Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Enhancing Problem Solving Through Math Clubs, Jessica Haley Thompson

Action Research Projects

This action research paper was about a mandatory math club of seventh graders that met once per week over a 12-week period. The students gathered in the classroom during their regularly scheduled math class. The focus of the math club was to solve challenging math problems, usually cooperatively, and sometimes competitively. The math club activities varied from week to week to offer an element of surprise. Frequently, the students presented their solutions to peers, along with an explanation of the way they solved the problem. Instruments were used to collect information about problem-solving accuracy, student attitudes, and student and teacher …

Written Communication In A Sixth-Grade Mathematics Classroom, Mary Schneider

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated what happened to students’ mathematical achievement when they had increased practice on written explanations to problems. I wanted to see if writing out solutions to problems helped them overall in daily mathematics. By using specific mathematic vocabulary more frequently and deliberately during my instruction, I wanted to investigate whether students would correctly use specific math vocabulary in their written explanations. I also increased my expectations of the students’ written explanations throughout the research project. I wanted to determine whether students would try to meet or even exceed …

Making Sense Of Word Problems, Edie Ronhovde

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my classroom of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated word problems. I discovered that my students did not like to try word problems because they did not understand what was being asked of them. My students also saw no reason for solving word problems or in having the ability to solve them. I used word problems that covered topics that were familiar to the students and that covered the skills necessary at the sixth grade level. I wanted to deepen their understanding of math and its importance. By having my students journal to me about …

Meaningful Independent Practice In Mathematics, Michelle Looky

Action Research Projects

In this action research of my seventh grade mathematics classroom, I investigated how students’ explanations of math homework would improve their learning in math. I discovered these explanations can be very beneficial in helping students to improve their understanding of current skills although it did not affect all students. As a result of this study, I plan to incorporate these student explanations in my instruction next year but not as a daily expectation.

Oral Communication And Presentations In Mathematics, Brian Johnson

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my classroom of eighth grade mathematics, I investigated the attitudes of students toward mathematics along with their achievement levels with the use of oral presentations in my Algebra class. During the second semester the class was divided into groups of two for each presentation, changing partners each time. Every other week each group was given a math problem that required more work than a normal homework type problem. On the last day of that week the students gave a short presentation on their problem. I discovered that while there was no significant evidence that …

Improving Achievement And Attitude Through Cooperative Learning In Math Class, Scott Johnsen

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my classroom of eighth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of cooperative learning groups and whether working in groups changed students’ individual achievement and students’ attitudes toward mathematics. I used my eighth grade class of 13 students along with two different types of group formations: teacher-formed groups and student-formed groups. I discovered that the type of group formation can have an impact on the attitudes of students and how well they work together. I also discovered that there was no real change in students’ achievement, but the longer the group worked together the better …

Reasonable Or Not? A Study Of The Use Of Teacher Questioning To Promote Reasonable Mathematical Answers From Sixth Grade Students, Marlene Grayer

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my sixth grade mathematics class, I investigated the influence a change in my questioning tactics would have on students’ ability to determine answer reasonability to mathematics problems. During the course of my research, students were asked to explain their problem solving and solutions. Students, amongst themselves, discussed solutions given by their peers and the reasonability of those solutions. They also completed daily questionnaires that inquired about my questioning practices, and 10 students were randomly chosen to be interviewed regarding their problem solving strategies. I discovered that by placing more emphasis on the process rather …

The Role Of Manipulatives In The Eighth Grade Mathematics Classroom, Michaela Ann Goracke

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my classroom of eighth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of manipulatives and its impact on student attitude and understanding. I discovered that overall, students enjoy using manipulatives, not necessarily for the benefit of learning, but because it actively engages them in each lesson. I also found that students did perform better on exams when students were asked to solve problems using manipulatives in place of formal written representations of situations. In the course of this investigation, I also uncovered that student attitude toward mathematics improved when greater manipulative use was infused into the …

Writing In Math Class? Written Communication In The Mathematics Classroom, Stephanie Fuehrer

Action Research Projects

In this action research study of my seventh grade mathematics classroom, I investigated what written communication within the mathematics classroom would look like. I increased vocabulary instruction of specific mathematical terms for my students to use in their writing. I also looked at what I would have to do differently in my teaching in order for my students to be successful in their writing. Although my students said that using writing to explain mathematics helped them to better understand the math, my research revealed that student writing did not necessarily translate to improved scores. After direct instruction and practice on …

