Date of Award
5-2009
Degree Type
Report
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Mathematics and Statistics
Committee Chair(s)
Brynja Kohler
Committee
Brynja Kohler
Abstract
Over the years, there have been several trends, philosophies, and ideas about how mathematics should be taught. These have included progressive movements, essentialist movements, drill and practice, teacher-centered methodologies, student-centered methodologies, and others. However, despite these various instructional trends, research has found that mathematics teachers have basically taught the same way for years, with little or no variation with respect to the changing trends (Ward, 2001). For many students, the traditional teaching method employed in their mathematics classes is typically centered on the teacher and includes lecture in which the teacher provides the necessary definitions and notations and does several sample problems. The teacher then assigns the students similar problems from the textbook for in-class practice and homework that is graded and collected the following day. This teaching method tends to increase students' computation and algorithmic ability, but does little to promote deep, conceptual understanding.
Recommended Citation
Atkins, Rebecca, "Random Motion and the Diffusion of Brine Shrimp: A Project Based Learning Unit" (2009). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023. 451.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/451
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