Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Secondary school mathematics education'

In the United States, high school students have performed lower in mathematics than all the industrialized countries since the First International Study was administered in 1964. Studies revealed that a large number of high school graduates are not proficient in mathematics and are not ready for college mathematics or the workforce. This qualitative research intended to answer the question of why the U.S. high school students underperform in mathematics through teacher perceptions on the current curriculum and methods of instruction used in high school mathematics classes. The question was answered by exploring the perceptions of 12 high school mathematics teachers in northwest Florida through a survey of 16 open-ended questions and a focus group discussion that guided the research. Furthermore, the survey and focus group data were triangulated with teacher artifacts that included lesson plans. This resulted in an aggregate of 15 themes that included time, professional development, gap in the students’ knowledge, student encouragement, application to real world, resources, rigor, student encouragement, teacher collaboration, student ownership, standardized testing, traditional teaching, too many topics, two-tracks courses, practice and mental math, and student collaboration.

The findings of this research support the need to provide teachers with more time to teach, plan, and collaborate. Teachers also need more support from the educational leaders to provide professional development that will help teachers apply real-world, collaborative learning, and move away from the current traditional teaching that most of the participating teachers in this study prefer.

Abstract Over 40 years of research, three categories of instructional practices are consistently shown to enhance student achievement, including (a) Evidence-based (EB) Strategy Instruction, (b) Feedback, and (c) Formative Assessment. It was the hypothesis of this study that Grade 9 Algebra 1 classrooms do not routinely use these EB practices to enhance their instruction. Data was collected from 12 Algebra 1 classrooms utilizing a researcher developed systematic observation tool featuring highly effective instructional practices from the 2001 Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack and 2009 Hattie meta-analyses. Study results suggested that the frequency of EB instructional practices varied remarkably among teachers. However, the preponderance of teaching time was spent in two forms of practice with little time devoted to other EB strategies and informal formative assessment practices often lacked variety and depth. Last, the frequency or type of EB instructional practices used did not differ between classes designed for students with average math skills compared to classes designed for lower skilled students. Recommended methods for increasing the widespread use of highly effective EB instructional practices included: (a) system-wide improvements in pre-service teacher training in highly effective instructional practices, (b) more effective on-the-job professional development and implementation practices, and (c) the use of structured professional learning communities focused on improving pedagogy.

The sixth grade is very important for education stakeholders, as it marks the beginning of the transition period for students to high school. No consensus has been reached so far among scholars on whether block scheduling is the best way to provide students the time that is necessary to facilitate effective learning and the retention of knowledge.

The purpose of this quasi causal-comparative, ex-post facto study was to determine the effectiveness of block scheduling in improving the mathematical performance of sixth-grade students by using data from a selective Nebraska public school system regarding the performance of its sixth-grade students on their state assessment evaluation scores in traditional and nontraditional schedules. The researcher analyzed the results of a mathematics assessment from one school in the Nebraska public school system, using data from learners at the sixth-grade level as the specific purposeful sample. The results indicated that there were no significant differences found in student mathematical proficiency scores for each type of scheduling. This suggests that the type of scheduling of mathematics courses does not influence a student’s mathematical achievement. This conclusion also held true when comparing the students of various races, free or reduced lunch status, and genders. Due to limitations including missing data and an intermittent block schedule, the researcher cannot conclude that block scheduling improves academic performance; further studies are recommended.

This study used the TIMSS 2011 International Database to investigate predictors of 8th-grade mathematics achievement across three countries that represent a wide range of cultures and levels of mathematics achievement: Chinese Taipei, Ghana, and the United States. A review of literature on predictors of mathematics achievement yielded variables in four major contexts of learning—a student’s home, beliefs, school, and classroom. The variables of home that were investigated are home possessions for learning, parent education, and parents’ expectations and involvement in their children’s education. The variables of student beliefs were self-confidence in mathematics and the value of mathematics. The variables of school were school climate, school resources, administrator leadership, and school socioeconomic status. Finally, the variables of the classroom are access and equity, curriculum, tools and technology, assessment, and teacher professionalism.

A 2-level hierarchical linear model was used to investigate relationships between the predictors for learning mathematics and 8th-grade mathematics achievement. Level 1 represented the relationships among the student-level variables, and Level 2 represented the school-level variables.

