Math Journals i ARE MATH JOURNALS EFFECTIVE? Except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in this thesis is my own or was done in collaboration with my Advisor. This thesis does not include proprietary or classified information. Christopher Blake Palmer Certificate of Approval: _____________________________ ______________________________ Donald R. Livingston, Ed. D. Sharon Livingston, Ph. D. Thesis Co-Chair Thesis Co-Chair Education Department Education Department
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Math Journals i
ARE MATH JOURNALS EFFECTIVE?
Except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in this thesis is my own or was done in collaboration with my Advisor. This thesis does not include
proprietary or classified information.
Christopher Blake Palmer
Certificate of Approval:
_____________________________ ______________________________Donald R. Livingston, Ed. D. Sharon Livingston, Ph. D.Thesis Co-Chair Thesis Co-ChairEducation Department Education Department
Math Journals ii
ARE MATH JOURNALS EFFECTIVE?
A thesis submitted
by
Christopher Blake Palmer
to
LaGrange College
In partial fulfillment of
the requirement for the
degree of
MASTER OF EDUCATION
in
Curriculum and Instruction
LaGrange, Georgia
May 2011
Math Journals iii
Abstract
This study explores the impact that math journals have on the test scores of third
grade students. The effectiveness of the math journals was determined through
quantitative and qualitative analysis of data produced during the study. The significance
of math journals was determined through t-test analysis of the student’s pre-post test. The
results were compared to the gains of a control group. Surveys were analyzed using a chi
square. The results showed that student’s had negative attitudes toward journaling, but
journals did provide a significant difference in their gains in their pre-post test. The
journals did not have a statistical significant impact; however the effect size and
qualitative analysis show that the journaling process was beneficial for the students.
Math Journals iv
Table of ContentsAbstract……………………………………………………………………………..…….iii
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………....iv
List of Tables ……………………………………………………………………………..v
Chapter1: Introduction…………………………………………………………………….1Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………….1Significance of the Problem……………………………………………………….2Theoretical and Conceptual Framework…………………………………………..3Focus Questions…………………………………………………………………...5Overview of Methodology………………………………………………………...5Human as a Researcher……………………………………………………………6
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature………………………………………………………7Use of Math Journals in the Classroom…………………………………………...7Positive Effects of Journal Writing for Teachers………………………………….8Positive Effects of Math Journaling with Students……………….……………….9Math Journals Effect on Test Scores…………………………………………….10Positive Student Attitudes Towards Math Journals……………...………………12Opposing Views on Math Journals……………………………………………....13Negative Student Attitudes About Journal Writing……………………………...14Journal Writing and Research……………………………………………………14
Chapter 3: Methodology……………………………...………………………………….16Research Design………………………………………………………………….16Setting…...……………………………………………………………………….16Subjects and Participants…………………………………………………...……17Procedures and Data Collection Methods……………………………………….17Validity, Reliability, Dependability, and Bias…………………………….……..20Analysis of Data……………………………………………………….…………22
Chapter 4: Results………………………………………………………………………..25
Chapter 5: Analysis and Discussion of Results………………………………………….36Analysis……………………………………………………….………………….36Discussion………………………………………………………………………..43Implications………………………………………………………………………44Impact on Student Learning ……………………………………………………..46Recommendations for Future Research………………………………………….46
References………………………………………………………………………………..48
Appendixes………………………………………………………………………………52
Math Journals v
List of Tables
Table 3.1 Data Shell……………………………………………………………………..18
The data from the pre-post test for the control group were analyzed using a
dependent t-test. In Table 4.3, the results from the dependent t-test for the control group
show that t(11) = 6.00, p < .05. This means the obtained value of 6.00 is greater than the
critical value of 1.79. The results from the dependent t-test mean the null hypothesis that
there is no statistical difference in the gains that occurred between the pre- and post-test
than what would occur by chance is rejected. Significance is found between the pre- and
post-test. The effect size was then calculated using effect size r. The effect size is r =
0.55, which is a large effect size, meaning it has a large magnitude. The Pearson
Correlation for the pre-post test was 0.82, which is a very strong reliability between the
tests.
