This work explores the complex cognitive processes students engage in when addressing contextual tasks requiring linear and exponential models. Grounded within Piagetian constructivism and the Knowledge in Pieces (KiP) epistemological perspective (diSessa, 1993, 2018), this empirical study in a clinical setting develops a Microgenetic Learning…

Teachers choose to supplement their curriculum for various reasons (Drake, 2010) and use online resources to search for and choose these supplements for their curriculum (Silver, 2022). TeachersPayTeachers.com (TPT) is a popular choice for online curriculum resources. TPT is a virtual resource pool that allows teachers to create and share…

The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to understand the ways teachers were influenced in their curricular and instructional decision-making processes in a freshman level mathematics class. Understanding what influences teachers' decision-making processes, and how (the ways) these processes were influenced, may lead to improved…

This study explores the development and implementation of a five-day curriculum designed to enhance students' understanding of algebraic concepts through the integration of educational robotics and growth mindset principles. The study is structured around three research questions that investigate influences on decision-making in curriculum design,…

The present study investigated the math self-efficacy of homeschool parents and whether there was a correlation between parental math self-efficacy (PMSE) and parents' choice of mathematics curriculum. A simple random sample of parents with at least one child enrolled in Classical Conversations (N = 223) completed a survey to measure their math…

A common educational assumption is that coherence is a pre-requisite for a "good" curriculum. Indeed, in mathematics education this perspective has persisted both nationally and internationally as a foundational principle for curriculum design, reform, and evaluation. While curricular coherence is often unquestioningly accepted as…

The persistence of a 120 year-old mathematics curriculum despite dramatic changes in society (Dossey et al., 2016; NCTM, 2018) and the failure of the US mathematics education system to achieve many of its stated aims, especially for students from traditionally marginalized populations (Attridge & Inglis, 2013; Carnevale & Desrochers,…

To address the challenge of low academic results in mathematics the district adopted a new curriculum. After three years of utilizing a problem-based learning mathematics curriculum resource, there is a varied degree of utilization and teacher buy-in with regards to a district implemented problem-based curriculum. During this time, there has been…

This dissertation study investigated secondary mathematics teachers' designing and enacting lessons to draw on students' multiple mathematical knowledge bases. The ultimate objective of incorporating open spaces in mathematics lessons is to support students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in developing mathematical…

The landscape of PK-12 education is dynamic, constantly adapting to meet the needs and demands for student learning. These changes inspire curricular reforms, and such processes compound the complexity of leadership roles within PK-12 education settings. This study explored the nature and extent of transformational leadership practices and…

Currently, teachers increasingly use digital curriculum resources in the design and enactment of their lessons. Using digital resources changes how teachers interact with their resources and how students interact with teachers and content, placing new demands on teachers. This study examines this context. The research questions guiding this study…

Curriculum development is an ever-changing process for educators. As the state and national standards change, curriculum has to be modified to meet the standards. The problem this study addressed the lack of student growth in mathematics through the use of textbook written curriculum compared to the student growth in mathematics through the use of…

National mathematics achievement results show that elementary students in the United States are not increasing in cognitive ability or critical thinking skills (NAEP, 2020). For this increase, mathematically promising students require more opportunities for cognitively demanding mathematics instruction. As a result, this descriptive study focused…

The majority of American college students pursue a degree outside one of the STEM fields (US News & World Report, 2015), yet these same students must still complete a minimum level of coursework in mathematics for graduation. The intent of liberal arts math courses is to help students who are majoring in one of the liberal arts successfully…

Decades of scholarly work continue to document the marginalization of children from nondominant backgrounds in mathematics classrooms. Learning to equitably teach children from linguistically, ethnically, racially, and culturally diverse backgrounds remains a priority. This dissertation approaches this broader problem in society by understanding…