Digital Commons Network^™

Regression Analysis: Graduation Rate In Kentucky Public High Schools, Rebecca Price

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Kentucky’s Public High School graduation rates vary widely across the rural and urban regions in the state. In addition to their graduation rates, each of these schools have their own unique demographics, funding, teacher-student ratio, etc. that define said school’s identity. This research aims to analyze the aforementioned variables, as well as other variables listed on each school state report card, in order to create a model to predict any school’s graduation rate.

In order to create this model, data was taken on all public high schools in Kentucky from the Kentucky Department of Education’s School Report Card. Data were …

Teaching Mathematics Education Online: Instructional Theories, Strategies, And Technologies, Angie Hodge-Zickerman, Cindy S. York, Patrick R. Lowenthal

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

This overview chapter provides an introduction to instructional theories, strategies, and technologies that can guide teachers new to teaching mathematics (both content and methods) online in a formal online classroom setting. We begin by discussing different types of online learning environments, including synchronous, asynchronous, bichronous, and HyFlex environments. We then focus on different theories, such as cognitive apprenticeship, individualized/personalized instruction, social learning, and inquiry-based mathematics education theories. After that, we focus on some common technologies and strategies, such as think/pair/share, student groups, whiteboards, discussion boards, and more that someone new to teaching mathematics teachers online may use to engage learners.

Multivariate Distributions Of Correlated Binary Variables Generated By Pair-Copulas, Huihui Lin, N. Rao Chaganty

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Correlated binary data are prevalent in a wide range of scientific disciplines, including healthcare and medicine. The generalized estimating equations (GEEs) and the multivariate probit (MP) model are two of the popular methods for analyzing such data. However, both methods have some significant drawbacks. The GEEs may not have an underlying likelihood and the MP model may fail to generate a multivariate binary distribution with specified marginals and bivariate correlations. In this paper, we study multivariate binary distributions that are based on D-vine pair-copula models as a superior alternative to these methods. We elucidate the construction of these binary distributions …

Mathematics Methods For Early Childhood, Janet Stramel

All Open Educational Resources

This book is for the early childhood pre-service teachers, which includes the period from infancy until eight years of age. Mathematics skills must be taught in early childhood and children should be provided a foundation to succeed in elementary school and beyond.

Mathematics Methods for Early Childhood was designed to help early childhood teacher candidates develop an understanding of why lessons in early childhood should focus on mathematics in order to help children be successful. Young children are naturally curious, and the best time to begin mathematics is at a time while the young child's brain is rapidly developing. Mathematics …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces In Mathematics Classrooms, Michelle Mikes

Ed.D. Dissertations

The historical, traditional mathematics classroom of students sitting in rows receiving information from the teacher and working individually was still prevalent in the 21st century. Many teachers had resorted to student-centered activities to engage passive students, but the minimal progress of math achievement of United States students denoted a need for the reform of the traditional mathematics classroom. In this multi-site, multi-case qualitative study, I explored teacher perceptions of the use of vertical non-permanent surfaces on the impact of engagement, including the use of formative assessment and feedback with mathematics students, and the lesson structure of 360 Degree Math. The …

Accessibility Of Mathematics Examinations To Students With Hearing Impairment: A Case Study Of A School For The Deaf In Nyeri County-Kenya, Peter Mwangi Kabethi

Master of Education

The objective of this study was to establish the extent to which mathematics examinations are accessible to students with HI. The study adopted a qualitative approach via a case study design. The participants included the principal, Head of the mathematics department, teachers, and students from Clifftop school for the deaf. Purposive sampling was used to select the 5 students with HI and 3 mathematics teachers. Data was collected through focus group discussion (FGD) with students and teachers separately and classroom observation. In addition, the principal and the head of the mathematics department were interviewed to ascertain the general accessibility of …

Exploring How Teachers Deal With Students’ Errors In Mathematics: A Case Of A Secondary School In Siaya County, Kenya., John Robert Owala Ouko

Master of Education

Making errors in mathematics during learning by students is a common occurrence in our classrooms. Errors signal gaps in students’ understanding, competencies or knowledge that require to be addressed. Teachers employ a wide range of approaches to identify these gaps to provide interventions. The purpose of this study was to explore how teachers deal with students’ errors in mathematics during teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom in a secondary school in Siaya County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to understand how teachers identify, communicate and follow up on students’ errors and the challenges that teachers faced while following …

The Mathematician’S Next Life, Amit Majmudar

Inscape

No abstract provided.

