The development, implementation, and evaluation of mathematics laboratories in an elementary education mathematics methods course

Butler, Linda (1981) The development, implementation, and evaluation of mathematics laboratories in an elementary education mathematics methods course. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to develop mathematics laboratories for a mathematics education methods course, Education 2341, and to evaluate the laboratories and their effectiveness in aiding students in meeting the objectives of the course. A second purpose was to determine any changes in attitude toward four aspects of mathematics education as a result of completing Education 2341. -- The procedure was carried out in five steps. First, the mathematics laboratories were developed. During the time period when these laboratories were being piloted, an Evaluative Questionnaire and interview questions were designed and tested. The mathematics laboratories were then revised by using data collected from the Evaluative Questionnaire, interviews, and the activity evaluation sheets. The activity evaluation sheets had been administered after each laboratory. -- The main study was conducted during the 1980 winter semester, with the laboratories being held on a weekly basis. Each laboratory consisted of three activities each of which inducted two questions. These questions provided feedback on the effectiveness of the laboratories. The students were given activity evaluation sheets for each laboratory in order to obtain data for future revisions. At the close of Education 2341 the Evaluative Questionnaire and interviews were administered. Finally, the Connelly Taxonomized Attitude Questionnaire was administered before and after the 1980 winter semester of Education 2341. -- The effectiveness of the laboratories in aiding students meet the objectives was examined. The laboratories were effective in aiding students to (1) develop follow-up activities given the information that elementary school children had exhibited difficulty with a previous activity on the same topic; (2) suggest how a given activity might be altered to accomplish different objectives; (3) suggest an alternate activity to accomplish the same objective as a given activity. The laboratories were ineffective in aiding students to suggest an extension activity for an elementary school student given the information that the student had exhibited no difficulty with a previous activity on the same topic. The results in this study were inconclusive for determining the effectiveness of the laboratories in aiding students to adapt an activity in mathematics designed for an university student for use in an elementary school classroom. -- The attitudes of students toward (1) mathematics; (2) individualizing mathematics instruction and the use of guided discovery techniques in mathematics; and (3) teaching mathematics were increased during the course. Attitudes toward the existence and use of logical structure in mathematics did not change significantly as most students entered the course with a positive attitude.

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