Curriculum and Instruction Commons^™

Predicting Middle School Students’ Attitude Towards Mathematics By Race And Biological Sex After Participating In Open Up Resources Mathematics Curriculum: A Quantitative Study, Sharonna Laquenette Howell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational design study was to examine how well race/ethnicity and biological sex predict students’ attitudes toward mathematics among middle school students following participation in the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum. By conducting this study, the researchers filled a gap in the literature by determining whether the use of the Open Up Resources mathematics curriculum, race, and biological sex predicted students' attitudes toward mathematics. Research on the impact of K-12 Open Education Resources curricula on students’ attitudes toward mathematics was lacking. Participants in this study included middle school students in a North Carolina school district. …

Teaching Integrated Stem In Middle School, S. Selcen Guzey

Purdue University Press Books

Teaching Integrated STEM in Middle School is a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers who are committed to furthering integrated STEM education. Through a review of the literature on the topic, the volume offers a clear understanding of the impact of integrated STEM education on instructors’ teaching practices and student outcomes. The book presents a framework and instructional guide that educators can utilize to develop new curricular materials. Two sample units—focused on designing a two-stage water filter and formulating sunscreen—provide step-by-step guidance for lesson implementation and offer strategies for assisting students as they use engineering models to devise design …

Making Math Accessible: Addressing Language Challenges In 3rd Grade English Medium Math Classrooms, Salha Mohamad

Theses

The research article, Making Math Accessible: Addressing Language Difficulties in 3^rd Grade English Medium Math Classrooms, addresses the issue of how the teachers in UAE elementary schools assist a student who is to study mathematics in English rather than Arabic. In the School X, Grades 1 and 2 applied mathematics and science using the Ministry of Education (MOE) Arabic-medium curriculum. Since Grade 3, however, the school has used the American curriculum, so students are expected to study these subjects in English. This change brings major barriers in understanding basic mathematical terms, word problems, and instructions. The research applies …

Equity Vs. Excellence: Dichotomy Or Duo?, Nadjia I. Logans

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

In this thesis, I investigate recent changes in mathematics education and how these developments connect to the principles of equity and excellence. I place a special focus on “active learning” methods. My methodology primarily consisted of interviews with educators, along with analyzing literature from math education researchers. I first define and explain the motivations behind active learning instruction methods. Next, I explore not only how instructors define equity and excellence but how educators perceive the role of the two principles within education. Finally, I challenge the pervasive media portrayal of equity and excellence as being mutually exclusive. Instead, I find …

Learning Intentions, Success Criteria, And Metacognition: The Influence Of A Professional Development For Grades Three To Five Teachers, Jason Hart

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Formative assessment is a strategy that teachers use to improve student learning. This study explored how professional development focused on assessment for learning practices (AFL), with the main emphasis on learning intentions and success criteria, influences teacher use of those strategies and changes in teacher and student metacognition. The overarching research question was: How does professional development on AFL practices influence teachers' reported use of AFL practices and teacher and student metacognition? This study utilized a mixes-methods research design and provided professional development on AFL practices to 16 in-service elementary mathematics teachers and measured changes to their AFL practices and …

The Effects Of Implementing A Mindfulness Program In Two Elementary School Math Classrooms, Sara Lilley

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the effects of utilizing trauma-informed social-emotional learning (SEL) teaching practices in two elementary math classrooms located in a Title 1 public school in North Carolina. The classrooms consisted of one third-grade classroom with 18 students and one fifth-grade classroom with 22 students. These classrooms integrated 10 minutes of mindfulness practice which included direct instruction on calming strategies and breathing techniques. This study worked to help foster a learning environment that supported the academic and mental health needs of the student participants and looked at potential relationships between calming strategies and math assessment data. This study …

Integrating Elementary Computer Science And Mathematics Instruction: One Size Does Not Fit All, Umar Shehzad, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

