In this participatory research, two pre-service teachers (PSTs) and a mathematics teacher educator (MTE) collaboratively analyzed multiple voices that influence syllabi from elementary mathematics teaching methods courses. Findings suggest syllabi fall along a continuum from harmonious to dissonant orchestration of the voices of past and present…

This quantitative, correlational-predictive study examined the predictive relationship of the NWEA's Map Growth projected proficiency report data with students' STAAR scores in the area of mathematics, using archival data from the 2021-2022 school year. The theoretical foundation for this study was provided by Vygotsky's zone of proximal…

Lesson study, especially when conducted with support from targeted resources, is often identified as a potentially effective means to support teacher learning. In this study, 80 school-based teams of educators, representing 80 classrooms of third- or fourth-grade students in the US, were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: lesson study…

Purpose: The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to which the economic status and ethnicity/race of Texas Grade 4 boys and girls in special education are related to their mathematics performance on Texas state-mandated assessment. In the first article, the purpose was to ascertain the effect of the economic…

Math Innovation Zones (MIZ) is a strategic grant initiative first introduced by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in 2018. A novel state-initiative aimed at increasing PreK - 8th grade math proficiency, the highly competitive grant program provides funding to both Texas school districts and open enrollment charter schools using allocations through…

Educational provisions enacted at the national level impact states by requiring a priority on improving the academic performance of students. Leaders in educational settings strive to implement changes that will aid in closing achievement gaps and increase academic achievement. In Texas, the academic level of performance on the reading and…

This study builds on prior research by leveraging natural language processing (NLP), click-stream analyses, and survey data to predict students' mathematics success and math identity (namely, self-concept, interest, and value of mathematics). Specifically, we combine NLP tools designed to measure lexical sophistication, text cohesion, and…

In 2018, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) introduced a competitive grant program designed to assist Local Education Agencies (LEA) in attaining Math Innovation Zone (MIZ) designation through a four-year process which ensures program fidelity. The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance math proficiency levels for PreK - 8th grade…

Educators and researchers highlight the important role that math plays in providing opportunities for upward mobility in the United States (and globally). Many students from underrepresented communities, including Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and low-income students, often do not get the support they need to develop a positive math mindset, sense of…

This dissertation examines elementary teacher candidates' perceptions of hip-hop culture and utilizing hip-hop pedagogy in a mathematics classroom. This study demonstrates how elements of hip-hop may be integrated into an elementary mathematics methods course to develop pedagogical knowledge that challenges teacher candidates to explore the…

Researchers use data from the RAND American Mathematics Educator Study surveys of public school principals and teachers to investigate three school structures--referred to as "school opportunity structures" throughout this report--that may affect kindergarten through 8th grade (K-8) students' mathematics learning. These structures are…

The purpose of this study was to determine if teacher self-efficacy is influenced by peer coaching in elementary mathematics. Survey, interview, and demographic data were collected from a purposeful sample of first year elementary mathematics teachers within a large, suburban school district located in southeast Texas. "The Teachers' Sense of…

Mathematics teacher quality has become a major focus in national education reform efforts. In addition, there is an increasing interest in the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs and the undergraduate preparation of elementary mathematics teachers. Empirical evidence suggests that teacher attitudes, behaviors and values, or dispositions,…

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementing a mathematics response-to-intervention program increases student achievement on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness mathematics test among fourth-grade students. The goal of this study was to determine if implementation leads to increased student performance among the…

Spatial-Temporal Math (ST Math) is game-based, instructional software for K-12 students created by the MIND Research Institute (MIND). ST Math is integrated into classroom instruction, but can also be used in a computer lab or at home. The ST Math software games begin without language and symbol abstractions by posing math programs as purely…