Examining Teachers' Use Of Adaptive Diagnostic Assessment To Improve Mathematics Teaching And Learning, Dalal H. Alfageh

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined teachers’ perceptions and use of adaptive diagnostic assessment for improving teaching and learning of elementary level mathematics. Specifically, this case study was conducted at some of the leading primary schools in a Midwestern school district. TPACK theory was used as the theoretical framework for this case study to provide an understanding of how the teaching and learning of mathematics occurs in the classroom and the changes that occur due to the implementation of adaptive diagnostic assessments. A survey, individual interviews, a focus group, and journal reflections were used for data collection. The findings of this …

The Effect Of Coding Classes On Mathematics Achievement Of Preschool Students, Ebru Hacer Erbilgin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that inspired this study is that Turkish students’ mathematics rankings on global exams such as The Program for the International Students Assessment (PISA) and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) had been below the average for many years, a problem that may have rooted in children’s early experiences with mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative pretest posttest quasi-experimental control group study was to determine the effect of computer-programming classes with Code Studio on mathematics scores of preschool students. Siemens’s connectivism theory for the digital age formed the foundation for this research. A single research question regarding …

Remote Math Or Remotely Math? : A Qualitative Study Of The Challenges Of A Covid-19 Induced Transition To Ict-Based Teaching For High School Mathematics Teachers, David Hurst

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

In the blink of an eye schools across the country closed their doors in March 2020 and teachers were forced to transition from face-to-face instruction within a brick-and-mortar setting to ICT-based remote teaching. Many high school mathematics teachers were accustomed to their students having devices as their schools had established 1:1 computing programs. Even so, not all teachers had fully embraced ICT enhanced instruction in their classrooms. Research has shown that the degree of ICT utilization in a classroom has a strong positive correlation with the comfort level of the teacher. The COVID-19 closures required teachers to incorporate ICT in …

Teachers Connecting With Rural Students And Places: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Angie Starrett, Jan A. Yow Ph.D., Christine Lotter Ph.D., Matthew J. Irvin Ph.D., Paula Adams

Faculty Publications

Our study explores how teachers’ living proximity to their school and level of social connection to their rural community may influence implementation of place-based education and student-teacher relationships in mathematics and science classrooms. Both quantitative and qualitative results from 4126 students and 19 teachers reveal homegrown teachers (live in community where they grew up) highly value and excel at student-teacher relationships. Conversely, less socially connected commuters excel at implementing place-based education. Implications of our study provide new directions for recruiting rural teachers, aside from focusing on those from within the rural community.

Cross-Model Parameter Estimation In Epidemiology, Julia R. Fitzgibbons

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Use Of Concrete Materials In Teaching And Learning Of Fractions In Grade Three: A Case Study Of A Public Primary School In Homa-Bay County, Kenya, Ouma Patrick Okoth

Master of Education

Learners who struggle with mathematics may have difficulties in comprehending the core ideas in mathematics. The concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) instructional sequence of teaching allows teachers to assist pupils in making sense of numbers and the mathematical concepts they represent. The use of concrete materials is critical in the teaching of mathematics to young children; they are the major instruments that early childhood teachers use to train young learners in their mathematics classes today. To encourage the use of concrete materials in mathematics instruction, this research investigates how mathematics teachers use concrete materials in the teaching and learning of mathematics, as well …

Mathematics Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Its Relation To Student Achievement, Michelle Emmalyn Peters-George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students' performance in national assessments of mathematics at Grades 2, 4, and 6 has been a cause for concern in the Eastern Caribbean. Researchers have called for studies to focus on primary mathematics teachers' pedagogies rather than on laptops and curriculum; however, it is unclear how primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical knowledge influences these student’s achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (mathematical knowledge for teaching, quality of instruction, and pedagogical qualifications) and student achievement, measured by national assessment scores in Grenada, controlling for teachers’ age, gender, and experience. …

How Engineering Technology Students Perceive Mathematics, Meher R. Taleyarkhan, Anne M. Lucietto, Therese M. Azevedo

