In a rural elementary school, characterized by high poverty levels in Appalachian Ohio, school personnel were concerned that student literacy and math proficiency levels remained low during 2005-2015 and teachers had not been able to close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and non-economically disadvantaged students…

Drawing on identity theory, sociocultural theories of learning, and discourse analysis, I engage in an analysis of in-depth, individual interviews with four mathematics majors at an all-women's college over an academic year. The purpose of this qualitative study is to gain insight into the mathematical identities of senior women mathematics…

It has been argued that teachers do not always teach in the ways their teacher education programs promoted. One cause of this problem has to do with teachers' conceptions about mathematics and ability being incompatible with the visions of mathematics that teacher educators promote. For example, teacher educators may emphasize the need for…

This study explored factors thought to affect college students' selection and experience of instructional materials by utilizing general procedures of Giorgi's (2012) descriptive phenomenological psychological method and Spradley's (1979) approach to interpretation. Twenty-five undergraduate students were asked to study finite mathematics…

Equity in mathematics teaching has gained increased attention in the last few decades. A growing field of research has provided various definitions of equity, outlined standards, and identified practices that lead to equitable learning opportunities for all students, particularly for students from non-dominant backgrounds. However, few studies…

As part of the recent history of the mathematics curriculum, reasoning and argument have been emphasized throughout mathematics curriculum standards. Specifically, as part of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, the Standards for Mathematical Practice were presented, which included the expectation that students develop arguments and…

This qualitative study explored parent perceptions of parental involvement in mathematics learning. The study was conducted in a rural area of South Carolina. Face-to-face interviews, online interviews, and review of documents were the sources of data for this inquiry. Findings revealed that parents admitted to a lack of involvement as long as…

In the United States students have traditionally struggled with mathematics. Many students leave the educational system with limited mathematical literacy that can adversely affect their success as a college student, a consumer and citizen. In turn, lack of mathematical literacy affects their socioeconomic status. Through improving their…

The purpose of this mixed methods research study was two-fold. First, I compared the findings of the success rates of online mathematics students with the perceived effects of classroom capture software in hopes to find convergence. Second, I used multiple methods in different phases of the study to expand the breadth and range of the effects of…

This study explored student agency in an active-learning business calculus course. The lecture-style instructional practices typically used in this course at this institution allow few opportunities for students to interact with their peers, interface with the instructor one-on-one, or do mathematics during class time. Additionally, this course…

Too many students do not learn algebra and therefore do not graduate from high school. This basic qualitative study conducted in a large suburban public school district explored the perspectives of high school seniors who were at least 18 years old and at risk for not graduating from high school because they had not demonstrated an adequate…

The current literature suggests that the use of Husserl's and Heidegger's approaches to phenomenology is still practiced. However, a clear gap exists on how these approaches are viewed in the context of constructivism, particularly with non-traditional female students' study of mathematics. The dissertation attempts to clarify the constructivist…

Over 50% of secondary students failed the geometry end-of-course test in a Florida school district, indicating a need to improve academic performance. Secondary school students' learning characteristics and the effectiveness of teachers' instructional strategies are imperative to educational success. In this qualitative case study, geometry…

For the last thirty years research has unfailingly shown that teacher efficacy has a positive impact on student outcomes, making teacher efficacy an critical element in quality mathematics instruction. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a math methods course on the mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of elementary pre-service…

Multi-digit subtraction is difficult for students to learn. The purpose of this study is to explore how second-grade students communicate their understanding of double-digit subtraction through the use of manipulatives/tools. This qualitative study reports on six case studies of second-grade students where clinical interviews were the main source…