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Examination Of High School Students' Understanding Of Geometry, Brantley Grant Pierce

Master's Theses

Not every student learns geometry instruction the same. Inside today’s classroom, one will find a diverse collection of students with different learning styles, background knowledge, and cognitive abilities. Students with high cognitive skills may sit next to those who struggle to maintain the material of a single subject. It is the job of an educator to accept the students as they are and guide them through a successful academic journey. This process is called Differentiated Instruction. Gregory and Chapman, authors of Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn’t Fit All, state that the term differentiation is a philosophy that allows instructors …

Dual Task Interference In Low-Level Abilities: The Role Of Working Memory And Effects Of Mathematics Anxiety, Alex Michael Moore

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Mathematics anxiety is a negative affective reaction to situations involving mathematical thought and is commonly believed to reduce cognitive functioning by impairing the efficient use of working memory resources. The conventional theory describes that the processing disadvantage associated with high levels of math anxiety increasingly impairs performance as working memory demands increase in a math task. Despite this convention, recent reports demonstrate that the high math anxious disadvantage can be measured in tasks that are relatively free of working memory assistance (Maloney, Ansari, & Fugelang, 2011; Maloney, Risko, Ansari, & Fugelsang, 2010). The present study examines these relatively low level …

Transposing Noninvertible Polynomials, Nathan Cordner

Library Research Grants

In the class of invertible polynomials, the notion of dual polynomials W and W^T, as well as dual groups G and G^T is well-understood. In this paper we investigate finding dual pairs W and W^T for noninvertible polynomials. We find that in many instances, our intuition that stems from invertible polynomials does not extend to the noninvertible case.

Fields In Math And Farming, Susan D'Agostino

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

A young woman’s search for a a contemplative, insightful experience leads her from farming to mathematics.

Thin Sequences And The Gram Matrix, Pamela Gorkin, John E. Mccarthy, Sandra Pott, Brett D. Wick

Mathematics Faculty Research

We provide a new proof of Volberg’s Theorem characterizing thin interpolating sequences as those for which the Gram matrix associated to the normalized reproducing kernels is a compact perturbation of the identity. In the same paper, Volberg characterized sequences for which the Gram matrix is a compact perturbation of a unitary as well as those for which the Gram matrix is a Schatten-2 class perturbation of a unitary operator. We extend this characterization from 2 to p, where 2 p ≤∞.

Math Alum Gives Ou-Osu Ring Theory Seminar On Aug. 7 And 8, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Review Of The Joy Of X: A Guided Tour Of Math, From One To Infinity By Steven Strogatz, Michael T. Catalano

Numeracy

Strogatz, Steven. The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity, (New York, NY, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012). 316 pp. ISBN 978-0-547-51765-0

The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math, from One to Infinity, by Steven Strogatz, is an engaging and example-filled argument for mathematics as a valuable and enjoyable activity. The thirty chapters are divided into six parts, entitled Numbers, Relationships, Shapes, Change, Data, and Frontiers. The discussion ranges from intuitive explanations of basic concepts such as place value, the four arithmetic operations, percentage increase and decrease, and solving equations, to “higher” levels …

Mohlenkamp Presents At Society For Industrial And Applied Mathematics, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Mirando Hacia El Futuro: Using Multilevel Growth Models To Examine The Achievement Gap Between White And Hispanic Students, Renee Delgado

Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs

Academic achievement gaps have been a topic of study for researchers within the United States of America for many decades because there has been a steady achievement disparity between White students and students of color. The mathematics achievement gap for the largest growing population, Hispanic students, has not changed when compared to White students over the last few decades (Dillon, 2009; Hemphill, Vanneman, & Rahman, 2011; Perie, Moran, & Lutkus, 2005). Utilizing mathematics achievement scores from students in 3rd-5th grades in a large Southwestern Urban School District, levels of math achievement between White and Hispanic students were compared to examine …

Reducing Mathematics Anxiety, Catherine Pearn

Teacher articles

Catherine Pearn discusses how to approach maths anxiety in the classroom. The symptoms of mathematics anxiety vary from expressing a dislike of mathematics to an adult who had to exit a lecture theatre in a hurry when numbers are displayed on a screen.

