Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Secondary Mathematics Methods Courses On Preservice Secondary Teachers’ Beliefs About The Learning And Teaching Of Mathematics, Ronald Gene Smith Ii

Doctoral Dissertations

The Comprehensive Framework for Teacher Knowledge provides a model that describes an approach to the secondary mathematics methods course, as described by Robert Ronau and P. Mark Taylor. The model includes the orientation of preservice teachers toward mathematics and the teaching of mathematics, which includes the beliefs of the preservice teachers. The first questions deal with identifying the methods used in the methods course to address beliefs. The second set of questions deal with the effects of the methods course on the beliefs that preservice teachers hold on the learning and teaching of mathematics.

The study included 16 different universities …

Implementing Reading And Writing In Secondary Mathematics, Mari E. Eisenhart

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Literacy in secondary mathematics continues to be difficult for many. Mathematics teachers and researchers continue to develop support documents for secondary math teachers. It is important to utilize the literacy strategies already established by other content areas. It is feasible to adjust these strategies to suit the needs of mathematics students. Literacy across the content areas is a relatively new idea in education, but literacy in mathematics is even more foreign. It is necessary to use the available literacy strategies to develop materials applicable in the secondary mathematics classroom.

The Effects Of Positive School Engagement On Math And Reading Achievement In Midwestern Suburban Middle School Students, Heather C. Phipps

Student Work

Ensuring high academic achievement in schools with increasingly diverse students is a challenge. Assessing student engagement can be a powerful tool in predicting potential success and identifying students who may need additional support. Positive youth development theory supports focusing on a young person’s strengths, and an asset-based approach to education can raise student achievement. During the 2007-2008 school year, seventh grade students were assessed for school engagement using the Developmental Assets Profile. Students were identified as either not engaged or engaged in school. For two years, achievement in reading and math as well as grade point average was collected and …

Relationship Of Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Urban Public School Students To Performance On A High-Stakes Mathematics Test, Kolajo Akinbiyi Afolabi

Open Access Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of self-efficacy for Enlisting Social Resources, Self-Regulatory Efficacy, self-efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning, and self-efficacy for Academic Achievement (Bandura's Children's Self-Efficacy Scale, 2006) of urban public school students to performance on the high stakes Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) math test. A survey questionnaire was administered to eighty three participants and the data, analyzed using linear regression, conformed to the assumptions of Independence, Linearity, Normality, and Homoscedasticity. Self-Regulatory Efficacy, Academic Achievement, and Socio-economic Status were statistically significant bivariate predictors of performance on MCAS math test. Self-Regulatory Efficacy was the only consistent …

Virtual Manipulatives In The Classroom And Resulting Articles And Lesson Plans, Cheryl Juliana

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Upon coming across mathematical manipulatives generated and produced by Utah State University, as a math teacher, I conducted a classroom teaching experiment in three pre-algebra classes with students of various achievement levels. After teaching the entire year using no manipulatives in the classroom, I tested my students with a general, end-of-year, core criterion, or cumulative test. Their scores were noted. The students in the study group were then given opportunities to try several manipulatives offered on the "National Library of Virtual Manipulatives," both as a class, and alone, and then retested. The following paper gives the parameters of the study, …

Affective Socialization Processes In Mathematics Doctoral Study: Gaining Insight From Successful Students, Lauren L Wagener

Doctoral Dissertations

Mathematics has the highest attrition rate among all liberal arts disciplines (and among all disciplines, except for health professions) and the second highest attrition rate of all doctoral programs in the United State. In order to prevent the loss of so many students, mathematics departments must consider the root causes for attrition and determine what individual skills and knowledge and departmental systems and support will help more mathematics doctoral students to succeed. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to explore the interactions mathematics doctoral candidates at one institution have had during graduate school and the value that the …