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Table 4.4 – Independent T-Test for Post-Tests
t-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Unequal Variances
Treatment Post Control PostMean 83.75 82.91666667Variance 173.1136364 223.719697Observations 12 12Hypothesized Mean Difference 0df 22t Stat 0.144912318P(T<=t) one-tail 0.443049756t Critical one-tail 1.717144335P(T<=t) two-tail 0.886099513t Critical two-tail 2.073873058
T(22) = 0.14, p > .05
The data from the post tests of the control and treatment group were analyzed
using an independent t-test. In Table 4.4, the results from the independent t-test for the
control group show that t(22) =0.14, p > .05. This means the obtained value of 0.14 is less
than the critical value of 0.89. The results from the independent t-test mean the null
hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the gains that occurred between the
control and treatment group than what would occur by chance is accepted. Significance is
not found between the two groups. The effect size was measured using Cohn’s d. The
effect size is d = .06, which is a small effect size, meaning it has small magnitude.
Focus question three was answered through both quantitative data and qualitative
data. The quantitative data were created through using a chi square for the pre- and post-
survey (Table 4.5) to test for statistically significant questions with-in the survey that was
given to the students. The survey that was given to the teachers was also analyzed using a
chi square (Table 4.6). The surveys were also analyzed quantitatively in order to
determine Cronbach’s Alpha using the responses from each of the three different surveys.
Testing for Cronbach’s Alpha shows the correlation between each test item with total
Math Journals 31
score for each participant to make sure the test items measure their intended purpose
(Salkind, 2010). The qualitative data came from a reflective journal that was kept daily to
record events from during the research. The reflective journal was coded for themes in
order to be analyzed effectively.
The first survey given was the pre-survey to the twelve students participating in
the research study. Their answers were analyzed with a chi square to test for statistical
significance. The results are shown in the Table 4.5 listed below.
Table 4.5 Chi Square for Pre-Post Student Surveys
Items 2 – Pre-Surveyn = 12
2 – Post-Surveyn = 12
1. Journal writing in math class increases my understanding of mathematical concepts.
6 8.67 *
2. Journal writing helps me organize my thoughts
6.67 11.3 *
3. Journal entries in which I explain solutions to mathematical problems increase my understanding.
0.67 5.3
4. I feel comfortable communicating my thoughts to my teacher through journal writing.
3.3 12 **
5. I enjoy journal writing. 1.3 7.3
*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001
The results from the chi square for the pre- and post student surveys did not reveal
many statistically significant questions. The pre-survey did not contain any questions that
were significant on any of the three levels. The post-survey found significance in three of
the five questions. Questions one and two were found to be significant at the p < .05
level. Question four however, was found to be significant at the p < .01 level. The items
Math Journals 32
were significant due to the trend of response, because the students answered in a similar
enough way that could not have occurred by chance. The level of significance for each of
the questions mean that the majority of the students answered in a similar enough way
that the results could not be the result of chance.
Cronbach’s Alpha was used to test the internal consistency reliability for both the
pre- and the post-survey based on the answers given by each student. The test showed a
Cronbach’s Alpha of α = 0.64 for the pre-survey and a Cronbach’s Alpha of α = 0.84.
The results from both the pre-test and the post-test show a fairly strong level of
reliability.
The second survey given was the teacher survey. The survey was given to twelve
teachers in grades three, four, and five. All twelve teachers completed the survey. The
results from the surveys were analyzed using a chi square. The reliability of the test was
also measured using Cronbach’s Alpha. The results from the chi square can be seen in
Table 4.6 shown below.
Table 4.6 Chi Square for Teacher Survey
Items 2 – Teach Surveyn = 12
1. I believe that using journal writing in my math class could beneficial to my students understanding of mathematical concepts.
