Education Commons^™

The Effects Of High-Leverage Practices On Teaching Candidates Math Self-Efficacy, Christine Quisley

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The start of each school year should be one of excitement and joy for learning. However, year to year, there is one subject that elementary students and their teachers dread: math. This study focused on collecting data from teaching candidates on their math self-efficacy beliefs and the perceived competence in their ability to implement three specific high-leverage practices (HLPs) during student teaching.

This qualitative case study explores the experiences of teaching candidates enrolled in a university teacher preparation program. Within previous method courses, content focused on the planning, instruction, and assessment of high-leverage practices. The overarching question of this study …

Student Proficiency On High School Math Assessments And Their Relation To College And University Math Readiness, Tiffany Robinson

Dissertations

Data indicate that a significant number of first-year college students were inadequately prepared in high school to complete university-level mathematics courses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate student proficiency on high school mathematics assessments and their relation to student preparedness for university-level mathematics courses. The context of my study is a cohort of diverse, high school senior students in one state in the United States who have shown proficiency on mathematics assessments. The methodology I used was a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data, comprised of student and faculty index surveys at the high school and university level …

Why Word Problems Are Hard For High School Math Students: Problem Formulation And Disciplinary Literacy, Emily Charlotte Elliott

Senior Theses

This thesis is an extensive literature review designed to better understand the obstacles high school math students encounter when solving word problems (WPs). While many high school students find math difficult in general, students especially struggle with WPs. Often they are unable to provide correct solutions to WPs even when they are successful in solving computational problems using the same mathematical concepts (Cummins, 1988). Data from the 2007 National Survey of Algebra Teachers suggests that solving WPs is one of the skills that students are most unprepared for when entering Algebra 1 (Hoffer et al.). Additionally, many students try to …

“Math Talks Are Like An Alarm Clock Waking You Up”: Language’S Crucial Role In Mathematics, Ella Wasser

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Whole group math talks, or number talks, are a common practice to get students talking about their own understanding of mathematical concepts. The purpose of this study was to implement math talks in small group settings to see what would happen, specifically to students’ conceptual understanding as well their general perceptions of math talks. This study took place in a fourth-grade math classroom, and math talks were implemented with the whole class for a week and then moved to small groups for the remaining three weeks of the study. During the study, a pre-and post-assessment was given, field notes were …

Finding Math Success District Wide: How Teaching Styles, Classroom Management, And A Positive Approach Can Help All Students, Melissa Meraz-Herrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone researched the methods a teacher could use in their classroom to increase math understanding and establish an encouraging learning environment. A second-grade teacher, Mrs. Meraz, was interviewed. She was known as a successful teacher for many aspects of students’ education. Some of those methods included using authoritative teaching, proper classroom management, and changing students’ perspectives about math, and the value of struggles students have while learning. The research stated positive outcomes in using authoritative teaching over other styles of teaching. The research showed that classroom management was vital in creating a positive learning environment. Several annual test scores …

High School Math And Language Arts Teachers’ Experience Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Anxious Students In High-Poverty, Rural Schools: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Cory W. Strasser

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Mental health, and specifically anxiety, is a growing problem significantly impacting the well-being of adolescents in the United States. Thirteen percent of adolescent’s experience anxiety-related disorders annually (Hill, Waite & Creswell, 2016; Peterson, 2018). School districts are critical settings in which to provide the prevention and intervention of anxiety (DeKruyf, Auger & Trice-Black, 2013; Domitrovich, Durlak, Staley & Weissberg, 2017; Lendrum, Humphrey, & Wigelsworth, 2013; Warner et al., 2016). Using transcendental phenomenology, this study drew on the lived experiences of math and language arts teachers to show their perceptions of their role with students experiencing anxiety along with their background …

Using Flipped Classrooms To Teach Mathematics To Elementary Students In Saudi Arabia, Fawaz Alrouqi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the years 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) revealed that students in Saudi Arabia had a below-average mathematics performance among 4th and 8th-grade students. The modern and innovative techniques and strategies of teaching, such as the flipped classroom method, should replace traditional teaching methods to improve the performance and growth of students. This qualitative multiple case study explores a deeper understanding of the perspectives and the experiences of three elementary mathematics teachers when using a flipped classroom model in Saudi Arabia. This case study shows a promise of using the flipped classroom …