Learning And Serving: An Exploratory Action Research Case Study Of A Middle School Service Learning Curriculum Project, Georgina Levey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Service learning, a natural link between community service and standards-based education, encourages students to learn about themselves in the context of the world in which they live. In other words, service learning is a method of teaching that enriches learning by engaging students in meaningful service to their schools and communities, and integrating that service with established curricula or learning objectives (NYLC Service-Learning Glossary, 2005). Educational service activities can be done directly or indirectly and they can have a varying degree of “involvement” ranging from community service, community exploration, community action or advocacy and research. In this study, a service …

Design Of Computer-Based Assessment Secondary Education For Understanding Of Mathematics, Mark Damian Lewis

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-based assessment to reveal mathematical understanding. Relevant literature suggested that developments in cognitive science and computer-based assessments could allow the outcomes of cognitively guided instruction to be made explicit. An assessment instrument designed to make mathematical thinking explicit was developed and administered, consisting of 15 animations showing the solutions of one and two digit multiplication problems. A consistent set of five questions followed each animation. The assessment was administered to four classes of fourth grade students in two elementary schools participating in cognitively guided instruction professional development programs. …

Mathematics In Motion: A Handbook Of Kinesthetic Teaching Strategies, Janie Brown Salazar

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Howard Gardner first proposed his theory of Multiple Intelligences and the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence in 1983. Unfortunately, almost three decades later, teacher programs still do not train teachers about Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence in depth; nor do they train teachers how to integrate Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence into daily learning procedures and classroom environment. Schools focus very little on other factors that contribute to how successful a person might be in life, throughout life. Incorporating bodily-kinesthetic strategies in teaching can positively influence children's learning experience. The following research project investigates the research on the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic teaching strategies, teaching strategies linked to student achievement, …

Mathematics Vocabulary And English Learners: A Study Of Students' Mathematical Thinking, Hilary Hart

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the mathematical thinking of English learners as they were taught mathematics vocabulary through research-based methods. Four English learners served as focus students. After administering a pre-performance assessment, I taught a 10-lesson unit on fractions. I taught mathematics vocabulary through the use of a mathematics word wall, think-pair-shares, graphic organizers, journal entries, and picture dictionaries. The four focus students were audio recorded to capture their spoken discourse. Student work was collected to capture written discourse. Over the course of the unit, the four focus students used the mathematics vocabulary words that were taught explicitly. The focus students gained …

Kindergarten Assessments As A Predictor For A Student’S Need For Intervention, Victoria Ellen Weinketz Hoover

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if the kindergarten assessment results from the three windows in reading, written communication, and mathematics were a valid predictor of a student’s need for intervention up until the conclusion of second grade. Reynolds (1992) suggested that a student’s overall school success is reflective of the approach taken early in kindergarten. With the demands of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), districts have set in place strategies to meet the standard of all students reading on grade level at the conclusion of the third grade. If districts are to rise to the …

Creating And Validating An Instrument To Measure Middle School Mathematics Teachers’ Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (Tpack), Geri A. Landry

Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the pervasiveness of technology, the role and preparation of teachers as they strategically use technology for teaching mathematics needs to be examined. Technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is a framework for knowledge as teachers develop meaningful learning experiences for their students while integrating strategic use of technology (Mishra & Koehler, 2006). The purpose of this study was to develop a survey for measuring mathematics teachers’ Mathematical Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (M-TPACK). The survey measures the domains of mathematics content, pedagogy and technology. This mixed methods study first examined middle school mathematics teachers’ TPACK through the use of an …

The Impact Of Experience On Elementary School Teacher Affective Relationship With Mathematics, John Salzer

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study was designed as an exploratory examination of the impact of teaching experience on elementary school teachers’ affective relationships with mathematics. A self-reporting survey was used to examine a wide variety of experience factors, including factors related to quantity of experience, type of experience, and post-certification training opportunities (n = 275). Participants were also asked to identify services that might impact their affective relationships with mathematics. This study resulted in recommendations for seven follow-up studies to gain insight into factors that significantly correlated to teacher attitudes toward math or to their perceived changes in attitudes over time. Recommended practices …

Eighth Grade Mathematics Curriculum Alignment For School District 27j, Frances Bell

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

This project aligns the curriculum taught in eighth grade mathematics courses in School District 27J to the Colorado Academic Standards (CDE, 2009b). This project includes a yearly planning matrix, for implementation in the 2010-2011 school year. The review of literature defined curriculum and the benefits of curriculum alignment. This information helped to create the yearly planning matrix that aligned the current eighth grade resources to the new standards. The main goal of this project is to ensure that all students in eighth grade receive consistent instruction in each standard, which leads to success on the state standardized tests.