10 *
2. I am receptive to incorporating journal writing in my math classes.
12 **
3. If research proved that journal writing increased students’ academic achievement in mathematics, I would incorporate it into my lessons on a daily basis.
6
*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001
Math Journals 33
The results from the teacher survey showed two items to be statistically
significant. Item one and two both showed significance but at different levels. Item one
showed significance at the p < .05 level, the lowest level of significance. Item two
showed significance at the p < .01 level, which is the second highest level of significance.
The items were significant due to the trend of response, because the teachers answered in
a similar enough way that could not have occurred by chance. The level of significance
shows that the way in which the questions were answered has similarities that could not
have occurred by chance.
The internal consistency reliability was determined by using the Cronbach’s
Alpha test. The test showed the teacher survey had a Cronbach’s Alpha of α = 0.72. This
is a high level of reliability in the survey.
Focus question three was also answered using qualitative data. The qualitative
data were gathered through the use of a reflective journal that was kept during the
administration of the treatment to the treatment group. The journal was kept by me, and
was a way to record events that occurred during the duration of the treatment. The raw
data were coded for themes in order to be further analyzed. The three themes that the raw
data were coded for was dominant, recurring, and emergent themes.
The raw data proved to have six recurring themes. The recurring themes were (1)
the student’s were confused about the assignment, (2) student motivation, (3) the
assignment was seen as too difficult, (4) the students were confused by the vocabulary,
(5) the students were unable to communicate their thoughts accurately, and (6) negative
attitudes about writing.
Math Journals 34
The recurring themes did have an impact on how the study was conducted. After
several days of the journaling the students became burnt out and did not want to complete
any more journaling prompts. This resulted in changes being made to the lesson plans
with-in the instructional plan in order to maintain student engagement. The most common
theme was negative student attitudes towards writing. This was noted on 72 occasions in
the two week study. The students, for the most part, did not enjoy the incorporation of
writing into math class.
Motivation was the second most recurring theme from the reflective journal, and
instances of student motivation were noted 52 times during the two week study. The
students found that writing was boring and they had a hard time understanding the
connection between writing and math. This led to their not wanting to complete the
assignment.
The third most common recurrence was that the students were confused or did not
understand the assignment. This was noted on 46 occasions; the students had a real hard
time transitioning into journal writing on a daily basis. They did not always understand
the prompts and this lead to the third most common theme that was noted.
The fourth most common theme was the students thought the assignment was too
difficult. There were 31 instances that student’s complained about the assignment being
to hard. The students had a very hard time trying to communicate their thoughts using the
mathematical vocabulary that was introduced during the study.
The second least common theme was that the students were confused about the
vocabulary of the lesson. During the journaling process, I was asked to define a
previously defined mathematical term 26 times. The students had a hard time
Math Journals 35
understanding the mathematical jargon when trying to use the jargon to write a journal
response.
The least common theme was that students were unable to communicate their
thoughts accurately. There were 21 journal responses that were either off topic of
vocabulary was used incorrectly. These caused the prompts to not make sense. The most
common error was trying to write too much resulting in the student getting off topic and
not addressing the prompt. This occurred in 13 of the 21 responses mentioned. The other
eight responses use vocabulary incorrectly.
In this chapter, two types of data were presented, qualitative and quantitative. The
inferential statistics and qualitative analysis may have discrepancies. The information
presented in the results section are further analyzed in Chapter Five and the discrepancies
between the two forms of data are discussed.
Math Journals 36
CHAPTER FIVE: ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Analysis
The data for focus question one were gathered through faculty review, the
instructional plan rubric, and an interview. The type of data used to answer focus
question one is was qualitative data. The data were then analyzed by coding for recurring
themes. The coded results were then examined to determine the changes to occur in order
to make the instructional plan more effective. The recurring themes that caused change to
the instructional plan are (1) student motivation was not addressed, (2) how will
mathematical vocabulary be taught, (3) preparation for journal writing, and (4) vagueness
of the rubric.
