Malaysian Journal of Mathematical Sciences, January 2017, Vol. 11, No. 1
Mathematics Pedagogical Strategies to Create a Positive College Classroom Community
Furuto, M. A.
Corresponding Email: mfuruto@hawaii.edu
Received date: 20 May 2016
Accepted date: 31 December 2016
Abstract:
Creating a positive classroom community is an instrumental component toward attaining student success. This study incorporated cooperative learning and mathematics journaling as pedagogical tools in four sections of College Algebra over two years. Participants (n = 84) consisted of diverse undergraduate students at a medium-sized, four-year public university. The researcher collected data in a mixed-method research design using multiple sources, including classroom observations, video recordings, pre/post interviews, student mathematics journals, and the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES). The researcher conducted data analysis through the constant comparative data analysis method and to strengthen the validity and reliability of the study, used three strategies: triangulation, member checks, and inter-rater reliability. Results indicate that students gained a sense of belonging, embraced their classmates, fostered communication, and increased participation and mathematics self-efficacy.
Keywords: Classroom community, cooperative learning, mathematics journals
Indexing