This paper presents a model, the double integration model, for integrating Computer Science (CS) and mathematics in upper elementary instruction. Fifth-grade students (n=1,037) participated either in the double integrated model (Condition 1; integrated in both CS and Math instruction) or integrated lessons only in CS instruction (Condition 2). After each lesson, students rated their enjoyment, perceived ease, and perceptions of CS-math connections. Multilevel analyses revealed that Condition 1 students reported significantly more positive perceptions and stronger CS-math connections of the lessons than Condition 2 students. Girls in Condition 1 responded more positively than boys on enjoyment and connection items, and …

The Nctm/Cec Position Statement On Teaching Mathematics To Students With Disabilities: What’S In It And What’S Not, Sarah R. Powell, Marcia A. Barnes, Jenny Root, Elizabeth M. Hughes, Leanne Ketterlin-Geller, Gena Nelson, Megan Rojo, David H. Allsopp, Bradley S. Witzel, Jonté A. Myers, Margaret M. Flores, Erica S. Lembke, Matthew K. Burns, Jessica Namkung, Brian Poncy, Robin Parks Ennis, Lisa L. Morin, Tessa L. Arsenault, Christian T. Doabler, Vanessa Hinton, Rajiv Satsangi, Jennifer E. Kong, Bree Jimenez, Kaitlin Bundock, Robin S. Codding, Sarah King, Scott A. Dueker, Genesis Arizmendi, Deidre Gilley, Tasia Brafford, Elizabeth A. Stevens, Ben Clarke, Paul J. Riccomini, Corey Peltier

Education Faculty Articles and Research

A joint position statement issued in December 2024 by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) on teaching mathematics to students with disabilities lacked substantive, actionable, research-validated recommendations to support the work of practitioners in the field. Herein, we provide a rationale for ways in which the eight recommendations for teachers included in the position statement fell short, provided misleading information, and ignored the large body of research on providing mathematics instruction for students with mathematics disability or difficulties. In response, we offer seven actionable, research-validated recommendations, including: (a) use systematic, explicit …

The Effect Of Pdeode And Pq4r Strategies On The Development Of Reflective Thinking And Self-Efficacy In Mathematics Among Ninth-Grade Female Students In Palestine, Ayman Mahmoud Alashqar

International Journal for Research in Education

This study investigates the effect of PDEODE and PQ4R strategies on the development of reflective thinking and self-efficacy in mathematics among ninth grade female students in Palestine. PDEODE and PQ4R are two educational strategies based on constructivist theory, each consisting of six sequential steps; the steps of the PDEODE strategy are: Prediction, Discuss, Explain, Observe, Discuss, Explain, while the steps of the PQ4R strategy are: Preview, Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, Review. The experimental approach was used in a quasi-experimental design based on the application of pre-post measurement. The sample of the study consisted of (96) ninth grade students. It was …

Using Geogebra To Foster Imagination And Creativity To Build Mathematics Confidence In A Stem World, Joseph M. Furner

Transformations

Math teachers can better prepare all student for a STEM world using computer software like GeoGebra to better prepare our youth for such high-tech careers like that of which Einstein was part of while also emphasizing and fostering creativity in the learning of mathematics. It is critical we have young learners who are confident in their ability to do math and be creative. Teachers today need to check dispositions toward mathematics and address math anxiety while building math confidence in their students. In an ever-advancing world of technology, math teachers need to incorporate such emerging technologies like GeoGebra into the …

Designing An Educational Robotics Curriculum To Teach Mathematical Concepts While Fostering A Growth Mindset: A Self-Study, Lauren Harter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the development and implementation of a five-day curriculum designed to enhance students' understanding of algebraic concepts through the integration of educational robotics and growth mindset principles. The study is structured around three research questions that investigate influences on decision-making in curriculum design, the alignment of teaching intents with practices, and the impact of self-study on integrating algebra, robotics, and growth mindset principles. Findings reveal themes focused on the importance of research and collaboration, using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, intentional curriculum creation, starting somewhere, personal growth and self-reflection, and experiencing and embodying constructivism in action. The …

