Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1994. / Title from title page screen, viewed March 31, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Jane O. Swafford (chair), Roger Day, John A. Dossey, Patricia H. Klass. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-117) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2004. / Title from title page screen, viewed May 18, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Tami S. Martin, Roger Day (co-chairs), Johnny W. Lott, Beverly S. Rich. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-115) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Elisabeth Swanson. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 301-316).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on June 8, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Norma C. Presmeg (chair), Cynthia W. Langrall, Beverly S. Rich, Janet Warfield. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-187) and abstract. Also available in print.

First Year College of Education students who have done and/or passed mathematics at matric level, often lack adequate understanding of basic mathematical concepts and principles. This is due to the fact that formal tests and examinations often fail to assess understanding at anything but a basic level. It is against this background that this study uses alternative and more direct means of assessing the level and nature of the understanding such students have of aspects of basic arithmetic and number theory. More specifically, the goals of the study are: 1. To determine the students' levels of understanding of the following number concepts: Rational numbers; Irrational numbers Real numbers and Imaginary numbers. 2. To determine whether the students understand the rules governing operations with negative numbers and with zero as principles rather than conventions. 3. To determine whether the students understand the rule governing the order of operations as a matter of convention rather than as a matter of principle. A survey of the literature concerning the nature of understanding as well as the nature of assessment is given. The students' understanding in the above areas was assessed by means of a written test followid by interviews. A sample of 50 students participated in the study while a sub-sample of 6 were interviewed. Some of the significant findings of the study were : 1. The students largely failed to draw clear distinctions between Real and Rational numbers as well as between Irrational and Imaginary numbers. 2. Very few of the students could explain the rationale behind the rules governing the. operations with negative numbers and zero. 3. Only half of the students had any knowledge of the rule governing the order of operations. Only one student demonstrated an understanding of the rule as a convention.

