Personalizing Mathematics to Students' Career Interests Using the "Stories of Algebra" Online Environment

• In Event: Leveling the Playing Field: Utilizing Interest and/or Value for Engagement and Learning

Abstract

Objectives
Personalized learning (PL) has been framed as a way to enhance the relevance of mathematics for students (Walkington, 2013). PL is defined and enacted in a varied and diffuse manner (Bernacki, et. al, 2021), but broadly PL “places the interest and abilities of learners at the center of their learning experience” (Halverson et al., 2015, p. 1). Advances in technology offer novel ways to adapt instruction to students’ characteristics including their career interests (Plass & Pawar, 2020; Walkington & Bernacki, 2020). We report on research on personalizing math learning to students’ career interests in a technology-enhanced environment.

Background
Interventions which promote utility value – enabling students to see the usefulness of subjects like mathematics – can promote interest and learning (Gaspard et al., 2015; Kosovich et al., 2019). Interest is defined as the process of engaging and the predisposition to re-engage with particular areas (Hidi & Renninger, 2006). Higher levels of interest are associated with improved performance, learning, and use of effective strategies (see Renninger & Hidi, 2019). Personalizing instruction to students’ interests has been found to trigger and maintain interest (e.g., Bernacki & Walkington, 2018), but research on designs that incorporate career interests are sparse. In a series of studies, we explored the question: What is the impact of personalization to career interests on career and math interests and algebra learning?

Methods
Students in introductory algebra-focused classes in middle and high school (N=147) and a community college and Hispanic-Serving college (N=197) used the “Stories of Algebra” online environment, hosted through ASSISTments (Heffernan & Heffernan, 2014). PL tasks enabled students to solve or pose algebra problems personalized to their career interests; some students were also assigned to “Instruction as Usual” where they solved typical problems. Full instructional materials are freely available at https://sites.google.com/view/stories-of-algebra.

Students completed pre- and post-assessments measuring their algebra knowledge, interest in math, and interest in their career area. They often worked in groups on assignments as their screens and audio were recorded. ASSISTments kept logs of students’ interactions with the system, including the scaffolds they used to learn about how algebra was used in their career areas (Table 1).

Results and Significance
Outcome comparisons indicated differential effects based on students’ distance from entry into careers. For middle school students, the intervention did not have significant effects on math or career interest or math learning. At the high school level, solving personalized math problems about careers increased students’ career interest and math interest. And at the college level, results showed that solving and posing career personalized math problems significantly enhanced algebra learning.

The idea that personalizing instruction based on students’ career interests would increase motivation has strong intuitive appeal and acceptance among the education community. However, little research has systematically examined the impact of career personalization and how it compares to other forms of instruction. Because of the supports they provide for students’ interest and achievement, relevance interventions are important to students’ persistence on STEM pathways, especially community college students and students from diverse backgrounds.

Authors

• Candace A. Walkington, Southern Methodist University
  Presenting Author

• Matthew L. Bernacki, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Meghan J. Greene, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brooke Istas, Cowley College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Leyva, Southern Methodist University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Taylor Darwin, Texas Tech University
  Non-Presenting Author