Student motivation was not initially addressed in the instructional plan. After the
interview with my colleague, it was decided that student motivation needed to be
prepared more in-depth. According to Countryman (1992), some students have negative
attitudes toward math journaling and any other form of writing. When the instructional
plan was created, I did not take into account that students would be in opposition to the
writing assignments. Once the issue was presented, the procedures section was changed
to incorporate story-based prompts to maintain student motivation and engagement in the
study.
Mathematical vocabulary was another cause for concern. The instructional plan
stated that mathematical vocabulary would be taught, but it did not state how it would be
taught. The way in which mathematical vocabulary is taught is important, because the
students are often unfamiliar with the words and their meaning. Vocabulary development
is a crucial component to a student’s ability to attain new concepts, because without
Math Journals 37
vocabulary the student will not be able to be precise with their mathematical language or
examine other strategies (Carter, 2009). The instructional plan was altered to focus more
on how vocabulary would be taught. Vocabulary was taught through discussion, the use
of flash cards, and through examples of the word used in context.
Preparation for journal writing was also a theme that changed the way the study
was conducted. Preparing the students to write in journals was not a concept that was
originally placed into the instructional plan. After seeing the scored rubric and having the
interview it was determined that this was an important issue that needed to be addressed.
Carter’s (2009) study elaborates on the idea that the missing link for students who
struggle with math journals is their inability to transfer writing skills into the math
classroom. If the students did not know how to write in math journals, then the entire
study would be spent teaching them this skill. This problem was addressed by
incorporating math journals a few days a week for two months before the study. This
allowed the students to know the expectations of the quality of work associated with their
math journals before the study began.
The initial rubric was vague in nature. It was designed as an overview of the
instructional plan, but lacked the detail needed for someone to fully understand the study.
The rubric was also lacked questions that elicited a narrative response, according to a
LaGrange college professor. The instructional plan and rubric were both revised in order
to better convey the purpose of the study and a better holistic view of the study.
The second focus question was answered through the use of pre-post tests for both
the treatment and the control groups. The pre-post tests were analyzed using inferential
statistics. The two forms of statistical analysis that were used were dependent t-tests and
Math Journals 38
independent t-test. These tests were used in order to determine if there was statistical
difference between the two groups (independent t-test) and if there were statistically
significant gains in each of the two groups (dependent t-test). The effect size was also
calculated. The reliability between the pre-post tests was determined using the Pearson
Correlation.
The first in dependent t-test that was run compared the pre-test of the treatment
group with the pre-test of the control group. The results were t(22) = 0.47, p > .05. this
simply means the obtained value of 0.47 is less than the critical value of 0.63. In this
case, the null hypothesis is accepted, because p > .05. The two groups do not have any
statistically significance difference. Since there was no significant difference in the two
groups they are said to be similar in nature and able to be compared (Salkind, 2010).
The treatment group and control group were both given post test similar to their
pre-tests. The pre-post tests from each of the control and treatment group were analyzed
using a dependent t-test to test for significant gains. The effect size was also calculated in
order to determine the magnitude of the treatment. Since dependent t-tests were used, the
effect size was calculated with the effect size r. The treatment groups results from the
dependent t-test were T(11) = 4.17, p < .05. This means the obtained value of 4.17 is
greater than the critical value of .0008. There was a significant difference from the pre-
test to the post-test. The effect size also helps to validate these data, Effect Size r = 0.51.
The effect size calculation shows that was a large magnitude associated with the
treatment. The Pearson Correlation for the pre-post tests was 0.58, which is a fairly
strong reliability between the two tests.
Math Journals 39
The data from the control group were also analyzed using a dependent t-test and
the effect size was calculated using Effect Size r. The results from the control group were
t(11) = 6.00, p < .05. This means the obtained value of 6.00 is greater than the critical value
of 1.79. In this case the null hypothesis that there was no significant difference in the
gains of the test scores is rejected. Significance was found between the pre-test and the
post-test. This means that a math lesson can be successful without the use of math
journals. Effect size r = 0.55, this is large magnitude for the control group. The Pearson
Correlation for the pre-post test was 0.82, which is a very strong reliability between the
tests.