Success In Secondary Mathematics Courses, Victoria Klaas

Masters Projects

According to research, many students struggle to successfully complete required secondary mathematics courses. Not only are these courses require for students to graduate, the courses prepare students to use mathematics in their everyday lives. The demand for careers in the mathematics field continues to grow. Students will continue to miss out on careers in this field if they do not successfully complete their secondary mathematics courses. This project outlines some of the factors affecting student mathematical success and provides an Algebra II unit plan. The unit plan provides guiding lesson plans and other needed materials for teachers to help improve …

The Integration Of Mathematical Concepts In Physics Curriculum, Paige Poindexter

Masters Projects

Research has shown that students are struggling to grasp mathematical concepts and skills, which carries over to other subjects, such as science. As the need for an improved STEM education approach continues to grow, the use of integration to guide curriculum development has proven to be effective. This project dives into the available research surrounding the overlap of subjects taught in a secondary setting, focusing on the techniques proven to improve student academic success. This project addresses the need to draw clear connections between mathematics and physics courses, with the goal of improving student scores in both areas. The result …

Struggling To Be Positive Problem Solvers – A Study On The Relationship Of Elementary Mathematical Self-Concept, Gender, Learner Identification, And Productive Struggle Trajectories On Constructed Response Questions When Being Taught With A Standardized Curriculum, Kali D. Rogers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Mathematical word problems are some of the most difficult problems for students to solve due to their complexity and relationship to real-world situations (Şahin et al., 2014; Verschaffel et al., 2020). With math being known for right-or-wrong answers, these open-ended questions cause much confusion and frustration, specifically for students of various subgroups. In the last several decades, educational teaching expectations have shifted from engaging, self-created learning to robotic and redundant curriculum expectations that induce a ‘teaching to the test’ environment (Shafiyeva, 2021). Mathematics is the powerhouse of where students can experience and succeed with productive struggle learning that teaches the …

Implementing A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Hayley Vander Wal

Master of Education Program Theses

This action research project examined the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports in a math classroom at a private, Christian suburban school in central Iowa. The researcher utilized the four essential indicators of MTSS to support a small group of four students who were the participants in her study. The intervention targeted the seventh grade math skills of simplifying expressions and solving equations using various methods. Analysis of the triangulated data showed growth in each of the students at varied amounts. Findings of the study suggest that students need consistent, protected Tier 2 intervention to make the most significant …

The Elephant In The Classroom: Understanding Teachers’ Implicit Biases In Grading Student Work In A Mathematics Classroom, Tina Marie Medina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on automaticity or the choices we make without conscious thought. Specifically, the study examined how math teachers improved their understanding of the practice and evolution of culturally responsive teaching by analyzing the lived experiences and metacognition of practicing middle school teachers as they assess student work in mathematics. The potential impact of implicit stereotypes, instructor expectations, assessment design, cultural considerations, and other variables on the grading process was investigated. The purpose of this case study was to uncover teachers’ implicit biases as it relates to grading student work in a middle school math class.

This qualitative study …

Pre-Calculus: Thinking Deeply About Simple Things, Jacob Carter

Graduate Research Showcase

“Pre-Calculus: Thinking Deeply About Simple Things” is a research-based creative endeavor focused on designing a high-school pre-calculus course. This course aims to foster deep, meaningful thinking, as well as an appreciation of the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the math classroom. The course leverages students’ funds of knowledge to employ culturally responsive teaching methods to connect mathematical concepts to the students’ backgrounds, interests, and real-life situations. This course also integrates social-emotional learning to create an engaging and supportive learning environment for all students. By combining Peter Liljedahl’s “Building Thinking Classroom in Mathematics” approach with problem-based learning, the course …

Investigating Prodigy Math Program To Improve Students' Success In Mathematics, Justin A. Bledsaw

