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Eric.ed.gov – Mathematics Academies: Cohort 1 Evaluation Study, 2011-2013

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Commencing in 2011, the Mathematics Academies Initiative is a series of professional development academies (lasting 1 to 2 years, depending on cohort) with the primary objectives of (a) providing educators with a high quality professional development experience that enhances their mathematical content knowledge and pedagogical skills, and (b) increasing positive attitudes and confidence when providing mathematical instruction. As coordinator of the initiative, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) Office of Special Programs (OSP) partners with regional education service agencies (RESAs) and local school districts to identify and invite teachers to the math academies, and with Carnegie Learning Inc., an external vendor, to provide instruction and materials. This research study is an evaluation of the first cohort (hereafter, Cohort 1) of the Mathematics Academies Initiative. Cohort 1,… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Effect of Cooperative Learning on the Academic Achievement and Attitude of Students in Mathematics Class

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: In the axis of basic skills and values, students’ enjoyment of mathematics lesson and the realization of learning by taking a certain distance depend on the appreciation of the effort of the individual. Cooperative learning provides this requirement with a great deal of reward and success. Success increases individual’s self-confidence and making him/her more powerful and positive in mathematical learning. By developing an individual’s positive attitude, mathematical barriers that may adversely affect his/her success in social interaction with friends might be removed. An individual can also help his/her friends in learning and reinforce his belief and self-esteem. This study aims to reveal the effect of cooperative learning method on students’ academic achievement and attitudes towards mathematics in primary school fourth grade math class. The study was carried… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Centrality of Positive Emotions in the Field of Mathematics

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Mathematics has been perceived as a discipline centered on intellectuality. However, recent studies have found interaction between a variety of emotions and the quality of learning. This qualitative study focused on the characteristics of those who are willing to cope with mathematical challenges and on the emotions evoked by these challenges, and sought to evaluate the potential role of positive emotions in this context. The research was conducted among participants in the Israel International Math Competition for Girls (IIMCG). The participants were 12 of the top finalist competitors in the previous competitions. Research instruments included an in-depth interview and a Math Emotions Measuring Instrument (MEMI), measuring the emotions expressed while coping with the mathematical challenges. Major results indicated the intensity of positive emotions. The positivity ratio was… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Using Data to Inform Decisions: How Teachers Use Data to Inform Practice and Improve Student Performance in Mathematics

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The last two decades have witnessed a vast expansion in the use of education data to improve classroom instruction and raise student achievement. Schools and districts face important challenges in implementing increased data use for instructional improvement. One key challenge is the need for teachers and administrators to have “data literacy”–the skills to analyze data, and to use a variety of data sources to refine and improve instruction. Data systems and data initiatives have grown at a much faster pace than educator training around data use. This reality justifies the evaluation of a program such as TERC’s Using Data, which aims to provide teachers with the needed training. A table and figure are appended. Using school-level random assignment, this study seeks to estimate the causal impact of… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Investigation of Parents’ Expectations from Mathematics Education in Turkey

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: In this study, the expectations of middle school students’ parents regarding to “conceptual understanding and active student participation” “positive attitude and behavior attitude” and “authority and rule-oriented teaching” were examined. A valid and reliable threefactor instrument developed by the Aytekin, Baltaci, Altunkaya, Kiymaz and Yildiz (2016) was used in collecting parents’ expectations. 749 parents participated in the study. It was found that the variables of parental gender, parental age range, and monthly income of the parents, level of loving mathematics and level of helping the child have no significant effect on the expectations. The university graduates had less authority and rule-oriented teaching expectation than the remaining parents. Besides, it is seen that the 5th grade parents had higher expectations of conceptual understanding and active participation and positive… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Assessment of Training Programs for Elementary Mathematics Teachers on Developed Curricula and Attitudes towards Teaching in Najran-Saudi Arabia

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study aimed at assessing the training programs for Mathematics teachers at elementary stage on developed Curricula and attitudes toward teaching at Najran educational administration in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this objective, two instruments were developed, one of them measures the opinions of Mathematics teachers about the training programs and the other one measures their attitudes toward teaching the developed Curricula, which were distributed to (72) male and female Mathematics teachers at elementary stage. The results showed that training programs for Mathematics teachers are highly efficient in covering the theoretical background of the project of Mathematics development, content, methods of teaching, activities and educational aids, evaluation, and quality of training. The results also showed Math teachers have positive attitudes towards teaching the developed Curricula, and further concluded… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Using Drawings to Bridge the Transition from Student to Future Teacher of Mathematics

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study examines a group of prospective teachers’ reflections upon the way they were taught (Set 1) and the way they want to teach (Set 2) through drawings which respectively describe their past learning experiences as students and their future plans as teachers. The purpose of this study is to identify: (a) the emerging themes that appear in each set of drawing data, (b) the possible factors that influence prospective teachers’ drawings, and (c) the implications for mathematics teacher educators. Overall, prospective teachers showed predominantly negative or mixed feelings about their past experiences as mathematics students. In response to their own past negative experiences and struggles, the prospective teachers tended to highlight emotionally supportive classroom environment and versatile instructional teaching strategies in their future plans. This study… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Inclusive Education in the United States: Middle School General Education Teachers’ Approaches to Inclusion

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Research examined how three middle school teachers included students with disabilities in their general education classrooms. Purposive sampling was used to select a sixth grade science teacher, seventh grade social studies teacher, and eighth grade math teacher whose classrooms were identified as exemplifying the characteristics of inclusive settings. Each participant had at least six years of teaching experience. The qualitative techniques of interviews, observations, and document analyses were utilized to tell the stories of the three teachers. The specific themes and areas that emerged from the data were preparation, attitudes, and expectations; planning time, collaboration and in-class supports; and instructional strategies. Data revealed that all participants had little pre-service preparation specific to working with students with disabilities and varying levels of in-class supports, but all had positive… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – In-Service Zimbabwean Teachers’ Views on the Utility Value of Diagrams in the Teaching and Learning of Geometry

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Geometry is an essential component of mathematics which promotes the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Geometry shapes are an integral part of our lives. This study focused on the teachers’ practices, specifically on how teachers ought to be equipped with a good understanding of the effectiveness of the use of diagrams in geometry teaching and learning. A mixed-method approach comprising of questionnaires and interviews was used in this study. Ninety-one teachers participated in this study. The research findings were categorized using the four themes of utility, positive attitudes, negative attitudes, and teachers’ use of diagrams in geometry class. The study showed that diagrams are effective in the teaching and learning of geometry concepts. It is recommended that teachers could do well if they make use… Continue Reading