Orientador: Mônica Fürkotter / Banca: Edda Curi / Banca: Leny Rodrigues Martins Teixeira / Resumo: Neste trabalho, vinculado à linha de pesquisa "Práticas e Processos Formativos em Educação", apresentamos resultados de uma pesquisa que tem por objetivo investigar o(s) modelo(s) de formação continuada subjacente(s) às ações de formação continuada de Matemática oferecidos pela rede municipal de ensino de Presidente Prudente e a contribuição dessas ações de formação para a construção de saberes docentes. A relevância da pesquisa está amparada na lei que regulamenta o Fundo de Manutenção e Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica e de Valorização dos Profissionais da Educação (FUNDEB) e que em um de seus artigos estabelece que os municípios devem implantar Planos de Carreira que contemplem a capacitação profissional especialmente voltada à formação continuada com vistas a melhoria da qualidade de ensino. Delimitamos como objetivos específicos: investigar a legislação relacionada à formação continuada de professores; traçar o perfil dos professores; investigar quais ações de formação continuada foram oferecidas pela Seduc de Presidente Prudente; investigar como os professores caracterizam as ações de formação continuada de Matemática das quais participaram e se reconhecem mudanças na sua prática após participarem de tais ações; investigar o que os professores dizem dominar em relação aos conteúdos matemáticos e aos recursos didáticos; investigar o que as ações de formação continuada devem contemplar, na opinião dos professores e da coordenadora pedagógica e qual a sua contribuição para a carreira do professor, segundo a coordenadora. A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa do tipo exploratória, utilizou como instrumentos de coleta de dados questionário, entrevista e análise documental. Os dados dos questionários respondidos por 201 professores constituem... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this work, linked to the research line "Practice and Formative Processes in Education", we present results of a survey that aims to investigate the model(s) of continuing formation underlying the actions of the continuing formation of Mathematics offered by the municipal schools in Presidente Prudente and the contribution of these actions of formation for the construction of teacher knowledge. The relevance of the research is supported in the law that governs the Fundo de Manutenção e Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica e de Valorização dos Profissionais da Educação (FUNDEB - Fund for Maintenance and Development of Basic Education and Appreciation of the Teaching Profession) and in one of its articles it states that municipalities must implement Career Plans that include professional training especially focused on continuing education with a view to improving the quality of teaching. Our specific objectives: to investigate the law related to continuing formation of teachers; to draw the profiles of teachers; to investigate which actions of continuing formation have been offered by Seduc of Presidente Prudente; to investigate how the teachers characterize the actions of continuing formation for Mathematics which they participate and recognize changes in their practice after participating in such actions; to investigate what teachers say they know in relation to the mathematical subjects and the teaching resources; to investigate what the actions of continuing formation should include, in the opinion of teachers and the educational coordinator and where their contribution to the career of the teacher, according to the coordinator. The research, of qualitative exploratory type, used as instrument of data collection questionnaire, interview and documentary analysis. The data from questionnaires answered by 201 teachers... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this research study is to describe and analyze the self-reported experiences of exemplary high school mathematics teachers who underwent personal and professional transformations in order to develop and use a standards-based, constructivist (SBC) teaching paradigm in their classrooms. These teachers were all past recipients of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), an award that required them to demonstrate that their mathematics instruction was rigorous in the manner described by the NCTM standards. The following research questions are addressed: (a) What are the paths SBC secondary mathematics teachers who received the PAEMST pursued to become highly effective?, (b) What obstacles and challenges did they encounter and how were these obstacles overcome?, and (c) What sustained them on their journeys? The research methodology used to be a narrative inquiry. Following a wide survey of PAEMST recipients, five volunteer participants were chosen for the study. Data were collected from each participant using a one-to-one interview and the written section of each participant's PAEMST application. A narrative was written for each participant describing the path they had followed to become a highly effective high school mathematics teacher. The narrative was sent to each participant, and a follow-up interview was conducted via telephone amending the narrative to reflect the participant's additions and deletions. From the five amended narratives, eight themes were identified: (a) influences; (b) education; (c) professional development; (d) NCTM standards; (e) teaching style: beginning, current, or end of a career; (f) obstacles; (g) personality traits and personal beliefs; and (h) student influence. Several of the themes were supported by previous research. However, this research study discovered two new findings. First, the five participants had common characteristics and beliefs: (a) belief in their students, (b) persistence, (c) belief that professional development is vital for teacher growth, and (d) passion about mathematics and about conveying that passion to their students. The second research finding pertained to the influence that their own students had on all of the five participants. All the participants purposely sought out their students' thoughts about the classroom curriculum and about the instruction they received. The teachers considered their students part of the classroom learning community, and they honored and acted on their input. Finally, in addition to describing the trajectory of five PAEMST winning teachers, this study offers recommendations for students studying to become high school mathematics teachers, teacher educators, and educational researchers. For these students, their teaching preparation courses need to be taught adhering to the four principles of learning: activity, reflection, collaboration and community. According to this research, the model of teacher preparation courses that emphasize the teaching of the above four principles using a traditional teacher-directed method does not prepare future mathematics teachers for the use of SBC teaching in their classrooms. Suggestions about further research are addressed.

The purpose of this research was to estimate (1) the extent to which institutional inbreeding is prevalent among mathematics faculty at colleges and universities throughout the United States; (2) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty at American colleges and universities classified according to institutional genre; (3) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty classified according to gender; and (4) the extent of institutional inbreeding among mathematics faculty in American colleges and universities classified according to regions of the country. Institutional inbreeding was defined as faculty employment at the institution from which one received the highest earned degree. An exhaustive review of the literature on inbreeding was used to develop this research. All public-supported and private-supported American universities that offer a doctorate in mathematics were identified by consulting the 1991 American Mathematical Society Professional Directory. Catalogs for the academic year 1991-1992 were requested from each institution. One-hundred sixty-seven institutions of higher education which offer the Ph.D. degree in mathematics and 5,961 faculty members were identified. The results of the analyses found a mean proportion of inbred mathematics faculty of 3.46 percent, which is one-tenth of the most recent study examining mathematics faculty. A chi-square goodness of fit test using specified frequencies, found a statistically significant difference between rates of institutional inbreeding among mathematics stratified according to gender. A chi-square goodness of fit test using specified frequencies was used to test the association between mathematics faculty when stratified by Carnegie classification and regions of the country. No association was found between rates of institutional inbreeding of mathematics faculty when institutions were stratified according to the Carnegie classification and regions of the country. This research indicates institutional inbreeding is on the decline among mathematics faculty in American Colleges and Universities.