Math Biology History Alumni Named 2014 Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellows, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Using Schematic-Based And Cognitive Strategy Instruction To Improve Math Word Problem Solving For Students With Math Difficulties, Lisa L. Morin

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

For students with math difficulties (MD), math word problem solving is especially challenging. The purpose of this study was to examine a math word problem solving strategy, bar model drawing, to support students with MD. The study extended previous research that suggested that schematic-based instruction (SBI) training delivered within an explicit instruction framework can be effective in teaching various math skills related to word problem solving. As a more generic schema approach, bar model drawing may serve as an effective form of SBI that can be developed across word problems. Moreover, the bar model approach has the potential to enhance …

Investigating The Effects Of A Multicomponent Intervention On The Mathematical Word Problem-Solving Skills Of Third Graders Identified As Ld, At-Risk. And/Or Esol, Sheri Kingsdorf

Open Access Dissertations

In third grade, with the introduction of high-stakes testing, the focus on math word-problems becomes prominent. However, intervention research on solving word problems has concentrated on the higher grades. While some of these strategies are valuable, developmental and curricular modifications are needed for third graders. In research where this has been recognized, teacher-mediated explicit instruction with multiple exemplars, teaching students to use visual representations, and the incorporation of self-strategies, have proven effective. However, for these practices to reach their full potential, their content must be relevant and provide for growth to more mature mathematical concepts. Based on these conclusions, additional …

The Ability To Make Decisions Among Male And Female Teachers Of Mathematics Education In Secondary Schools In Baghdad, Kholoud Hamid Abbas

Modern Sport

The researcher in this study aimed to examine the decision-making ability of physical education teachers in the Second Karkh Education Directorate. Decision-making is a significant topic that has drawn attention from researchers, scholars, and administrators in the field of educational management. The researcher used a survey method with a sample of 109 physical education teachers in secondary schools in the Second Karkh area. An interdownload questionnaire was designed with five fields, each containing several sections that covered various aspects. After distributing the questionnaire and gathering the results, the researcher concluded that the teachers showed positive results in areas such as …

Beliefs Of Efficacy And Elementary Teachers’ Computational Skills, Vanessa Hinton, Margaret Flores, Kate Simmons

Georgia Educational Researcher

Early mathematics content that is taught in elementary school lays the foundation for students’ advanced mathematics performance. Thus, researchers show it is important that pre-service elementary teachers build a strong background in numbers and operations, as well as efficacy beliefs in mathematics instruction. This study expands the literature in the investigation of pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs and mathematical knowledge by making comparisons of pre-service elementary teachers’ views of efficacy to their overall ability in computation skills. Results show that elementary pre-service teachers who demonstrated lower scores in efficacy beliefs also had significantly lower computation scores. Implications for teacher preparation are …

Klein Leads Math Circles Workshop In Tulsa, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Intervention Practices On The Academic Self-Concept Of Struggling Middle School Students, Dawn C. Bessee

Student Theses and Dissertations

In this study, 432 non-proficient Arkansas middle school students in grades 6-8 completed the Academic Self-Description Questionnaire-I and II, a tool designed to measure academic self-concept (ASC). Analyses were conducted in order to compare the ASC means of students in four types of intervention practices: integrated, segregated, combined, and none. Student intervention groups' ASCs were also compared based on gender, socioeconomic status, and race. All analyses were conducted for ASC in literacy, as well as ASC in mathematics. Statistically significant differences were found in mathematics for students in segregated, combined, or no interventions. The ASC of segregated mathematic intervention groups …

Enhancing Self-Monitoring And Self-Reflection Through A Self-Regulatory Skills Intervention Embedded In A Middle School Mathematics Curriculum, Gregory Digiacomo

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a self-regulatory strategy intervention designed to improve participants' calibration accuracy, self-regulatory skills, and math achievement. Monitoring and self-reflection processes were the main focus of this intervention as they are key processes in many well-validated models of self-regulated learning and have been found to impact academic achievement and overall self-regulatory skill (Bol et al., 2010; Dunlosky & Rawson, 2011; Hacker et al., 2008; Nietfeld et al., 2005). The participants were 30 sixth and seventh grade students who were learning about probability as part of their normal math curriculum during the …

Cal Poly Women’S Basketball 2013-2014 Shot Selection Analysis, Noah Alexander Zwarg Mr.

Statistics

The initial goal of my senior project was to find some way to help the Cal Poly women’s basketball team score more efficiently. The first idea that came to my mind on how I could accomplish this goal was to look at the most important thing when it comes to scoring more points, the shot itself. I went with my initial idea and recorded each shot that a player took during the 2013-2014 season and categorized each shot by the distance it was taken (close, medium, long, or three), and whether the shot was open or guarded for a total …

Σary, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Mathematics Department

Math Department Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Described Proficiency Scales And Learning Metrics, Ross Turner

Assessment GEMS

We see the process of educational measurement as one of defining dimensions of educational progression and locating learners on those dimensions. Such dimensions are variously referred to as proficiency scales or learning metrics. When we measure something using a scale we can express how much of a given attribute is possessed by that something. We use a scale of centimetres or inches to describe the length of an object. We use a scale of hours and minutes to describe an amount of time. This is also the case for educational measurement: when we measure proficiency in a subject area we …

On The Evolution Of Virulence, Thi Nguyen

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis is to study the dynamics behind the evolution of virulence. We examine first the underlying mechanics of linear systems of ordinary differential equations by investigating the classification of fixed points in these systems, then applying these techniques to nonlinear systems. We then seek to establish the validity of a system that models the population dynamics of uninfected and infected hosts---first with one parasite strain, then n strains. We define the basic reproductive ratio of a parasite, and study its relationship to the evolution of virulence. Lastly, we investigate the mathematics behind superinfection.

