Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Instruction and Teacher Education

Sub-Department

College of Education

First Advisor

Susan Schramm-Pate

Abstract

The present action research study describes an Interactive Mathematics Review Program (IMRP) developed by the participant-researcher to enable remedial algebra students to learn in a cooperative classroom with pedagogy that promoted collaboration and hands-on, active learning. Data are comprised of surveys, field notes, semistructured interviews, and focus group insights about the IMRP over an 8-week period in the spring of 2017 at a southern, low-socioeconomic status high school. Findings include: (1) greater comprehension; (2) increased engagement and math-related discussions; (3) increased motivation; (4) egalitarian principles; and (5) high-quality reciprocity. A nine-step action plan designed to enable other math teachers at the school to separate remedial students into cooperative groups to learn algebra with a peermentoring component is scheduled for weekly in-service sessions in the fall of 2017. The results of this study, in concert with students’ perceptions of the IMRP model, will be shared with other math teachers in a professional learning community, and a reciprocal plan to increase progressive pedagogy throughout the school for continually monitoring and assessing improvements in student learning will be the focus of the action plan.

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