Masters Theses

This study investigates whether Prodigy improves student achievement in mathematics; whether Prodigy improves, specifically, math achievement of special education students, students of different ethnicities, and students of different genders. Further, the study wanted to explore student perceptions of Prodigy. The study was conducted in two fifth grade classrooms with a total of 31 participants. Two mathematics units were utilized to compare; one on multiplying whole numbers and the other on dividing whole numbers. In addition, participants completed a survey and a focus group interview to find out participant perceptions of Prodigy. Results reveal that the whole group scored higher in …

Asynchronous Class For Algebra I Preparation, Hunter Garretson

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Algebra I is the first high school mathematics class students take making it an important building block in the student’s growing mathematical foundation. Mitigating any losses in knowledge over the summer by using educational review tools has been proven helpful in previous studies. Every student comes from a different background, socioeconomic class, ethnicity, culture, etc., allowing each student to have a different summer experience. A meta-analysis looking into the concern of Summer Learning Loss (SLL) found that while some of its sample size would make summer knowledge gains, more than half of the sample size was projected to suffer from …

Social Justice Mathematics: Classroom Practices That Give Students Rigor While Building Agency, Emily Marquise

Masters Theses (Archived)

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a social justice approach to mathematics instruction. While many students have math aversion, students in low socioeconomic communities exhibit this to a higher degree putting them at a disadvantage as they progress through their educational career. More than 3.4 million K-12 students in the United States come from families that earn less than the median income yet achieve scores in the top percentile (Wyner et al., 2007). This raises the question of why so many students in low-socioeconomic settings are not given rigorous content that will keep them competitive …

Analyzing The Influence Of Mathematics Intervention Teacher Actions On Students' Mathematics Identities: An Examination Of Bipoc Student Perceptions And Past Learning Experiences., Sydni P. Morris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines mathematics education's past and present state in the United States, emphasizing mathematics intervention instruction. This dissertation includes a complex and critical analysis of intervention practices and historical and structural inequities based on race present in these interventions and mathematics education. In combination, it examines the construct of mathematics identities, their role in student success with mathematics, and trends surrounding mathematics education and its impact on populations of students of color. Using Critical Race Theory as an underlying framework and Critical Counter-Narrative as a methodology, it argues a need for marginalized student voices to be present in the …

The Effects Of Problem-Based Learning On Mathematics Motivation In A Flipped Classroom Instructional Environment, Joshua David Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

In response to decreasing motivation in high school math classrooms, teachers are transforming classrooms with various instructional techniques. Traditional math instruction relies on direct instruction and memorization of content, processes, and skills. Teachers are transitioning to more constructivist student-led approaches. Utilizing multiple instructional designs provides teachers more opportunities to access the major components of the ARCS Model: attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction.

Therefore, the purpose of this action research was examining problem-based learning in a flipped classroom instructional environment and measuring its effect on students’ motivation and achievement in Algebra 2. The study addressed the following research questions: 1) What …

Impacts Of Technology-Enhanced Dual Enrollment Mathematics Course On Rural High School Students’ Intentions Of Going To College, Nicolae Bordieanu

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods action research study was to investigate the impact of new technology-enhanced Dual Enrollment (DE) math courses on students’ perception of college courses, the influence the technology-enhanced DE had on students’ intention of going to college, and the students' perception of the technology-enhanced DE math course. Examining student experiences in a technology-enhanced DE course informed all stakeholders as to what degree DE influenced students’ perception of college. The DE experience influenced students' postsecondary plans. The innovation of this action research study was the technology-enhanced DE math course. Software used to practice computational skills, conduct …

Moving From Theory To Practice: Examining Teaching Mathematics For Social Justice In An Elementary School Classroom, Krystal Giles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching mathematics for social justice is a distinctive approach to mathematics education that seeks to have students use mathematics to navigate their identities, understand their lived experiences, examine inequities, and become agents of change. Current research provides a rich explanation of what teaching mathematics for social justice entails. Still, there is a need for research that studies how to move from theory to practice. The purpose of this research study is to examine the experience of teaching mathematics for social justice within my fifth-grade mathematics classroom for myself and my students, analyze the extent to which students’ ethnic and academic …

