Bring Community Into Teaching Mathematics and Science

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Increasing Engagement Through Designed Learning Environments

Abstract

The study evaluates (a) how students’ attitudes towards mathematics and science change as a result of the community based inquiry curriculum, and (b) to what extent are students’ attitudes of the environment in their community changed as a result of the community based inquiry curriculum? Participants are African American (n = 75) and American Indian (n = 2) seventh grade students (male: n= 32 and female: n=45) from a middle school in the South. Results suggest a substantial increase in attitudes among middle school students in science and mathematics. Additionally, there were significant gender differences in students’ science and mathematics attitudes. These results intimate that a community based inquiry curriculum increases these students’ attitudes towards science and mathematics.

Authors

• Sanghee Choi, University of North Georgia

• Angiline Powell, The University of Memphis