School of Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Engineering Technology (ET) is often combined with that of Engineering. Although Engineering Technology is based on a more hands-on approach and Engineering a theoretical approach, the two majors share a very similar pedagogy in teaching students the same engineering and scientific principles. An observation by an ET professor found that ET students more often than not would eschew the use of mathematical computations and instead provide answers they believe to be correct, without computation or explanation. Leading researchers to delve into possible reasons as to why ET students are reluctant to utilize mathematics. This study utilized in-person interviews with 15 …

Bayesian Inspired Multi-Fidelity Optimization With Aerodynamic Design, Christopher Corey Fischer

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In most engineering design problems, there exist multiple models of varying fidelities for use in predicting a single system response such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models constructed using Potential Flow, Euler equations, or full physics Navier Stokes implementation. Engineering design is constantly pushing the forefront of the field through imposing stricter and more complex constraints on system performance, thus elevating the need for use of high-fidelity models in the design process. Increasing fidelity level often correlates to an increase in cost (financial, computational time, and computational resources). Traditional design processes rely upon low-fidelity models for expedience and resource savings. …

Computational Simulation And Analysis Of Neuroplasticity, Madison E. Yancey

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Homeostatic synaptic plasticity is the process by which neurons alter their activity in response to changes in network activity. Neuroscientists attempting to understand homeostatic synaptic plasticity have developed three different mathematical methods to analyze collections of event recordings from neurons acting as a proxy for neuronal activity. These collections of events are from control data and treatment data, referring to the treatment of neuron cultures with pharmacological agents that augment or inhibit network activity. If the distribution of control events can be functionally mapped to the distribution of treatment events, a better understanding of the biological processes underlying homeostatic synaptic …

Applying Cognitive Measures In Counterfactual Prediction, Lori A. Mahoney

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

Counterfactual reasoning can be used in task-switching scenarios, such as design and planning tasks, to learn from past behavior, predict future performance, and customize interventions leading to enhanced performance. Previous research has focused on external factors and personality traits; there is a lack of research exploring how the decision-making process relates to both task-switching and counterfactual predictions. The purpose of this dissertation is to describe and explain individual differences in task-switching strategy and cognitive processes using machine learning techniques and linear ballistic accumulator (LBA) models, respectively, and apply those results in counterfactual models to predict behavior. Applying machine learning techniques …

On The Characteristics Of A Data-Driven Multi-Scale Frame Convergence Algorithm, Beverly K. Grunden

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, data-driven representation methods have been introduced to improve compressed sensing image reconstruction. This research explores a recently proposed algorithm that utilizes a data-driven multi-scale Parseval frame for image compression. Because a sensing matrix by itself may be insufficient to obtain a sparse representation for an image, a frame is combined with the compressed sensing matrix to increase flexibility in obtaining a sparse representation. The two-step algorithm optimizes the representation by alternating between adjusting a sparse coefficient vector and tuning a small filterbank which determines the frame. The structure of the frame and its relationship with the underlying …

Statistical And Machine Learning Approaches To Depressive Disorders Among Adults In The United States: From Factor Discovery To Prediction Evaluation, Minhwa Lee

Senior Independent Study Theses

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), depressive disorders (or major depression) are considered one of the most common and serious health risks in the United States. Our study focuses on extracting non-medical factors of depressive disorders diagnosis, such as overall health states, health risk behaviors, demography, and healthcare access, using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data set collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2018.

We set the two objectives of our study about depressive disorders diagnosis in the United States as follows. First, we aim to utilize machine learning algorithms …

Teacher Understanding Of Instructional Strategies In Elementary Mathematics, Erica Boatwright Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Synergizing Elementary School (pseudonym) consistently experiences low state-required mathematics test scores in grades 3 and 4 below district and state proficiency rates in mathematics. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate what instructional practices used by Grade 3 and Grade 4 teachers are, aligned or not aligned, with research-based planning, standards-based instruction, attention to conditions of learning, and professional responsibilities of teachers to support students’ achievement in mathematics. This study's conceptual framework was grounded in Robert Marzano's model of teaching effectiveness called the focus teacher evaluation model. Data for this case study were gathered from semi-structured interviews …

District Scores And Demographics As Predictors Of State Mathematics Assessment Scores, Carlos Alexander Bocel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research in mathematical assessments has indicated varying results of predictive variables and further research has been recommended to support students, parents, teachers, and school administration. The purpose of this research was to determine how well a student’s performance on a mathematics domain at the state level may be predicted based on student’s midyear and end of the year assessment scores, race, gender, and socioeconomic status. The constructivist theoretical foundation was reviewed because of the impact that this theory has on the assessments being researched. Archival records (n = 100) for eighth grade students were received from suburban South Florida …

