How Depth of Interest Is Related to Personalized Learning in Mathematics

• In Event: Culturally Relevant and Socially Just Mathematics Learning

Abstract

This study tested whether a utility value intervention focused on the relevance of math to STEM careers and popular culture interest influenced interest and performance in mathematics. Mathematical problem posing, or authoring mathematical tasks, allows students to integrate their interests and experiences into the classroom. Little research has explored different designs for scaffolding or facets of posed problem quality, particularly when problem posing is based on students’ interests. An environment was created for community college students to author algebra problems related to fields of interest in career or pop culture. Students with a deeper knowledge of their career and popular culture interests benefitted more, even though they posed poorer-quality problems. This has implications for problem-posing instructional design for mathematics classrooms.

Authors

• Candace A. Walkington, Southern Methodist University
  Presenting Author

• Taylor Darwin, Texas Tech University
  Presenting Author

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

• Christina Hollander-Blackmon, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  Presenting Author

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