Using Quantitative Diagrams to Examine Curriculum Enactment in a Developmental Mathematics Classroom

• In Event: Poster Session 16
  In Poster Session: Research in Mathematics Education SIG Poster Session

Abstract

Despite low success rates and an academically vulnerable population, classes taught at the pre-college (or developmental) level have rarely been examined by mathematics education researchers. Mathematical Literacy, a recent developmental curriculum innovation, aims to better meet the unique needs of developmental students through group work and problem-centered materials. Using a novel quantitative representation of the classroom and descriptive statistics, this study examines the productivity of developmental mathematics students, their engagement with each other and the instructor, and their access to the curriculum in a Mathematical Literacy implementation. We find that students’ engagement is regular, productive, and frequently involves the instructor. However, some students have less access to group discussions. Future implementations should focus on early identification of such students.

Authors

• Martha Makowski, The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa

• Sarah Theule Lubienski, Indiana University