The final statistical test that was conducted to answer focus question two was the
independent t-test comparing the post-test of the control and treatment group. The results
from the test were T(22) =0.14, p > .05. The obtained value of .014 is less than the critical
value of 0.89, which means the null hypothesis that there were no significant gains
between the treatment group and control group was accepted. The magnitude can be
defined as Cohen’s d = 0.06, which is a small effect size. The results suggest that the use
of math journals did not have a significant impact of the test scores when the students
who used math journals as opposed to when they did not. I believe the results may have
been different if the math journaling process was established at the beginning of the
school year, and used on a daily basis. The two week study was too short for the desired
outcome to be reached. Koirala’s (2002) study supports this idea by discussing how the
math journaling is a time-consuming process.
Focus question three was answered using both qualitative and quantitative data.
The qualitative data for focus question three was created through the use of a reflective
Math Journals 40
journal. I recorded daily entries in the reflective journal to record events I considered
important or interesting in terms of the study. The journal entries were analyzed by
coding for recurring themes. This six recurring themes were listed in Chapter Four of this
thesis.
Negative student attitudes about writing were noted on 72 occasions during the
two weeks study. The students do not enjoy the writing process in any facet. According
to Countryman (1992) some students have negative attitudes toward math journaling and
any other form of writing. This was evident in my classroom.
The students confusion about the assignment was a cause for concern. If the
student’s did not fully understand what was expected of them, then the assignment loses
credibility. This resulted in me spending several hours a day reading all of the journals to
provide quick feedback for students. Koirala’s (2002) study states, “teachers need a large
amount of time to examine student journals and provide feedback” (p. 1). Even though I
spent most of free time reading and responding to journals in order to clarify expectations
and directives, there were still some students that did not fully understand all of the
assignments.
Student motivation was the third most common theme noted in the reflective
journal. There were 52 noted incidents of student motivational issues documented during
the research study. The students did not like the journaling process to say the least. Every
time I would ask the students to get out their math journals the grumbling began. The
main reason behind the motivation is that they could not make the connection between
writing and math. Countryman (1992) notes one student complaining by saying “Why do
we have to write? This is math class; not English” (p.2).
Math Journals 41
Students found the assignments to be difficult on several occasions. The students
found it to be very difficult to convey their thoughts unto the paper having to use
mathematical vocabulary. Situations of this nature were noted 46 times in the two week
study. Baxter, Woodward, and Olsen’s (2005) study states, “Problems arise, however,
when students do not or cannot describe their mathematical reasoning in a coherent
manner” (p.120). This was seen when the students began to hit their frustration level with
their understanding of the concepts taught during the study.
The mathematical vocabulary needed to write detailed responses to the journal
prompts was another issue that arose. Students were unsure of the vocabulary on 26
occasions during the study. This was frustrating from a teaching prospective, because I
had already adjusted my instructional plan to help avoid this problem. Journaling
provides an answer to this [vocabulary] problem because it forces students use
mathematical language in order to express their thoughts and ideas (Garside, 1994, p. 3).
If the students do not understand the vocabulary than it becomes very difficult to
effectively use a math journal. This was seen in a few of my students.
The previous two themes led to the next theme that was recorded. The sixth theme
was the students were unable to communicate their thoughts accurately. This was caused
by being frustrated with the assignment and not being able to master the vocabulary
needed to accurately respond to the journal prompt. Wells and Reinertsen’s (1993) study
states, “Writers often do not know what they know until they have written it, reread it,
and clarified it further for themselves” (p. 182).
Focus question three also used quantitative data to analyze a pre-post survey
given to the students and a survey given to the teachers. The surveys were analyzed using
Math Journals 42
a chi square to test for significance, and they were also analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha
to test for reliability with-in the survey.