In Chinese Taipei, statistically significant predictors of mathematics achievement in the final model included variables from the domains of home resources, student beliefs, school climate, and school socioeconomic status. In Ghana, both student-beliefs variables had statistically significant relationships with mathematics achievement, and one school climate and one school socioeconomic status variable each was found statistically significant. The U.S. had statistically significant predictors in the domains of home resources, student beliefs, school socioeconomic status, classroom-level access and equity, classroom assessment, and teacher professionalism.

This study extends previous research in several ways. It includes a review of classic and recent literature regarding predictors of mathematics achievement; 17 scales using the Rasch partial credit model were developed to measure predictors of mathematics achievement; and the results of this study may be used to examine the relationships between the independent variables of this study and middle-grades mathematics achievement in countries similar to the 3 in this study to reinforce and support variables that contribute to student achievement.

This study sought to uncover teacher perceptions of social capital within a high school mathematics department utilizing a research design that acknowledged the complex environment faced by high school teachers and their subsequent interpretations of how and from whom they sought access to professional resources. Through an analysis of narratives captured as teachers interviewed one another in strong-tie pairs, the study identified the elements of social capital which were central to the professional lives of high school mathematics teachers. Narrative analysis revealed that the group, situated in an urban setting, was able to define issues around trust and structure within their network. There was significantly less discussion or acknowledgement of the remaining dimensions of social capital: level of professional expertise within their group, and the depth or content of their professional interactions. Teachers had no vocabulary, interactional routines, norms or other tools to assist in the analysis of these key social capital resources.

The study found that there is a need for an additional dimension to be included in existing social capital models. Defined as “Group Self-Knowledge”, I describe this construct as a way for teacher networks to detect, define and assess their own capacity for change and innovation. The ability of a network to assess its social capital is described as necessary in determining specific needs for professional development resources, and in aligning those needs with the resources (physical, human or social capital) that are most likely to lead to conditions in which a network could learn, adapt, grow and change. Social capital models offer constructs which can assist in social capital analysis, and which could lead to significant impacts on educational organizations: a "systems" view that privileges the knowledge of the group and disrupts teachers' tendency towards individualism, presentism and conservatism (Lortie, 1975); an expectation of professionalism, creativity and problem-solving from the teachers within the system; a shift away from a deficit model of teaching towards a vision of educational systems as collections of assets; and an educational model that operates from a standpoint of reinvestment and re-cycling of vital resources back into itself.

Stagnant growth on national standardized tests in mathematics and reading and a focus on disciplinary literacy in the Common Core State Standards in ELA, history/social studies, science, and technical subjects has prompted a resurgence in utilizing literacy strategies in the content areas in high school. While literacy standards in mathematics are not explicitly identified in the Common Core State Standards, there may be a place for the use of literacy strategies in high school mathematics. This study explored the relationships between students’ mathematics and reading achievement scores at a small, suburban high school and the implementation of a school wide literacy program to inform curriculum development and instructional strategies.

The reading and mathematics achievement of students in ninth through eleventh grade was retroactively analyzed to identify changes in student achievement over a two-year period. In the first year, the ninth grade cohort showed statistically significant improvement on both measures of mathematics achievement. Within this ninth grade cohort, students who qualified for free lunches also saw statistically significant improvement in mathematics. None of the other groups showed improvement on both measures of mathematics achievement or reading achievement. In the second year, both the ninth and tenth grade cohorts showed statistically significant increases on both mathematics and reading achievement. Within each of these grade level cohorts, females and white students also saw statistically significant increases in both mathematics and reading. The eleventh grade cohort did not have any significant increases on either measure. On the state top-to-bottom ranking, this high school has moved from the 4 ^th percentile to the 25^th percentile during the implementation of the school wide literacy program.

While national standardized tests have shown little to no improvement over the last several administrations, this small, suburban high school has seen continued growth over the last several years. Though the results of this study cannot be used to determine a causal relationship between the implementation of literacy strategies and the academic achievement of students in either mathematics or reading, it does provide a case for further investigation into such a relationship.

