Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2005. / Thesis advisor: Philip Halloran. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mathematics." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 23-24). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rowan University, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Gina Gresham. Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-99).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2002. / Bibliography: leaves 56-59.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Texas A&M University, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Sept. 9, 2008). "Major subject: Educational Psychology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-136).

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to improve my teaching practice, as well as my second grade students' success with two-digit addition concepts, by allowing them to choose the manipulative tools to explore problems and justify solutions. I examined how allowing my students this choice influenced their attitudes, achievement, and explanations of their thought processes. I found that allowing students to choose their own manipulatives had positive influences in all three areas. Pre- and post-test results showed an overall shift toward more positive mathematics attitudes, as well as increased academic achievement with two-digit addition concepts. Students also demonstrated changes in the ways they used the manipulatives, as well as how they explained their solutions to two-digit addition problems.

The study was undertaken with three Grade 9 teachers at three selected schools which are part of RUMEP’s Collegial Cluster Schools’ programme that I coordinate. Collegial clusters are communities of teachers who aim at improving their practice by working on their own professional development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the selected Grade 9 teachers’ experiences of a Geoboard intervention programme. It also wanted to investigate the role that a Geoboard can play in the teaching and learning of area and perimeter of two-dimensional shapes. The research was a case-study within the interpretive paradigm. A variety of data collection techniques was used. These included baseline assessment tasks, observations during the intervention programme, post intervention assessment tasks and semistructured interviews with the participating teachers and a few learners from each participating school. The collected data was analysed using both the quantitative and qualitative methods. My research findings reveal that a Geoboard, as a manipulative, developed confidence in the participating teachers. In the interviews with teachers, it transpired that teachers’ skills in teaching area and perimeter of two-dimensional shapes had been sharpened. According to the interviews with learners, the use of a Geoboard led to better conceptual understanding of the area and perimeter, as learners no longer had to rely on formulae. Kilpatrick et al. (2001) refer to conceptual understanding as an integrated functional grasp of mathematical ideas. The post intervention assessment task showed a positive shift in learners’ performance. The average learner performance improved from 29% in the baseline assessment task to 61% in the post intervention assessment task. This shows that the use of a Geoboard led to meaningful learning of area and perimeter of two-dimensional shapes. The overall research findings reveal that the use of manipulatives has a positive impact in the teaching and learning of area and perimeter. Learners’ responses to the interview questions showed that there was better understanding of the two concepts, which enabled them to construct their own knowledge. They further said the Geoboard allowed them to be hands-on, which contributed to their active involvement in the lesson.