<p> The purpose of this study is to examine the influences certain factors have on the mathematical motivation beliefs of students in a predominantly African American setting. Mathematical motivation beliefs, for the purpose of this study, are defined as the components mathematical self-efficacy and mathematical value, both represented as dependent variables in the study. 4 independent variables were studied as potential influences regarding mathematical motivation beliefs. The variables included parental influences, teacher influences, mathematical anxiety, and the environment/setting. This research was conducted using 2 high schools in a rural area in East Mississippi. The 1^st high school was predominantly African American and the 2^nd high school was predominantly Caucasian. 4 scales were selected for this research study. The Mathematics Confidence Scale, developed by Dowling (1978), Mathematics Problems Performance Scale (Dowling, 1978), Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scale (Fennema, 1976), and My Class Activities Survey (MCA, Schweinle &amp; Mims, 2009) were all used. Findings revealed that teacher influence predicted the mathematical motivation beliefs of students in a predominantly African American school environment the most. Findings also indicated that math anxiety significantly predicted math value and self-efficacy in both classroom environments. Lastly, findings revealed that mathematical problem solving was significantly predicted by mathematical self-efficacy for students in a predominantly African American environment.</p>

<p> It is a well-documented finding that high school students in schools across the nation, including California, fail to achieve at the proficient level in mathematics, based on standardized test scores. The purpose of this research study was to compare the findings of students taught using traditional instructional methodologies versus cooperative learning methodologies. The study was conducted in four ninth grade Algebra I classes on a South Los Angeles high school campus, which has 1,700 students. Of the student population, 110 students participated in the study. The researcher utilized descriptive statistical analysis as a means to review previous student standardized test scores to determine baseline performance. After the treatment, a district adopted assessment was administered and used as a post-test to gather quantitative data to compare the scores of students who were taught using cooperative learning methodologies versus those who were taught using traditional methodologies in Algebra I.</p>

<p> This study investigates the development of flexibility and reversibility in a calculus environment that attends to linking multiple representations. Reversibility was studied through Krutetskii&rsquo;s framework of reversibility of two-way processes and reversibility of the mental process in reasoning. The study was conducted over approximately four months in a high school calculus classroom in an urban school district in a mid-Atlantic state. Instruction attended to linking multiple representations whenever possible. Four types of data were collected: 1) a pre-test, 2) a post-test, 3) daily assessments, and 4) clinical interviews. Twenty-one students completed a pretest and post-test that together assessed development of flexibility over the course of the study. They also completed daily assessments that were collected to provide evidence of the development of reversibility during the course of the study. Six students participated in four clinical interviews each, spread throughout the study. Inferential statistics were used to compare the results of the pre-test and post-test for significant differences and to determine significant differences in the presence of reversibility on the daily assessments over the course of the study. The clinical interviews were analyzed for evidence of students&rsquo; thought processes while solving reversible questions. Analysis revealed that over the course of the study, students demonstrated significant increases in both flexibility and reversibility. Two-way reversibility seemed to develop with relative ease for most students and often developed simultaneously with learning a forward process. Developing reversibility of the mental process in reasoning was difficult and tended to develop simultaneously with learning in a forward direction for students with high levels of flexibility. For students who did not develop reversibility simultaneously with forward learning, both two-way reversibility and reversibility of the mental process in reasoning were able to develop through multiple opportunities to solve reversible tasks of similar content. Analysis of the clinical interviews indicated that students typically followed a 4-step thought process when using reversibility to solve problems. Implications and limitations of the study and areas of further research were discussed.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Syracuse University, 2008. / "Publication number: AAT 3323089."

Thesis (Ph.D.(Mathematics and Applied Mathematics)) -- University of Pretoria, 2009. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Also available in print.

Thesis (PH.D.)--Syracuse University, 2003. / "Publication number AAT 3099724."

Thesis (PH.D.)--Syracuse University, 2003. / "Publication number AAT 3081644."

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 126-128). Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2005. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Maurice J. Burke. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-157).