Math Students Research Articles

REU program as a student-centered, project-based environment for teaching math in California State University

Starting from 2004, within the last years California State University at Chico (CSUC) hosted the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Teachers (REUT) program in Mathematics. The program targets secondary teachers with a strong interest in mathematics or math education (RET) and students who have completed their junior year with coursework appropriate to the research project (REU). The program is designed to engage participants in research problems with a high potential for publication and to create a research experience that broadens participants’ perspective both of mathematics as a discipline and of research (whether mathematical or not) as an exciting exploratory process. During this period the large group of undergraduate students from different US universities and high school math teachers were involved in numerous research projects in pure and applied math, in math education and statistics. Working on the research projects the participants acquire the fundamental mathematical concepts and also studied how to apply modern IT technologies and computational systems for solving various math problems. We provide a research experience that enhances the skills necessary for careers in any of the sciences, while adding both depth and breadth to the participant’s mathematical knowledge, skill, and understanding. The depth comes primarily from participation in a research team working on a potentially publishable research problem, while breadth is added by activities that integrate all research teams, by in-service teacher/undergraduate interactions, and by synergistic activities such as weekly research talks. Mathematical activities are supplemented with social activities conducive to creating a productive and comfortable research environment.

Teachers' visual focus of attention in relation to students' basic academic skills and teachers' individual support for students: An eye-tracking study

This study investigated how teachers' visual focus of attention is associated with students' basic academic skills and teachers' individual support for students in basic academic skills in authentic classroom settings. Teachers' (N = 46) visual focus of attention in the classroom was measured with mobile eye-tracking, and students' (N = 879) literacy and math skills were tested in Grade 1. The results revealed that teachers' visual focus of attention in terms of fixation counts correlated with students' basic academic skills and teachers' individual support for students in literacy and math. Two case studies showed that teachers' visual focus of attention varied among students with different teacher-reported individual support. It might indicate that the number of students with high teacher individual support in the classroom could influence how evenly teachers are able to distribute their attention. The practical implications of our findings suggest that it is essential to ensure the appropriate distribution of students who require greater individual support so these students can receive more of the teachers' visual focus of attention in the classrooms.

Identifying Non-Math Students from Brain MRIs with an Ensemble Classifier Based on Subspace-Enhanced Contrastive Learning.

In current research processes, mathematical learning has significantly impacted the brain’s plasticity and cognitive functions. While biochemical changes in brain have been investigated by magnetic resonance spectroscopy, our study attempts to identify non-math students by using magnetic resonance imaging scans (MRIs). The proposed method crops the left middle front gyrus (MFG) region from the MRI, resulting in a multi-instance classification problem. Then, subspace enhanced contrastive learning is employed on all instances to learn robust deep features, followed by an ensemble classifier based on multiple-layer-perceptron models for student identification. The experiments were conducted on 123 MRIs taken from 72 math students and 51 non-math students. The proposed method arrived at an accuracy of 73.7% for image classification and 91.8% for student classification. Results show the proposed workflow successfully identifies the students who lack mathematical education by using MRI data. This study provides insights into the impact of mathematical education on brain development from structural imaging.

The Batrachian Barf Bowl: An authentic research experience using ecological data from frog diets.

Authentic research experiences (AREs) are a powerful strategy for inspiring and retaining students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. However, recent demand for virtual learning has emphasized the need for remote AREs that also foster a sense of community and interpersonal connections among participants. Here, we describe an ARE activity that leverages digitized diet data from natural history collections to provide students with collaborative research experience across any learning environment. Using magnified photographs of frog stomach contents collected in the Peruvian Amazon, we designed an open‐source “bowl game” competition that challenges students to identify, measure, and compare diet items across vouchered frog specimens (“Batrachian Barf Bowl”). To demonstrate learning outcomes, we ran this activity with 39 herpetology class students from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Michigan. We used pre‐ and post‐activity assessments to evaluate effectiveness, scientific accuracy of results, and impact on student well‐being. With minimal preparation and training in invertebrate identification, students were successful in identifying hundreds of frog diet items to taxonomic order, although accuracy varied among clades (global accuracy ~70%). While we found no difference in science identity, community, or self‐efficacy between the two institutions at either time point (pre‐ and post‐activity), we found that well‐being was significantly higher for both sets of students after the activity. Overall, this approach offers a model for combining active learning with museum collections to provide experiential research opportunities that highlight the power of scientific collaboration.

