EXEMPLARS FROM MATHEMATICS EDUCATION WITHIN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR

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Developing STEM Education Research Practices

• EXEMPLARS FROM MATHEMATICS EDUCATION WITHIN THE
  HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR
• PROFESSOR TONY CROFT
• MATHEMATICS EDUCATION CENTRE
• LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
• DIRECTOR OF SIGMA CETL

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Three specimen papers

• We will look briefly at three pieces of work from
  the mathematics education research literature
• Lee et al Engineering students knowledge of
  mechanics upon arrival at university.
• Croft Pell Mathematics Support Support for
  all ?
• Perkin Croft The dyslexic student and
  mathematics in higher education.

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A research strategy start with an idea
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Formulate Research Questions
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Who else has done what ?
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Research design
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Do the leg work!
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Analyse your data
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Tell everyone what you have found
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Sample of novices writing

• Leeds Metropolitan University has established a
  Journal to encourage its staff to write within
  their academic discipline.
• This is available on-line and provides lots of
  illustrations of how its staff are getting their
  early work into print.
• http//www.leedsmet.ac.uk/alt/index_publications.h
  tm

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Some references

• Barbara Jaworski's article in the CETL-MSOR 2007
  conference proceedings is good for getting
  mathematics lecturers into mathematics education
  research.http//www.mathstore.ac.uk/repository/CE
  TLMSOR2007_Proceedings.pdf
• Jean McNiff's internet document on action
  research is a mine of information
• (http//www.jeanmcniff.com/booklet1.html)
•  
• Lester Jr., F.K., Criteria to Evaluate Research.
  Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,
  1996. 27(2)130-132 - good to know what to aim
  for in academic writing in mathematics education
  research.
• Swales, J. M., Genre Analysis English in
  academic and research settings, Cambridge
  University Press, Cambridge, 1990 - good for
  explaining the principles and conventions of
  academic writing

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The examples

• (1) Lee et al Engineering students knowledge
  of mechanics upon arrival at university
• (2) Croft Pell Mathematics Support Support
  for all ?
• (3) Perkin Croft The dyslexic student and
  mathematics in higher education

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The research questions

• (1) What mechanics is available and being studied
  in school ? How much mechanics do students have
  upon entering university ? How much mechanics do
  academics expect students to have ?
• (2) Is it true the those who make good use of
  mathematics support centres are already quite
  competent and simply want to do better ?
• (3) Can dyslexia impede students progress in
  mathematics ?

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Methodologies

• (1) Quantitative study Large scale surveys,
  interviews, diagnostic testing.
• (2) Quantitative study desk analysis of existing
  data.
• (3) Qualitative study small number of case
  studies, interviews, documentary evidence,
  observation.

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Findings

• (1) Many (engineering) students do not have the
  opportunity at school to study more than the most
  elementary topics in mechanics. Lack of awareness
  amongst academic staff.
• (2) There is a border-line group of students who
  benefit. There is another border-line group who
  dont take advantage and fail, but were likely to
  have passed if they had taken up the offer of
  support. Many able students simply want to do
  better.
• (3) General impediments to success arising
  through dyslexia can impact negatively on
  progress in mathematics.

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Good luck