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government …

Mathematics Identity Construction In Successful African Americans: Reflections On Mathematics Experiences During Adolescence, Teri N. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This project used narrative inquiry to examine adolescent experiences that contributed to the development of positive mathematics identities in successful African Americans. Ten African Americans, who had worked in a STEM-related occupation for at least two years, were asked to reflect on in- and out-of-school experiences with mathematics during their middle and high school years. Data collection included individual interviews and one focus group discussion. A combination of internal and external factors emerged as contributors to participants’ adolescent mathematics identities. Internal factors included early career interest, finding enjoyment in the challenges associated with learning mathematics, or facing setbacks they were …

Elementary Teachers' Definitions And Usage Of Inquiry-Based Mathematics Instruction, Heather Nunnally

Theses and Dissertations

Current educational leaders call for students to build his or her own mathematical understanding from experiences, coupled with feedback from peers, teachers, and themselves and gain a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Researchers agree that inquiry in the elementary mathematics classroom can help increase conceptual understanding.

This case study focused on how elementary teachers define inquiry-based mathematics and implement it in their classrooms. Interviews, observations and lesson analysis were used to investigate what identities, relationships and activities look like in an elementary classroom that uses inquiry.

All of the participants felt "problem solving" and "working collaboratively" were essential for inquiry but …

Tackling Math Anxiety Through Photography While Using Geogebra, Joseph M. Furner

Transformations

Math teachers can insert photographs into GeoGebra software then explore various math objectives related to the Common Core Math Standards, the paper shows how to motivate students to learn math and minimize math anxiety while doing it. While covering the new Common Core State Standards, the topics will explore the math that surrounds us in the real world thus creating a connection between the abstract math and the life experiences. When math has a purpose, then students are willing to spend time in exploring and understanding new concepts. Real-life photographs that are inserted into GeoGebra will provide the basis to …

Factors Contributing To Student Retention In Online Learning And Recommended Strategies For Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review, Pauline S. Muljana, Tian Luo

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Aim/Purpose

This systematic literature review investigates the underlying factors that influence the gap between the popularity of online learning and its completion rate. The review scope within this paper includes an observation of possible causal aspects within the non-ideal completion rates in online learning environments and an identification of recommended strategies to increase retention rates.

Background

While online learning is increasingly popular, and the number of online students is steadily growing, student retention rates are significantly lower than those in the traditional environment. Despite the multitude of studies, many institutions are still searching for solutions for this matter.

Methodology

A …

Combined Srl-Based Cognitive-Motivational Modules Increase Undergraduate Biology Grades, Jennifer G. Cromley, Tony Perez, Avi Kaplan, Ting Dai, Kyle Mara, Michael J. Balsai

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Students’ success in undergraduate STEM courses requires effective study strategies, but also the motivation to enact them, drawing on two key tenets of Self-Regulated Learning. Interventions designed to promote students’ achievement and retention in STEM have commonly focused on either cognition or motivation. Building on Pintrich’s (2000) SRL framework, we iteratively-developed and tested the effect of different combinations of one of four cognition-focused with one of three motivation-focused intervention modules. Initial development took place in 2015-2016 and post-iterative experiments occurred in 2017. Participants were 3,092 undergraduate introductory biology students tested in 10 studies at 3 universities over 4 academic years. …

Investigating Levels Of Graphical Comprehension Using The Locus Assessments, Charlotte A. Bolch, Tim Jacobbe

Numeracy

Statistical literacy refers to two interrelated components: people’s ability to interpret and critically evaluate statistical information, and their ability to discuss or communicate their reactions to statistical information. The ability to read and interpret graphical displays is part of statistical literacy because much of the statistical information people encounter in their everyday lives are graphical displays or tables of data. The purpose of this study was to investigate college-level students’ graphical comprehension. Students’ graphical comprehension was assessed using items from the Levels of Conceptual Understanding in Statistics (LOCUS) assessments. Much can be learned about students’ graphical comprehension based on this …

Introducing Information Literacy To Mathematics Classrooms: A Cross-Case Analysis, Ander W. Erickson

Numeracy

This study employs a cross-case analysis to explore the demands and opportunities that arise when information problem-solving tasks are introduced into college mathematics classes. Mathematics teachers at three universities developed and introduced tasks that required students to seek out, evaluate, and synthesize quantitative claims from disparate information sources. The results focus on a comparison of how the teachers balanced content-specific instructional demands with the information literacy goals of the tasks that they created. Three tensions were identified through this analysis: the need to balance mathematical content with opportunities for students to engage in a realistic approximation of the information problem-solving …