Stewardship of Mathematics: Essential Training for Contributors to, and Users of, the Practice of Mathematics

A steward of the discipline was originally defined as an individual to whom “we can entrust the vigor, quality, and integrity of the field”, and more specifically, as “someone who will creatively generate new knowledge, critically conserve valuable and useful ideas, and responsibly transform those understandings through writing, teaching, and application” [8]. Originally articulated for doctoral education, in 2019 the construct of stewardship was expanded so that it can also be applied to non-academic practitioners in any field, and can be initiated earlier than doctoral education [18]. In this paper, we apply this construct to the context of mathematics, and argue that even for those early in their training in mathematics, stewardly practice of mathematics can be introduced and practiced. Postsecondary and tertiary education in mathematics — for future mathematicians as well as those who will use math at work — can include curriculum-spanning training, and documented achievement in stewardship. Even before a formal ethical practice standard for mathematics is developed and deployed to help inculcate math students with a “tacit responsibility for the quality and integrity of their own work”, higher education can begin to shape student attitudes towards stewardly professional identities. Learning objectives to accomplish this are described, to assist math instructors in facilitating the recognition and acceptance of responsibility for the quality and integrity of their own work and that of colleagues in the practice of mathematics.

Top-performing math students in 82 countries: An integrative data analysis of gender differences in achievement, achievement profiles, and achievement motivation.

Top-performing math students in 82 countries: An integrative data analysis of gender differences in achievement, achievement profiles, and achievement motivation.

The Effect of Teaching Mathematics Supported by e-learning platforms on the Students’ Mathematical Skills in a College Course in Jordan

Exploring the impact of e-learning on a student's math skills was the main objective of this study. The experimental design was applied in this study to 80 students from the calculus course from the first semester in the 2021-2022 academic year at The Hashemite University, where they were divided into two groups, a control group and a experimental group. Three modules of calculus textbook (function, ends, graph curves) were adopted, the traditional whiteboard was used in the teaching of the control group, while e-learning platforms were used to teach the experimental group. A tribal test dish to measure sports skills and a distance test on students. Use SPSS to assess the effects. The experimental group showed superiority over the control group by analyzing the results from the tests applied. Teaching on e-learning platforms (Modal, E-Learning, zoom) has shown effective consequences for the student's sports skills. These results correspond to a set of previous studies that will be presented in this research.

Play to Learn: The Impact of Technology on Students’ Math Performance

This paper analyzes the impact of technology use on student math learning using experimental data from Brazil. The technology is a software tool designed for elementary school students to learn and practice arithmetic. Contrary to most interventions in which computer-aided instruction extends the school day, students played the game during class time for about 2 months. First, second, and third graders who used the software increased their score on a math test by 0.56σ in the short term (just after the intervention) and by 0.17σ in the medium term (1 year after the end of the intervention).

School Leadership’s Role in the Disruption of Math Anxiety

Math anxiety, the discomfort or fear of math, spans the globe and affects a wide range of ages, from early childhood to adulthood. Teachers and students may experience math anxiety in a variety of contexts. Teachers who suffer from math anxiety often express negative attitudes about math and lack confidence in their pedagogical content knowledge of mathematics, which influences the instructional practices they choose to implement in their classrooms. Student math anxiety adversely affects student engagement and achievement in math. School leadership is fundamental to effective teaching and student learning and plays a vital role in teacher and student math anxiety. By identifying teachers and students who suffer from math anxiety, leaders can create the conditions to reduce and prevent this anxiety. Leading this work will involve the integration of both instructional and transformational leadership to develop a school culture that is open to sharing and strengthening their knowledge of instructional practices focused on math improvement. To address anxiety concerns and advance student achievement in mathematics, it is beneficial for school leaders to adopt some of the characteristics of a learning organization. To be a learning organization requires leadership to cultivate a climate of trust among members of the school community to develop collective efficacy. It entails school leaders and staff participating in professional learning and coaching opportunities to build the collective capacity of evidence-informed instructional practices in math. Using self-reflection, teachers can acknowledge their own feelings and potential biases towards mathematics and seek support to deepen their understanding of math concepts and pedagogy. The engagement of colleagues in the acquirement of best practices in math instruction will develop positive classroom environments that immerse students in the learning of math. By changing how leaders and teachers approach mathematics, math anxiety will decrease, and student achievement will improve.