Exploring The Link Between Students’ Usage Of Aleks And Their Performance On State Benchmark Assessments In Mathematics, Verna Marie Richard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate relationships between students’ ALEKS usage, teachers’ implementation of ALEKS, and student performance on the 2017 – 2018 LEAP 2025 mathematics assessment. The quantitative portion of the study involved district-level analyses and teacher-level analyses that explored relationships between students’ ALEKS usage and LEAP performance. The qualitative portion of the study took into consideration previous research findings that have reported associations between program implementation and student achievement. This portion of the study included thematic analyses that examined the following relationships: ALEKS implementation in relation to teacher groups (i.e., RtI 8, Math 8, …

Student And Teacher Perceptions Of Math Workstations In A Third-Grade Classroom, Katie Norwood

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Math workstations can offer teachers an outlet to differentiate instruction in the math classroom in order to better meet student needs. The purpose of this study was to discover how students and the teacher in a third-grade classroom felt about using math workstations. Specifically, the researcher wanted to discover whether or not the students and teacher participants enjoyed using math workstations and whether or not they felt math workstations helped students’ understanding of mathematical concepts. The researcher collected data through student surveys, student and teacher interviews, and observations. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to help the researcher …

Growth Mindset In A Fourth-Grade Class, Sierra Bennett

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

In this study the researcher examined growth mindset teaching and its effect on student performance as well as students’ perceptions of their math self-efficacy. The author was a preservice teacher completing her clinical teaching internship in a fourth-grade math and science departmentalized setting. The goal of the study was to implement growth mindset instruction and study its effects on student performance and self efficacy in the subject of mathematics. For this study, the author collected data in the form of pre- and post-surveys, student interviews, and pre- and post-math tests. The students engaged in growth mindset mini lessons throughout the …

A Descriptive Phenomenological Exploration Of Resiliency Through Math Curriculum Changes From The Perspectives Of Elementary Educators, Shanna Good

Education Dissertations and Projects

Phenomenological research in education, especially regarding curriculum, is rare. Curriculum change in the state has occurred seven times since 2002, and more so in each district with material adoption. This descriptive phenomenological research study describes the experiences of elementary educators through changing math curriculums. To collect data, the researcher interviewed 10 elementary math teachers including a pilot interview. Using a purposeful, convenience sample, three participants from three different schools participated in this study to ensure validity and reliability. After conducting semi-structured interviews, the researcher followed protocol for descriptive phenomenological research and analyzed the data for meaning units that described how …

Students' Decision-Making After Florida Senate Bill 1720: Guiding Students Through Math Placement, Rebecka Jo Sare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After Senate Bill (SB) 1720, exempt students enrolling in colleges in Florida no longer have to take a college placement test or enroll in developmental education courses before enrolling in college-level classes. SB1720 caused Florida colleges to find new methods of placement for incoming students, a concern because incorrect placement can have detrimental effects for the student and institution. Bounded rationality theory and Bahr's interpretation of student typology informed this study. The purpose of this survey study was to compare the exempt students who enrolled in remedial math to those who enrolled in college-level math. Research questions asked what differences …

Effective Instructional Strategies To Support Struggling Elementary School Math Students, Tianay Perrault

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Northern California elementary school, school personnel were concerned that the math proficiency levels were low for 2011-2014 for low-Social Economic Status, SES, students and math teachers were not using the math professional development strategies provided nor consistently implementing the new math curriculum adopted by the district to support Common Core, CC, state standards. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore teacher perceptions regarding the math instruction related to students' performance. Vygotsky's social development theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The study included interview data from 10 elementary teachers purposefully selected from Grades …

Evaluation Of A Goal Setting Intervention With Grades 3-5 Military Dependent Students Targeting Math Proficiency, Whitney Desantis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As military dependent students relocate, they enroll in multiple schools throughout their K-12 experience. Frequent mobility can create gaps in achievement. The challenge in the local setting is meeting the needs of military dependent students scoring below grade level standards in math. The purpose of the formative evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the Personalized Education Plan (PEP) program and propose refinements. The conceptual framework included goal setting, motivation, engagement, and self-regulation. The concurrent multi-methods study included a central research question on whether a PEP increased student math scores. Questions about student motivation, engagement, self-regulation, and goal setting followed. …

Fostoria Intermediate Elementary School Family Math Night, Chelsea Nye

Honors Projects

This is a Family Math Night that was planned and held at Fostoria Intermediate Elementary School in Fostoria, Ohio. It includes the Research Questions, Literature Review, Proposed Activity, Methodology, and Expected Results as well as the Annotated Bibliography and Timeline for Completion from my research and planning. Following the Proposal are 20 mathematical activity or game lesson plans and direction sheets that were planned for the Family Math Night. There are 5 different mathematical activities or games for each grade level 3-6, each meeting a different domain in the Common Core State Standards. At the end there is two general …

A Study Of The Level Of Integration Of Common Core State Standards In West Virginia Teacher Preparation Programs, Georgia Nicole Thornton

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the level of integration of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) within the population of 164 teacher preparation faculty members in 18 initial teacher preparation programs in West Virginia. A three part researcher developed survey was mailed to each dean/director for distribution to the initial teacher professional education faculty. Deans/directors were also given the option of participating in a follow up interview and were asked a series of questions based on a researcher developed interview protocol.

In general, initial teacher professional education faculty members described their level of integration of CCSS as between some and significant integration. …

Daily Calendar Group Time And The Mathematical Skills Of Preschoolers, Deborah Ann Lavine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The evidence supporting the common instructional method of daily calendar group time to teach math skills to prekindergarten children has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exposure to daily calendar group time on prekindergarten children's math score gains in a private early-childhood program located in the suburban Southeast. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory guided this quantitative, causal comparative design wherein archival data from 104 prekindergarten students' pre- and posttest numeracy skill scores on the Young Children's Achievement Test were analyzed. Data from 6 classrooms over 2 school years were compared using multiple linear regression. Four …

The Game Of Chess: A Conduit To Increase Student Academic Achievement In Pinellas County: A Policy Advocacy Document, Douglas Williams

Dissertations

The research about chess and education is very compelling. The usefulness of chess as an educational activity is particularly valid among children whose minds are entering the cognitive phase of abstract thinking. However, chess is useful among all age groups. Chess has been shown to improve cognitive abilities among educationally low-functioning students, and it has been shown to help students academically when traditional methods have failed to produce the desired outcome. Most people think of chess as a game, and I think the time has come for educators to think about chess in a different light. It is a game, …

The Relationship Between Family, Personal, And School Variables And The Math Achievement Of Elementary Students, Regina Wicker Kerr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators and teachers must determine the factors most associated with academic success in order to meet the academic needs of all students. Researchers have identified general risk factors such as student socioeconomic status (SES), but there may be additional unidentified factors correlated to student achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a set of school, family, and personal demographic variables and students' math achievement. Bandura's social learning theory, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Feurestein's mediated learning experience served as the guiding frameworks for this study. A descriptive correlational design was used to examine …

Teachers' Perceptions About The Types, Quality, And Impact Of Their Job-Embedded Professional Development Experiences, Delilah Mitchell

Dissertations

This study was designed to determine eighth grade teachers’ perceptions of the impact, quality, and types of job-embedded professional development activities they have participated in and the relationship to student achievement in language arts, math, or science. The researcher identified school districts with 50% or more of their eighth grade students scoring proficient or advanced on all three areas of Mississippi’s Curriculum Test, Second Edition (MCT2). Sixty-four eighth grade language arts, math, or science teachers who had been at their current school at least two years completed a questionnaire created by the researcher. Multiple Linear Regression and Pearson’s Correlation were …

Student Achievement In Middle Grades: Gauging The Effect Of Teacher Training On Student Learning, Natalya Gnedko

Dissertations

In the United States, teacher certification has been a baseline measure of teacher quality and gateway to the teaching profession for many decades. Research suggests that teacher certification is beneficial to student achievement, with findings particularly promising when content area of teacher certification is taken into account. Positive findings are largely limited to high school. However, in recent years middle grades have been increasingly viewed as a starting point for success in high school and college, which led many school districts to require advanced training for middle grades teachers. To examine the effectiveness of advanced teacher training in middle grades, …