Creekside High School is a high-performing public high school where students who are not White or Asian face a racialized school environment. This dissertation examines the school’s initiative to detrack its ninth grade Algebra class. Detracking is the process of placing students in heterogeneous classes instead of grouping students by ability. The framework of design-based research was adopted to perform this study. Design-based research places the researcher and practitioners in collaboration working to iteratively design interventions. Chapter Two is a qualitative study that examined the perceptions of tracking shared by teachers and the community. This study found that the community holds many misperceptions about detracking due to lack of communication from the school and the district. However, the study also found a small group who want to build more equitable solutions. Chapter Three is a quantitative study of student outcomes. There was a slight drop in student grades between the tracked course and the detracked course with no drop in exam scores. Furthermore, students in the detracked course were more successful in their subsequent Geometry courses. Chapter 4 is qualitative study of pedagogy and teacher perceptions. Pedagogy changed during the detracking process. The tracked course was very teacher-centered, and the rigor was not universal due to there being two levels of Algebra. During the first year of the detracked course, the course became much more student-centered, and the average level of rigor increased. However, for advanced students, rigor and challenge were missing, and this was an area of focus for the second year. Teacher perceptions also changed throughout the process. The teachers on the team have grown into viewing Mathematics as an interconnected, non-linear system of thought and have moved beyond questioning detracking to developing solutions. Chapter Five is a qualitative study synthesizing all of the data collected in Chapters Two through Four. These data were used to propose a leadership framework called Critical Design-Based School Leadership. Critical refers to the use of a critical lens focused on equity and Design-Based refers to the use of design-based research techniques as the mechanism for school leadership.

This licentiate thesis is included in the serie: Studies in Science and Technology Education (FontD) The Swedish National Graduate School in Science and Technology Education, FontD, http://www.isv.liu.se/fontd, is hosted by the Department of Social and Welfare Studies and the Faculty of Educational Sciences (OSU) at Linköping University in collaboration with the Universities of Umeå, Stockholm, Karlstad, Mälardalen, Linköping (host), the Linneus University, and the University of Colleges of Malmö and Kristianstad. In addition, there are three associated Universities and University Colleges in the FontD network: the University Colleges of Halmstad and Gävle and the Mid Sweden University. FontD publishes the series Studies in Science and Technology Education.

Poor mathematics and science skills are one of the leading challenges for advanced STEM career preparedness. There is currently a national deficit in prepared STEM career interest and readiness. A national decline prompted plans for the development of more rigorous standards. Changes in K-12 education were developed through Common Core and New Generation Science Standards. These changes were expected to better prepare students for post secondary educational opportunities such as college or technical school. This research studied effects of perceptions of the impact of high school STEM classes on career choices in two Tennessee schools that are actively participating in the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network and have actively implemented a STEM program since 2012. There is no evidence of research regarding student perceptions of STEM classes regarding STEM implementation in the state of Tennessee since 2012. According to the results of this study, students’ perceptions between subgroups showed no statistical significance regarding readiness or interest in STEM regarding college and career. The subgroups studied included race/culture, gender, classification by grade, and school attended.

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and describe the practices of teacher leaders in a PLC content team along with the supports they received and needed as well as the challenges they encountered during implementation of the Common Core State Standards for high school mathematics in a Southern California school district. Because research shows most change initiatives require active leadership and yet are difficult to sustain there existed a need to study and describe the experiences of the teacher leaders during this curricular change to the Common Core State Standards. The experiences described by the seven teacher leaders participating in this study strengthen the practices of using collaborative content groups lead by teacher leaders. Common themes of teacher leader practices included having updated knowledge and skills about the reform through multiple trainings, honest and trusting relationships with their peers, sharing experiences and ideas, along with a shared vision and purpose, timelines and agendas. The supports received by the teacher leaders included the support of leadership through a TOSA or coach, the structure and time of the collaborative PLC content teams and on-going professional development. The challenges experienced by the teacher leaders were the need for more time and materials.

The conclusions confirm that teacher leaders are the experts in their subject who practice building relationships through sharing of experiences and focusing on the goals for student improvement. Nine conclusions from this study confirm that the important practices of teacher leaders are knowledge of the change in curriculum to provide a common vision and purpose for student learning, using norms, agendas and timelines to stay focused on the goals, building trusting relationships and an environment of trying new things and sharing experiences. The leadership supports required include the PLC team time and structure including stronger administrative direction at the beginning and more choice as the work continues, the support of a TOSA or coach who advocates for the teachers and teacher leaders through communication, direction and resources and the additional support through on-going and continual professional development. The needs and challenges of the teacher leaders include more time to development, assess, adjust and improve the curriculum and the need for materials for both the teachers and students.