Analyzing Undergraduate Experiences with Primary Source Projects in Mathematics through Learning Experience Network Analysis

• In Event: Analyzing Mathematical Experiences in Higher Education: Undergraduate and Graduate Perspectives

Abstract

This study explores how undergraduate students experience mathematics instruction through Primary Source Projects (PSPs). Rather than measuring instructional efficacy in traditional terms, we use Learning Experience Network Analysis (LENA) to investigate what students experience and why it matters. Drawing from 33 student reflections on two PSPs related to calculus, we identified recurring patterns of struggle, success, and learning processes. Through network correlation and cluster analysis, we surfaced seven thematic groupings that were interpreted through learning theories to propose specific design moves that can enhance future implementations of PSP-based pedagogy. Our findings suggest that PSPs can deepen mathematical understanding, humanize the discipline, and promote reflective learning. The LENA approach also offers a scalable method for analyzing qualitative data in design-based research.

Authors

• Ananya Mahesh, University of Alabama - Birmingham

• Latham Girona, University of Alabama - Birmingham

• Kathleen Michelle Clark, University of Alabama - Birmingham

• Jonan Phillip Donaldson, University of Alabama - Birmingham