ANALYSIS OF PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS OF STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS BASED ON SPATIAL INTELLIGENCE IN GRADE VIII

The study aims at discovering the description of problem-solving skills of students in Math based on spatial intelligence in grade VIII at SMPN 3 Pallangga. This type of study is qualitative research with a descriptive approach. The research subjects were 6 students who were divided into 3 groups, namely 2 subjects with high spatial skills, 2 subjects with moderate spatial skills, and 2 subjects with low spatial skills in grade VIIIC at SMPN 3 Pallangga. The research instruments were the researcher herself as the main instrument and a test of spatial intelligence, the test of problem-solving skills, a guided interview, and a validation sheet as the supporting instruments. The data collecting method employed a written test and interview. The data analysis was conducted by employing data condensation, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The data validity employed a source triangulation. Through the qualitative data analysis, the researcher discovered that the Math problem-solving skills of students with high spatial intelligence understood the problem by using spatial visualization skills, spatial perception, and mental rotation, as well as able to solve the problem by fulfilling Polya's four steps correctly. The Math problem-solving skills of students with moderate spatial intelligence understood the problems by using spatial visualization skills and spatial perception and were able to solve the problem by fulfilling Polya's two steps only, as well as being unable to plan the solution and rechecking. The Math problem-solving skills of students with low spatial intelligence still have difficulties using their spatial skills so they are unable to solve the problem given correctly.

Gifted education in Egypt: analyses from a learning-resource perspective

The interest in the education of gifted students in Egypt began since 1962, when the first school for the gifted was established. In 2005, a clear decline was observed in the number of students enrolled in the high school science section due to some practical and economic reasons. Consequently, the Egyptian Ministry of Education launched STEM schools for gifted students in math and science in 2011, to support gifted students and provide them with varied opportunities to develop their skills and abilities. Moreover, the Ministry of Higher Education established many specialized centers for gifted students. This study aimed to explore the real situation of gifted education in Egypt, from the learning-resource perspective. The researchers contacted and collated reports from many institutions in Egypt, including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Centers for Gifted students. Moreover, some tools were developed to collect data about the real situation of gifted students in Egypt. Our analysis showed a tangible progress in gifted education; examining the exogenous and endogenous learning resources revealed the strengths and weaknesses of gifted education in Egypt. We recommend the need for more efforts to provide this exceptional student category with proper opportunities.

Fostering noticing in prospective teachers through a video-based course: Results of an intervention study from China

Teacher noticing of student mathematics thinking, an essential professional competency, has not been sufficiently investigated in China. In this paper, based on four video clips, we combined the frameworks of Stockero et al. and Jacobs to analyze the characteristics and changes of 19 prospective teachers’ (PTs) noticing under the intervention of the course “Mathematics Teaching Theory in Middle School.” The results showed that (1) the agent of noticing shifted from teachers and mathematical content to students; (2) the percentage of noticing to content with mathematical characteristics remained high, and that of noticing to general math increased significantly after the intervention; and (3) the percentages of noticing to analyzing student math learning and math interaction noticeably increased. Moreover, from select PT interviews (four in total) and facilitator reflections, we concluded four potential strategies for improving interventions to enhance PT noticing: enriching video resources, refining the task requirements, specifying teaching evaluations, and optimizing course implementation.

R Markdown as a dynamic interface for teaching: Modules from math and biology classrooms

Advancing technologies, including interactive tools, are changing classroom pedagogy across academia. Here, we discuss the R Markdown interface, which allows for the creation of partial or complete interactive classroom modules for courses using the R programming language. R Markdown files mix sections of R code with formatted text, including LaTeX, which are rendered together to form complete reports and documents. These features allow instructors to create classroom modules that guide students through concepts, while providing areas for coding and text response by students. Students can also learn to create their own reports for more independent assignments. After presenting the features and uses of R Markdown to enhance teaching and learning, we present examples of materials from two courses. In a Computational Modeling course for math students, we used R Markdown to guide students through exploring mathematical models to understand the principle of herd immunity. In a Data Visualization and Communication course for biology students, we used R Markdown for teaching the fundamentals of R programming and graphing, and for students to learn to create reproducible data investigations. Through these examples, we demonstrate the benefits of R Markdown as a dynamic teaching and learning tool.

Family Support Policy for Pharmacy, Medical, and Graduate Students

For many graduate and professional science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students, family support policies are inadequate or non-existent. This gap hinders students’ family planning ability, makes degree completion more challenging, and disproportionately impacts women. Suitable and accessible family support policies are necessary to progress STEM institutions toward equity, maintain themselves as competitive, and support changes in student demographics. With that goal in mind, the Council for Women’s Advocacy (CWA), a group of physicians, professors, administrators, and students at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), developed policies addressing these critical needs. They were approved by leadership and included in the 2021-2022 All Student Handbook. This language can serve as a framework to build on for other STEM institutions. The policies include 1) course and program accommodations for parental leave, 2) childcare financial aid, and 3) lactation support.

The Effect of Perceived Classroom Fear Tactics on STEM Students

In today's education system fear is a common and complex problem found at all levels. It is unknown what effect fear has, specifically, on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math students) students at the college level. The objective of this study is to determine what students perceive as Fear Tactics and which specific Fear Tactics had a positive, motivating effect, versus a negative, demotivating, effect on the STEM students. The researchers performed semi‐structured interviews (n=51) using inductive coding to identify specific student perceived Fear Tactics and sorted them into three different categories on why the Fear Tactics worked: Motivation, Guidance, and Fear of Failure. The researchers identified three categories of positively motivating Fear Tactics (Motivating, Provided Guidance, and Addressed Fear of Failure) and three categories of negative Fear Tactics (Good luck passing, Amount of study time, and Heavily weighted assignments). Specific tactics such as “Good luck passing” were indicated by students to be a harmful tactic and “This is going to be hard/this is serious” were indicated by students to be a helpful tactic. By accumulating a specific list of harmful Fear Tactics we can help eliminate these tactics in the classroom and replace them with positive tactics to help create a positive learning environment with the goal of reducing attrition in STEM fields.

Comparison of Student Math Learning Outcomes Between Spiral Methods and Lecture Methods Set Material

Learning mathematics at Muhammadiyah Ambon Junior High School tends to be monotonous and does not motivate students. The teacher in his learning only conveys the material he teaches, regardless of the level of understanding of the student. One of the better ways that can encourage students to be actively involved in finding concepts in the teaching and learning process is to do learning using a spiral approach. With a spiral approach in teaching and learning activities oriented to students. The learning process starts from the easy and concrete and goes into the difficult or abstract. That way, it will train the mindset of students in solving every problem in the world of mathematics. This research aims to find out the differences in student learning outcomes between students who are taught using the spiral method and the teaching method of the concept of class VII of Muhammadiyah Ambon Junior High School. The type of research used is quantitative with a sample of 56 people consisting of a control class of 28 people and an experimental class of 28 people. The instruments used are tests and observations. Tests are used to determine the learning outcomes of students who are taught using lecture methods and spiral and observation methods are used to find out the learning conditions that take place. The data analysis technique used is to use two-party t-tests. Based on the results of the data analysis, it was obtained that there were differences in student learning outcomes between students who were taught using spiral methods and lecture methods of the concept of class VII of Muhammadiyah Ambon Junior High School. The results are based on the results of hypothesis testing conducted using the t-test with the result of thitung obtained a value of 7.024. While the conversion result based on the t value distribution table is in the two-party test with db = 54, obtained a ttabel value of 2,000. In other words it can be said that –ttable ≤ tvalue > ttable or -2,000≤ 7,024 > 2,000