Holding Students Accountable, Jeremy Fries

Action Research Projects

This action research study of approximately 90 high school algebra students investigates how frequent quizzing benefits them during the course of a semester. The intent of the research was to see how well students kept up with the material and if frequent quizzing helped them on the chapter tests. It was also designed to help me gain a better understanding of what students know and how I need to adjust daily routines so that all students stay caught up. I discovered that although frequent quizzes are not the students’ favorite activity to take part in, they learn to accept the …

Palindromes, Stephanie Fuehrer

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same forward and backward, such as the word “level” and the phrase “Madam, I’m Adam.” Numbers whose digits read the same forward and backward are also called palindromes, such as the numbers 22, 1234321, and 2002. Palindromic phrases can also occur in number form, for example the Universal day of Symmetry: 8:02 P.M. on February 20, 2002. If one were to look at the time on a twenty-four hour clock, it would read 20:02; the date can be read as the twentieth day of the second month, which also represents …

Sudoku, Marlene Grayer

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

Many people have a magazine, a crossword puzzle, a newspaper, or a book on hand to fill idle time. I, however, prefer to tease my mind with a book of Sudoku puzzles (pronounced sue‐dah‐coup), trying to figure out what number goes where while resisting the temptation to peek in the back at the answer to make sure I am on the right track. For those of you who are unaware of what Sudoku is, it is a highly popular number game whose notoriety may even surpass the crossword or word search puzzles. It can be found in popular newspapers such …

The Monty Hall Problem, Brian Johnson

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

In the game show "Let's Make a Deal", host Monty Hall would present a contestant with three doors. Behind one door is a car and behind the other two doors are goats. The contestant picks one door, after which Monty opens one of the other doors, showing a goat. Monty then offers the contestant the opportunity to keep the same door or switch to the other unopened door; the contestant will get to keep whatever is behind that door. Should the contestant switch?

Advisor: Gordon Woodward

Powers, Marci Ostmeyer

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

Powers, or exponents, give us a convenient, shorthand way to denote that a number is multiplied by itself a given number of times. The number being multiplied is called the base, and the number of times it appears in the product is the power.

Amicable Pairs, Lexi Wichelt

Department of Mathematics: Master of Arts in Teaching, Exam Expository Papers

The ancient Greeks are often credited with making many new discoveries in the area of mathematics. Euclid, Aristotle, and Pythagoras are three such famous Greek mathematicians. One of their discoveries was the idea of an amicable pair. An Amicable pair is a pair of two whole numbers, each of which is the sum of the proper whole number divisors of the other.

Project Based Instruction In A Sixth Grade Mathematics Classroom: A Case Of Roller Coasters, Lori L. Pierce

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this action research study of a sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated how using project based instruction combined with collaborative learning influenced students’ attitudes and beliefs in learning mathematics. I discovered that using a project based approach to instruction helped the students see connections to math and the real world. They felt that math became something exciting instead of just lessons from a book. I also found that most students preferred to work in small groups because they had come to count on their peers for support. They felt that they were more comfortable asking their peers questions in …

Forgetting To Remember: Formative Assessment In Sixth Grade Mathematics Classroom, Corie Lubash

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this action research study of a sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated what would happen to the students’ understanding of mathematical concepts and what student learning would look like when multiple formative assessments were implemented and descriptive feedback was given by the teacher. I also examined how my own teaching would be affected when I utilized descriptive feedback on formative assessments in attempts to decrease the number of retakes needed on summative assessments. I discovered that my students were better prepared for summative assessments when multiple formative assessments were implemented and when I utilized information from the formative assessments …

Creating Meaningful Homework And Implementing Homework Presentations To Aid In Mathematics Instruction, Gretchen Long

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this action research study of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of meaningful homework and the implementation of presentations and its effect on students’ comprehension of mathematical concepts. I collected data to determine whether the creating of meaningful homework and the implementation of homework presentations would have a positive impact on the students’ understanding of the concepts being taught in class and the reasoning behind assigning homework. The homework was based on the lesson taught during class time. It was grade-level appropriate and contained problems similar to those students completed in class. A pre-research and post-research survey based …

Improving Problem Solving By Improving Reading Skills, Shayne Hite

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this study of my fifth grade mathematics class, I investigated how the use of different reading strategies impacted my students’ problem solving. I implemented various reading strategies throughout a three-month time period. Teaching my students to break down story problems, learn the steps in solving them, write their own story problems, create math dictionaries, write story problem webs, and listen to themselves reading problems created more confidence in them and increased the likelihood that they would use these strategies on their own. In this research, it was quite obvious to me through some pre-testing that my students struggled with …

