Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Josh Herring
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Phyllis J. Washington College of Education; Office of the Dean
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Why is math the cousin of college classes no one likes talking about? What causes students to drop out of 100 level math classes? Who is being left out? I am currently a Learning Assistant (LA) at the University of Montana for M122 (college-trig) and last year I helped in M151 (pre-calculus). As an LA I encourage active learning by facilitating discussions, answering questions and supporting the instructor. For the past three semesters I conducted a midterm feedback survey to learn how to improve our class structure and to understand how students feel supported by their LA. However, with this research project I want to delve past the surface level questions and find out how students feel about the climate of their math class, what is helping them succeed and what is holding them back. Previous studies have shown classroom climate influences how successful students will be in math. Since the research is still ongoing, the design plan is to use the ‘College and University Classroom Environment Inventory’ to gather information about the students registered in 100 level math classes. Essentially this survey is designed to understand how students feel about their classroom climate. I predict, from my experience as an LA, students are going to feel more comfortable in classrooms with an LA and more successful in classrooms that engage in active learning. The results from this survey will give a voice to introductory math students and will inform teachers and LAs of the best practices.
Category
Physical Sciences
Giving a Voice to Students: Classroom Climate in College Level Math Classes
UC South Ballroom
Why is math the cousin of college classes no one likes talking about? What causes students to drop out of 100 level math classes? Who is being left out? I am currently a Learning Assistant (LA) at the University of Montana for M122 (college-trig) and last year I helped in M151 (pre-calculus). As an LA I encourage active learning by facilitating discussions, answering questions and supporting the instructor. For the past three semesters I conducted a midterm feedback survey to learn how to improve our class structure and to understand how students feel supported by their LA. However, with this research project I want to delve past the surface level questions and find out how students feel about the climate of their math class, what is helping them succeed and what is holding them back. Previous studies have shown classroom climate influences how successful students will be in math. Since the research is still ongoing, the design plan is to use the ‘College and University Classroom Environment Inventory’ to gather information about the students registered in 100 level math classes. Essentially this survey is designed to understand how students feel about their classroom climate. I predict, from my experience as an LA, students are going to feel more comfortable in classrooms with an LA and more successful in classrooms that engage in active learning. The results from this survey will give a voice to introductory math students and will inform teachers and LAs of the best practices.