Developing Fourth Graders' Proficiency In Basic Multiplication Facts Through Strategy Instruction, Stacey Braddock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate my own practice of teaching basic multiplication facts to fourth graders. I wanted to see how focusing my instruction on strategies would help my students develop proficiency in basic multiplication facts. I chose this topic because Florida was in the process of shifting to new standards that encourage teaching for deeper meaning. I hoped this research would give my students the opportunity to make sense of multiplication on a deeper level, while giving me insight into how students learn multiplication. Through this study, I learned that students initially find multiplication …

Towards Evidence-Based Practices In Mathematics Instruction: Investigating The Impact Of Writing On Student Ability To Solve Mathematics Problems, Shaalein Carroll Lopez

Dissertations

Achievement in mathematics education for students in elementary school through college has lagged behind that of other students internationally. As a result, enhancing mathematics achievement for students in the United States of America has long been a priority. Best practices in teaching across all grades emphasize using instructional methods that have been validated through research, though a review of the literature demonstrates a lack of such substantiated practices in mathematics education. This dissertation attempts to contribute to the field of research-based practices in mathematics education by measuring the effects of an instructional practice long used in mathematics classrooms in grades …

The Relationship Between Core-Plus Mathematics Project And Student Achievement, Karen Renee Treadway-Harvel

Wayne State University Dissertations

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) study revealed that test scores from high school students were below average in mathematics and science. Studies show that part of it stem from the traditional methods of teaching rather than the standards-based teaching. According to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act, students should receive a rigorous and relevant curriculum. The High School Content Expectations (HSCE) is a set of objectives that meet this criteria but the current curriculum still uses traditionally-based curriculum. More than 80% of textbooks located in schools today are traditionally-based. Moreover, teachers who are teaching have been …

Teacher Goal Endorsement, Student Achievement Goals, And Student Achievement In Mathematics;A Longitudinal Study, Matthew D. Deevers

ETD Archive

This study investigated relationships among teacher practices, student motivation and student achievement on standardized mathematics assessments using an Achievement Goal Theory framework. From 2006 through 2009, 800 public school students participated in mathematics assessments and completed surveys measuring perceptions of teacher practices and student achievement goal orientations. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to assess relationships among teacher goal endorsement practices, student goal orientations, and student mathematics achievement. Findings indicated teacher mastery goal endorsement was positively related to student mastery and performance-approach orientations, and negatively related to student performance-avoidance orientation. Performance goal endorsement was positively related to student performance-approach and …

Teacher Mathematics Learning And Middle School Student Achievement, Sally Marie Mascia

ETD Archive

United States policymakers have taken measures to improve learning for all students emphasizing the use of scientifically based research in choosing educational programs to promote school improvement and student learning. However, educators, researchers and policymakers debate about which factors are most important in affecting student achievement. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) places major emphasis upon teacher quality as a factor in improving achievement for all students. This emphasis grows out of research showing that teachers' mastery of the academic content they teach is critical to engaging students and is a significant factor in raising levels of …

The Relationship Between Thinking Maps And Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Reading And Math Scores In Two Urban Middle Schools, Anna Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what difference, if any, exists between the implementation and use of Thinking Maps® and students' academic achievement in Reading and Mathematics as measured over time by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test® (FCAT). Thinking Maps® is a registered trademark of Thinking Maps, Inc. The data were examined after three years of Thinking Maps® implementation and instruction. The design of this study was quantitative, with a nonrandomized control group, pretest-posttest design (Ary, Jacobs, & Razavieh, 2002) that examined the effects on student Reading and Mathematics FCAT scores in one middle school that implemented Thinking …

Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment Of Timss-2007 Mathematics Achievement Items For 8th Graders In Turkey, Turker Toker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated students' responses to released TIMSS mathematics items and considered what those responses might show about participants' mastery level of cognitive areas. The least squares distance method (LSDM) was used in this cognitive diagnostic analysis. There were 4,498 8th-grade students from seven geographical regions of Turkey who took TIMSS items. In this study, using the responses of Turkish students to the released math items of TIMSS-2007, an IRT analysis was also conducted to both compare results with international item parameters A Pearson correlation between these two sets of item logit positions produced a correlation of r = .82, …

A Correlational Study Of The Avid Program With M.S. Math Achievement, David J. Peak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Improving student achievement in mathematics in secondary schools remains a priority for public education in our country. With continued federal and state mandates to improve overall student achievement in mathematics, as well as to close the achievement gap, many school districts have sought programs, such as Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), to assist in improving student performance. The mission of AVID is to improve the academic achievement of students who are often in the "middle" or "average" and who are typically minorities and are economically disadvantaged. AVID seeks to support these students by providing them with the strategies that successful …

Inquiry Based Mathematics Instruction Versus Traditional Mathematics Instruction: The Effect On Student Understanding And Comprehension In An Eighth Grade Pre-Algebra Classroom, Kyle Ferguson

Master of Education Research Theses

This quantitative study provides information obtained through the use of inquiry-based mathematics instruction verses traditional mathematics instruction. The use of each curriculum was implemented into two classrooms of eighth grade pre-algebra students. The study was based on data collected before and after each of the two units of study. Fifty-two suburban eighth grade students represented the sample population. Results of the SPSS analysis showed that both classes made improvement from their pre-test to their post-test for both units but students receiving instruction through inquiry-based instruction showed significantly more improvement on the second unit. These results can be useful for educators …

The Effects Of A Sustained, Job-Embedded Professional Development On Elementary Teachers' Math Teaching Self-Efficacy And The Resulting Effects On Their Students' Achievement, Krista Louise Althauser

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of a district-wide mathematics professional development program on elementary teachers' general and personal efficacy. It also explored connections among teacher efficacy and socioeconomic status with student achievement.

Using a quantitative approach, a job-embedded professional development initiative sustained over a 2-year period with 35 teachers was found to increase teachers' general and personal efficacy in teaching mathematics. The investigation of the professional development work was based on the principles of effective mathematics professional development, efficacy theory, and student achievement. To measure perceptions of teachers' general and personal efficacy, teachers of third graders in 10 Kentucky elementary …

The Relationship Of 10th-Grade District Progress Monitoring Assessment Scores To Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test Scores In Reading And Mathematics For 2008-2009, Marilyn Underwood

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to investigate the use of a district created formative benchmark assessment in reading to predict student achievement for 10th-grade students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in one county in north central Florida. The purpose of the study was to provide information to high school principals and teachers to better understand how students were performing and learning and to maximize use of the formative district benchmark assessment in order to modify instruction and positively impact student achievement. This study expanded a prior limited study which correlated district benchmark assessment scores to FCAT scores …

A Criterion-Related Validity Study Of The Grade Eight Assessment And The High School Profiency Assessment In Mathematics For A B District Factor Group School In New Jersey, George J. Solter Jr

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Understanding College Students' Disconnections With Mathematics, Karen Jean Edwards

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study explores the disconnections introductory college mathematics students experience with mathematics. The experiences of six former mathematics students from their earliest memories forward to present day were explored. The study employed an interpretive case study and an action research methodology to present a detailed, historical record of the students' interactions and disconnections with learning quantitative material.

Time To Learn Mathematics In Public And Private Schools : Understanding Differences In Aspects Of The Implemented Curriculim In The Dominican Republic, Renzo Roncagliolo Jones

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

How do educational opportunities influence students' academic achievement in the Dominican Republic? How do students grow, in knowledge and skills, as a result of their passage through the elementary grades? This study aims to explore and understand the differences between the implemented curriculum in public and private schools in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, specifically with respect to the instructional time allocated by teachers in Mathematics Activities and Mathematics Contents.