Strengthening Student Understanding By Implementing Rubrics To Provide Effective Feedback, Mindy Fichtner

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this action research study of my classroom of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the impact of rubrics on strengthening students’ mathematical understanding and students’ ability to communicate about problem solving processes. The feedback was given on three daily bell-work problems assigned at the beginning of each class over the previous lesson. I discovered that the use of these rubrics were beneficial to the students and teacher. Once students were given the expectations of the bell-work problems and became comfortable with the rubric, the quality of their work and communication of solutions was higher than before the rubric system was …

Problems With Problem Solving: Assessing Written Solutions Of Mathematical Habits Of Mind Problems, Ali Arndt

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

This paper explores a study of sixth grade mathematics students in a middle school setting. I investigated the effects of assigning Habits of Mind problems related to the curriculum, district standards and objectives to increase problem-solving opportunities and skills. I discovered integrating problem solving into the given curriculum allowed students to make connections to math in an opportune way that evoked communication on paper, interactions with partners or small groups, and presentations of solutions to the large group. Using the challenging Habits of Mind problems deliberately chosen to match specific content objectives within my district at the sixth grade level …

Reading Mathematics, Geri Steinbrink

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Master of Arts in Teaching, Summative Projects

In this study of my sixth grade mathematics class, I investigated how using reading strategies, a structured problem-solving form, and math-infused literature impacted students’ success in solving word problems and building geometric vocabulary. Direct instruction of reading strategies and the use of those reading strategies in a structured problem-solving group increased my students’ confidence in their own abilities to solve word problems. The structured problem-solving form served as a reminder of the strategies and the steps students should use when reading and solving a word problem. Students wrote in their journals that they liked the reading of the “Sir Cumference” …

Modeling And Analysis Of Biological Populations, Joan Lubben

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Asymptotic and transient dynamics are both important when considering the future population trajectory of a species. Asymptotic dynamics are often used to determine whether the long-term trend results in a stable, declining or increasing population and even provide possible directions for management actions. Transient dynamics are important for estimating invasion speed of non-indigenous species, population establishment after releasing biocontrol agents, or population management after a disturbance like fire. We briefly describe here the results in this thesis.

(1) We consider asymptotic dynamics using discrete time linear population models of the form n(t + 1) = An(t) where …

Fan Cohomology And Its Application To Equivariant K-Theory Of Toric Varieties, Suanne Au

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mu-Wan Huang, Mark Walker and I established an explicit formula for the equivariant K-groups of affine toric varieties. We also recovered a result due to Vezzosi and Vistoli, which expresses the equivariant K-groups of a smooth toric variety in terms of the K-groups of its maximal open affine toric subvarieties. This dissertation investigates the situation when the toric variety X is neither affine nor smooth. In many cases, we compute the Čech cohomology groups of the presheaf K_q^T on X endowed with a topology. Using these calculations and Walker's Localization Theorem for equivariant K-theory, we give explicit formulas …

Combinatorial And Commutative Manipulations In Feynman's Operational Calculi For Noncommuting Operators, Duane Einfeld

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In Feynman's Operational Calculi, a function of indeterminates in a commutative space is mapped to an operator expression in a space of (generally) noncommuting operators; the image of the map is determined by a choice of measures associated with the operators, by which the operators are 'disentangled.' Results in this area of research include formulas for disentangling in particular cases of operators and measures. We consider two ways in which this process might be facilitated. First, we develop a set of notations and operations for handling the combinatorial arguments that tend to arise. Second, we develop an intermediate space for …

Gender Differences On The American Mathematics Competition Amc 8 Contest, Melissa A. Desjarlais

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examines gender differences on the American Mathematics Competition AMC 8 contest between 2003 and 2007 by comparing the performances of male and female United States eighth grade students after controlling for ability. During these years 183,857 males and 178,857 females participated in the contest. Research on gender differences frequently measures impact which is a difference in performance between two groups that can often be explained by different ability distributions. In contrast, differential item functioning (DIF) is a difference in performance after controlling for ability. Three types of analyses were performed to compare the performances. First, statistical analyses identified …

Nebraskamath April 2009 Newsletter

NebraskaMATH Materials

NebraskaMATH Newsletter

Nebraskamath Year 1 Report December 2009

NebraskaMATH Materials

NebraskaMATH Year 1 Report

Inside:

Primarily Math, Page 2

Nebraska Algebra & New Teacher Network, Page 3

Nebraska Summary: S695 Agco Rt155a, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 1955 John Deere 5055e Diesel, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …