Angle measurement is a significant topic in almost all areas of mathematics learning and also in many disciplines outside mathematics education, such as engineering and architecture. According to the literature, there are three common conceptions of angles--as union of rays, rotations, and wedges. Researchers argued that students must consider…

This study explores learning vector addition and demonstrating the understanding of vector addition. Vector addition is a key skill in mathematics and science education, but there is a limited amount of research that focuses on this topic. My study investigates how an instructional design framework "concreteness fading" can be used for…

Language can alter our mental conceptions of space, time, and categories. While there is compelling evidence that thought can be shaped by syntactic, morphological, and lexical features of a language, less is known about the impact of phonology on thought. This dissertation uses novel objects (alien cartoon figures) and pseudoword names in three…

In order for teachers to support students' mathematical thinking, Battista (2004) believed they must identify core mathematical concepts, recognize conceptual frameworks for understanding children's thinking, and use appropriate assessment tasks. In his view, learning trajectories provide teachers with information on children's cognitive abilities…

Immersive virtual reality as a tool in the middle-school classroom is a promising avenue to aid in cognitively challenging tasks requiring access to visual processes. As these tools become ever present in society, the expectation of school districts to include them into classroom curricula has become challenging, as there is inconsistent data…

The purpose of the study was to explore how a group of at-risk youth in a South Florida alternative high school experienced a freehand visual arts drawing lesson as a learning portal to the teaching of the basic principles of geometry. These young people were completely devoid of interest in and failed to understand basic geometrical concepts.…

Science and engineering instructors often observe that students have difficulty using or applying prerequisite mathematics knowledge in their courses. This qualitative project uses a case-study method to investigate the instruction in a trigonometry course and a physics course based on a different methodology and set of assumptions about student…

Mathematics education reform is informed by constructivist theories that forefront student learning of concepts, and by sociocultural theories whose focus is on students' mastery of mathematical practices. As Cobb (1994) pointed out, these theorizations are inconsistent with one another, leading to conflict as some theorists seek to promote their…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the use of 3-D printed models as an instructional tool in a middle school science classroom for students with visual impairments and compare their use to traditional tactile graphics for aiding conceptual understanding of geoscience concepts. Specifically, this study examined if the students'…

The Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) represent a major attempt in a long line of attempts to reform the American Education system surrounding Mathematics. These standards aim to establish a nationwide set of curriculum, seeking to ensure equity for all students in the U.S.A. Some of the standards included are new to all teachers…

This dissertation documents a new way of conceptualizing vectors in college mathematics, especially in geometry. First, I will introduce three problems to show the complexity and subtlety of the construct of vectors with the classical vector representations. These highlight the need for a new framework that: (1) differentiates abstraction from a…

This study explored why parents choose Montessori schools for their children. Parents from two public (n = 40) and two private (n = 10) Montessori schools responded to a written survey designed to discern what characteristics parents valued in making their decision. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and chi-square tests were used to understand the…

The purpose of the study is to better understand the role of physicality, interactivity, and interface effects in learning with digital content. Drawing on work in cognitive science, human-computer interaction, and multimedia learning, the study argues that interfaces that promote physical interaction can provide "conceptual leverage"…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biology content, instructional strategies, and assessment methods of 100 biological science websites that were appropriate for Grade 12 educational purposes. For the analysis of each website, an instrument, developed from the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for Grade 12 Life Science coupled…

One recommendation of government, education, and business leaders is an increased emphasis on math and science instruction in public schools. The purpose of this quantitative study using a posttest, quasi-experimental design was to determine if the Math Opportunities, Valuable Experiences, and Innovative Teaching (MOVE IT Math(TM)) program…