Technology Adoption In Secondary Mathematics Teaching In Kenya: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, Leonard Mwathi Kamau

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract

This study examined the factors related to technology adoption by secondary mathematics teachers in Nyandarua and Nairobi counties in the Republic of Kenya. Using a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, I collected qualitative data from interviews and classroom observations of six teachers to better understand statistical results from the quantitative survey of 135 teachers, and drew on Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations theory. In the initial quantitative phase, using multiple regression analysis, I identified six explanatory variables related to technology adoption that resulted in R square of 61.2% and adjusted R square of 59.3%. These six variables and the …

Many States Fail To Improve Rural Education, Ohio University College Of Arts & Sciences

All Forum Articles

No abstract provided.

Competitive Tiling, Levi A. Altringer, Michael P. Hitchman, Charles Dunn, Amanda Bright, Greg Clark, Kyle Evitts, Brian Keating, Brian Whetter

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

Competitive tiling consists of two players, a tile set, a region, and a non-negative integer d. Alice and Bob, our two players, alternate placing tiles on the untiled squares of the region. They play until no more tiles can be placed. Alice wins if at most d squares are untiled at the end of the game, and Bob wins if more than d squares are untiled. For given regions and tile sets we are interested in the smallest value of d such that Alice has a winning strategy. We call this the game tiling number. In this project, we …

Analysis Of Population Dynamics Of Terrorist Cells, Amanda Dorman

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

Applied mathematics connects many different fields of science. This research focuses on the population dynamics of terrorist organizations, namely Al Qaeda, by creating a mathematical model, while still considering social science fields, such as psychology. By considering psychological interrelations of a terrorist cell and their contact with citizens, we design a model that is a four-dimensional system of nonlinear differential equations to better understand the way in which recruitment ensues within such organizations. Using the computer program Mathematica, we are able to manipulate multiple parameters simultaneously in order to observe the impact of certain recruitment techniques on the general …

Traffic Flow: An Approach Towards Modeling The Right Lane Rule, James D. Knox, Alexander Ogle, Lauren Devore

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

We attempted to model and analyze the effect of the right hand rule for the 2014 COMAP Math Modeling Competition. In order to analyze the right hand rule we started with Greenshield’s macroscopic approach and modified it to simulate the effects of the right hand rule. By analyzing the resulting changes in the flow and density of the system we determined the performance of the rule in varying traffic densities. Next we looked at the performance by modeling traffic flow when the rule is strictly adhered to, as compared to an intermediate, where the rule is followed until the critical …

Tilings Of Annular Region, Kyle Evitts, Levi A. Altringer, Amanda Bright, Greg Clark, Charles Dunn, Michael P. Hitchman, Brian Keating, Brian Whetter

Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement

We present our summer research on mathematical tiling. We classified which rectangular annular regions are tileable by the set of T and skew tretrominoes. We present a partial proof of this result, and discuss some of the context for this problem.

Exploring The Spectrum Of The Laplacian On 3n-Gaskets, Maxwell Margenot

Honors Scholar Theses

The Laplacian operator is a central object of fractal analysis. It has been shown that the Laplacian on a 3N-Gasket can be found using the method of spectral decimation. The 3N-Gasket is a family of fractals closely related to the construction of the Sierpinski Gasket, also known as the 3-Gasket. For the purpose of this paper we will explore the method of spectral decimation in finding the Laplacian on several different cases of 3N-Gaskets.

Poincare Doughnuts: An Investigation Of Non-Euclidean Orthogonal Circles In Euclidean Space, Daniel Mailhot

Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

Finding new and interesting characterizations of familiar mathematical concepts appeals to a wide audience, even those who would never consider themselves to be mathematicians. This investigation takes a specific case of the Poincare hyperbolic disk, and looks at it through the lens of Euclidean geometry. When two circles are orthogonal, they intersect at right angles. Considering a given circle O, and the set of all circles orthogonal to and with the same radii as O, a new set of concentric circles become apparent. By looking at the properties and relationships of these new circles, in the Euclidean plane, unique and …