Bridging Distances: Professional Development For Higher Education Faculty Through Technology-Facilitated Lesson Study., Melissa Soto, Dittika Gupta, Lara Dick, Mollie Appelgate

Faculty Journal Articles

Higher education faculty benefit from participating in communities of practice focused on developing and improving their own instruction. However, collaborators with common interests are not always located at the same physical location. In this article, we share how participation in a technology-facilitated lesson study provided the means for five higher education faculty across the U.S. to engage in professional development and evolve into a virtual community of practice. Through the use of synchronous and asynchronous communication technology, we formulated goals, planned a common lesson, conducted research on our students’ learning, and reflected on our own teaching practice. For this paper, …

A Teacher’S Adoption Of Maker-Centered Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Michael L. Schad

Theses and Dissertations

The maker movement is a social movement which espouses the importance of artifact creation through physical and digital tools. As the maker movement moves into educational spaces, researchers and educators are exploring ways to integrate it alongside current classroom practices. A prevalent framework for maker integration is the maker-centered learning framework, which was used as part of the conceptual framework. Currently, more research is needed which justifies and analyzes maker-centered learning in an educational environment. This study aimed to use phenomenological methods to capture the lived experience of chemistry teacher as she integrated the maker-centered learning framework into her chemistry …

A Mathematics Workshop For Parents: Exploring Content Knowledge And Perceptions Of Parental Involvement, Kristina C. Anthony

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored a mathematics workshop for parents and the impact on a parent’s mathematical content knowledge in rational numbers, perceptions of current instructional practices, and parental beliefs in supporting their children in learning mathematics. A 6-week parent workshop on rational numbers was offered in a rural middle school. Data sources included interviews and workshop audio transcriptions. This study concluded that a mathematics workshop supports parents in developing a conceptual understanding of rational numbers and rational number operations. Furthermore, parents recognized the importance of discourse, representation, and justification for building conceptual understanding in mathematics. Parents, who participated in the …

The Aftermath: A Culturally Responsive Mathematical Intervention To Aid Students Affected By Natural Disasters, Brianna Kurtz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico. The damage was extensive, and many people found themselves to be natural disaster refugees. As a result, schools in Central Florida saw an influx of new students who had their educations interrupted by the disaster and now were resuming school in a new language of instruction. These students not only faced linguistic challenges but also academic differences due to the high prevalence of poverty and the effects of neocolonialism in their previous schooling. This mixed methods study implemented an intensive intervention in probability to aid students in developing …

Construção De Projetos Lúdicos Em Massachusetts, Rebeca S Brito, Beatriz Ibv Bermudez, Edison La Tizzot, Carlos Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

It is essential to develop activities that promote the promotion of healthy dietary patterns and the regular practice of physical activity, in order to increase morbidity and mortality related to chronic non-communicable diseases. Since the school environment was considered favorable for the inclusion of these large-scale actions, the "Little Hearts Changing Lives" (LHCL) program was idealized for children. Employing Creative Learning concepts additionally incorporates some of the strategies drawn from participatory research methods and the use of validated tools that potentially sensitize the target audience during workshops for educators. In the expansion phase in the United States, this program was …

Tools For Change: Measuring Student Conceptual Understanding Across Undergraduate Biology Programs Using Bio-Maps Assessments, Michelle K. Smith, Sara E. Brownell, Alison J. Crowe, N. G. Holmes, Jennifer K. Knight, Katharine Semsar, Mindi M. Summers, Cole Walsh, Christian D. Wright, Brian A. Couch

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Assessing learning across a biology major can help departments monitor achievement of broader program-level goals and identify opportunities for curricular improvement. However, biology departments have lacked suitable tools to measure learning at the program scale. To address this need, we developed four freely available assessments—called Biology-Measuring Achievement and Progression in Science or Bio-MAPS—for general biology, molecular biology, ecology/evolution, and physiology programs. When administered at multiple time points in a curriculum, these instruments can provide departments with information on how student conceptual understanding changes across a major and help guide curricular modifications to enhance learning.

This Is Your Brain On Music: The Study Of Musical Influence On The Cognitive Mindset And Learning, Allysa N. Lipsey

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the use of musical influence on the brain with an emphasis on the effects on cognitive mindset and learning in mathematics education. It explores the idea of the use of different trials and methods to potentially unlock new knowledge about the brain through listening to music during in-class group work, individual work, and class assessments. It allows for an analysis of the music’s effect on the brain and creates discussion in multiple classrooms and age groups through the eyes of a participant observer in an ethnographic research scenario. By analyzing behaviors of body language, musical taste and …