Impacting African American Student Achievement In The Middle School Stem Classroom By Teaching Mathematics Through Arts Integration And Design Thinking, Robert Lippert, Tjuannia R. Seals

Dissertations

Middle school is a transitional period in which many students experience content-specific teachers, travel between classrooms, and explore extracurricular activity options for the first time. Historically, African American middle school students have not fared well in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) on standardized assessments, performing significantly below their Caucasian counterparts in mathematics and science. From the beginning of their academic careers, a lack of access to quality teachers, excessive use of direct instruction strategies, and a lack of resources in their school communities, contribute to their overall apathy towards the subject matter and factor into their underperformance. As a …

A Collection Of Calculus Lesson Plans: Deriving The 'Why' Behind Derivatives, Kasey Brabec

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The traditional mathematics classroom is led with a focus on procedural understanding, with deep conceptual understanding considered to be unimportant or too difficult to teach within the allotted time. Both levels of understanding are important mathematical competencies, as it is rare for either of them to function well without accessibility to the other. The disparity between conceptual understanding and procedural understanding in the mathematics classroom is no larger than in courses like Calculus. This project is a collection of fifteen lesson plans constructed with an emphasis on conceptual understanding and the connectivity of Calculus. Each lesson plan’s overview contains the …

Sources Of Mathematics Learning Disabilities For Middle School Classes From The Point Of View Of Supervisors And Teachers And Their Suggestions For Addressing Them, Eidah M. Alruwaili Phd

International Journal for Research in Education

The study aimed to identify the sources of mathematics learning Disabilities for middle school classes from the point of view of supervisors and teachers and their suggestions to address them. The study sample consisted of 38 male and female supervisors and 151 teachers for the mathematics course who were chosen by the available random method during the first semester of the academic year 2021 / 2022. To achieve the objectives of the study, a tool was prepared that consisted of four subscales (36 items), namely the student, the teacher, the textbook, and the classroom environment. The results showed that the …

Streaming With Butterflies: A Whole School Stream Project, Carey L. Averill, Janet M. Herrelko

Journal of Catholic Education

This study explores the commitment of a school faculty to use the pedagogical practices needed to employ a project-based unit of Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM). The unit of study concentrated on environmental sustainability of butterflies through project-based learning (PBL). Teacher interviews were analyzed to reveal the similarities and differences, strengths and weaknesses in the teachers’ reactions to implementing a cross-curricula content unit designed for a pre-kindergarten (PK) to eighth grade school. Analysis of teacher data and classroom artifacts provided evidence of: content mastery at the student levels; implementation of scaffolding for developmental levels; and the need …

Link Between Mathematics Pedagogy And Missouri Assessment, Mary E. Hartnett

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The researcher studied the correlation between mathematics pedagogy and fifth grade test scores on the Missouri Achievement Program Mathematics Test, utilizing data from 2019 to avoid the effects Covid-19 had on the education system. All fifth graders attending public schools in Saint Louis County were studied using the data released by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The first research question pertained to a correlation between mathematics pedagogy (Spiral, Strand or Blended Method) and overall fifth grade test scores on the Missouri Assessment Program Mathematics Test. The second question tested whether correlation existed between mathematics pedagogy and test …

Associating High School Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (Stem) Course-Taking With Future Earnings For Non-Stem Employed High School Graduates, Beth Marchant

Dissertations

Problem

Due to the current resurgence of attention given to high school students' taking courses in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), research was needed to examine whether a relationship between the number of STEM courses a high school student, who graduates from high school and works in a non-STEM field, completes and the success of that student 10 years later. One measure of student success, future earnings, can be measured quantitatively and is included in the Education Longitudinal Survey of 2002 (ELS:2002) data set, an ideal source of information to evaluate this issue (Institute of Education Sciences, 2019b).

Method …