The Relationship between the Teacher Qualities Perceived by Students and the Achievements of High and Low Socioeconomic Level Students

Teacher qualities play a key role in students’ achievement. In general, however, disadvantaged students may not have as much opportunity to benefit from teacher support as advantaged students. Therefore, this study aims to find out the relationship between the teacher qualities and the achievements of high and low socioeconomic level students in math and science literacy, and reading. Data were obtained from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018 results. The study is a quantitative analysis using a relational model, with a sample consisting of 25% low socioeconomic level students and 25% high socioeconomic level students. The findings of this study indicate a more positive impact of adaptive instruction, teacher-directed instruction, and disciplinary climate on high socioeconomic students than on low socioeconomic students. However, the impact of teacher cognitive feedback on both student groups' achievement in all domains is negative.

“Now I’m Not Afraid”: The Influence of Identity-Focused STEM Professional Organizations on the Persistence of Sexual and Gender Minority Undergraduates in STEM

In comparison to work on women and historically excluded racial/ethnic minority students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), research on sexual and gender minority (SGM) students in STEM is somewhat incipient. There is little scholarship available on SGM-focused STEM organizations (e.g., oSTEM). Building on the previous literature, we examine how SGM-focused STEM organizations provide social capital, both expressive (e.g., emotional support) and instrumental (e.g., academic resources), that helps students feel they fit in STEM and ultimately persist. We report findings from a large online survey with 477 SGM STEM undergraduates, 463 of whom participate in STEM organizations, which offers one of if not the largest study on the topic to date. We compare three types of identity-focused organizations, SGM-focused, women-focused, and race/ethnicity-focused, finding that they each provide expressive capital to SGM students. The organizations helped students cultivate supportive networks of peers like themselves who then help them feel they fit in STEM through similar but not identical mechanisms. For SGM-focused organizations, their assistance in helping students reconcile their SGM identities with their STEM identity was an important nuance tailored to SGM students’ needs. However, students described how SGM-focused organizations provided instrumental capital far less, which we posit may take a back seat to SGM STEM students’ expressive needs. Unfortunately, women-focused organizations were not always welcoming to SGM students, an issue not documented in race/ethnicity-focused societies. However, some identity-focused organizations established partnerships with other identity-focused organizations, highlighting the possible role of such collaboration in better serving SGM students, particularly those with minoritized ethnic/racial identities. Implications for research and practice are included.

High School Math and Motivation for autistic students

Analyzing data from students in the NCES High School Longitudinal Study dataset, we drew upon expectancy-value theory to examine the role of student motivation (measured by self-efficacy, identity, utility, and interest), as mediators between 9th grade math test scores and final math GPA for autistic students. In predicting final high school math GPA, math identity was the strongest predictor for autistic students with above average test scores. Findings for autistic students contrast with results for non-autistic students whose final math GPA is strongly predicted by the direct effects of 9th grade test scores. These results suggest that seeing oneself as a “math person” may be particularly influential for autistic students with higher 9th grade math performance.

“That Was the Biggest Help”: The Importance of Familial Support for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Community College Students

This study reveals the informal instrumental and socio-emotional support that non-traditional (e.g., Latinx, Black, Indigenous, and first-generation), low-income community college students pursuing STEM majors receive from family members that combat experiences of marginalization and contribute toward their self-efficacy. Family support can be particularly important for underrepresented undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) students who are at higher risks of dropping out of their program and experience lower levels of success indicators (e.g., sense of belonging, self-concept, and STEM identity) compared to their white and Asian peers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, we used open-ended questions during focus groups with community college transfer students to gain their experiences with challenges and feelings of belonging in college and STEM. We apply the funds of knowledge framework to investigate the value family support holds for students in navigating STEM challenges and expand the definition of family to include romantic partners and extended family.