District Scores And Demographics As Predictors Of State Mathematics Assessment Scores, Carlos Alexander Bocel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research in mathematical assessments has indicated varying results of predictive variables and further research has been recommended to support students, parents, teachers, and school administration. The purpose of this research was to determine how well a student’s performance on a mathematics domain at the state level may be predicted based on student’s midyear and end of the year assessment scores, race, gender, and socioeconomic status. The constructivist theoretical foundation was reviewed because of the impact that this theory has on the assessments being researched. Archival records (n = 100) for eighth grade students were received from suburban South Florida …

An Exploratory Study Of Mathematics Anxiety In Caribbean Preservice Teachers, Franka Atwell-Chin Hong

Dissertations

The Problem

Correlational studies suggest that gender, attitudes to mathematics, mathematics performance, the number of college mathematics courses taken, and mathematics teacher efficacy beliefs may be related to mathematics anxiety among preservice teachers (Boyd et al., 2014; Gresham, 2018; Jaggernauth & Jameson-Charles, 2015). Exploratory studies of mathematics anxiety and teacher self-efficacy among elementary teachers exist in Trinidad and Tobago (Jaggernauth 2012; Jaggernauth & Jameson-Charles, 2015). However, the differences in samples, and weakness in methodology, may make it challenging to generalize the results to the preservice teacher population. In addition, no studies have found which variable or combination of variables is …

Option Implied Volatility's Predictability On Monthly Stock Returns, Hung T. Dao

Senior Independent Study Theses

Since the trading of options is based on underlying stocks, it is reasonable to assume that information from the options market can be used to explain the returns in the stock market. Our independent study investigates the relationship between options implied volatility and stock returns. Previous studies have found significant results in using implied volatility in predicting stock returns. This paper provides a discussion of such studies, the theoretical framework for the research topic, and the Black-Scholes model, which is famous for its application in implied volatility calculation. Monthly returns of 20 large US firms are regressed against implied volatility …

How Teachers Use Formative Assessment Strategies During Teaching: Evidence From The Classroom, Hem Chand Dayal

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Using lesson observations, the study reported in this article explores how two practising secondary mathematics teachers implemented formative assessment actions in their classroom teaching. The study also investigated whether teachers’ beliefs about teaching and assessment could be mapped onto their classroom practices. In particular, while the two teachers were implementing student portfolio assessment in their own Year 9 mathematics lessons, the classroom observations focused on how they utilised formative assessment actions such as clarifying and sharing learning criteria intentions and criteria for success; activating students as instructional resources; and, providing feedback that moves learners forward. The findings suggest that one …

Zn Orbifolds Of Vertex Operator Algebras, Daniel Graybill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given a vertex algebra V and a group of automorphisms of V, the invariant subalgebra V^G is called an orbifold of V. This construction appeared first in physics and was also fundamental to the construction of the Moonshine module in the work of Borcherds. It is expected that nice properties of V such as C2-cofiniteness and rationality will be inherited by V^G if G is a finite group. It is also expected that under reasonable hypotheses, if V is strongly finitely generated and G is reductive, V^G will also be strongly finitely generated. This is an analogue …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of African American Women In Undergraduate Stem Degree Programs, Vernon H. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide a better understanding of the lived experiences of African American women in STEM undergraduate degree programs at a 4-year degree granting institution in the southernmost part of central Virginia. The central problem is that there is disparity between the number of African American women with STEM degrees and that of other races in the STEM job market. The existing literature has gaps in the research of African American women’s perception of undergraduate STEM programs. Further, the researcher posits there is a lack of consideration for diversity that is detrimental to the United States; …

Exponential Random Graphs And A Generalization Of Parking Functions, Ryan Demuse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Random graphs are a powerful tool in the analysis of modern networks. Exponential random graph models provide a framework that allows one to encode desirable subgraph features directly into the probability measure. Using the theory of graph limits pioneered by Borgs et. al. as a foundation, we build upon the work of Chatterjee & Diaconis and Radin & Yin. We add complexity to the previously studied models by considering exponential random graph models with edge-weights coming from a generic distribution satisfying mild assumptions. In particular, we show that a large family of two-parameter, edge-weighted exponential random graphs display a phase …