The results from the chi square showed that there were no significant items on the
pre-survey at the p < .05, p < .01, or p < .001 levels. The student post test did show
significance in three of the questions. The first item that showed significance was journal
writing in math class increases my understanding of mathematical concepts. This item
received a significance level of one star, meaning p < .05. The significance occurred
between strongly agree and agree. This suggests that students do believe that math
journals help them to understand mathematical concepts. The next item on the post
survey for the students that was found to be significant at the p < .05 level was journal
writing helps me organize my thoughts. The significance for this item was found between
strongly agree and agree. This suggests that students believe that math journals do help
them to organize their thoughts. The last item on the post-survey that had significance at
the p < .01 level stated, “I feel comfortable communicating my thoughts to my teacher
through journal writing.” This was the most significant item on the student survey. In can
be concluded from the results of the student survey that the students believed the math
journals helped them to understand and organize mathematical concepts, but they did not
feel comfortable communicating through the journals.
The teacher survey was also analyzed using a chi square for significance and
Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability. There were two items from the teacher survey that
showed significance. The first item that showed significance at p < .05 states, “I believe
that using journal writing in my math class could beneficial to my students understanding
of mathematical concepts.” The significance was found between agree and disagree. In
Math Journals 43
this case, in can be concluded that teachers either believe math journals will or will not
benefit their students. The second item showed significance at the p < .01 states, “I am
receptive to incorporating journal writing in my math classes.” The significance was
found between agree and disagree. The survey suggests that teachers either are or are not
receptive to math journals. The overall survey suggests that teachers either agree or
disagree over the use of math journals in class.
I believe that the surveys confirmed what I have experienced in my school. The
children disliked journal writing, but they did admit that it helped them. As for teachers,
teachers either like math journals or they do not like them. I have not met an extremist for
either side.
Discussion
The results produced by the research were not what not what I expected, possibly
due to the short period in which the study took place. I believe if the study would have
been conducted over the period of an entire school year, significant gains would have
been recorded between the control and the treatment group. The poor attitudes of the
students about math journaling comes from their disdain for writing. The students
complain about writing in all content areas, not just math. If the students involved in the
study would have had a better pre-disposition about writing, their attitudes may have
been more positive. The students did admit in their survey they believed that math
journals helped them to organize their thoughts and better understand concepts. I believe
this is very meaningful because the students admitted that this was strategy that helped
them, even though they do not enjoy the strategy. This is a rarity and could be very
beneficial if used over the period of an entire school year.
Math Journals 44
Credibility is a concept defined as triangulation. Eisner (1991) calls this
‘structural corroboration,’ where a confluence of evidence comes together to form a
compelling whole. Credibility was obtained through using multiple sources to gather
data. The data from the sources were then analyzed and arranged in a way to form a
coherent argument.
Opposing viewpoints were introduced in the literature view and cited again in
Chapter Four and Chapter Five of this thesis. The opposing viewpoints were introduced
in order to have fairness within this thesis. The purpose of having fairness was to increase
the tightness and coherence of my argument. The argument was tight, but could have
been sounder if two separate groups could have been tested for a control and treatment
group, instead of having the same group taught one concept with the treatment and
another concept without the treatment. The results were presented accurately and without
bias in order to further strengthen the case presented. Rightness of fit was also present in
this thesis. The results did agree with the literature, in that the use of math journals did
cause significant gains from pre-test to post-test. The results did slightly differ from the
literature because the use of math journals did not have significant gains over traditional
teaching methods. However, this may be linked to the short time period of the study.
Implications
The results from the study cannot be generalized for the entire school population
due to the small sample size. The results showed that the implementation of math
journals did have significant gains from pre-test to post-test. Math journals are an
effective strategy for teaching mathematics. In the case of math journals being more
effective than standard math teaching strategies, the results of this study suggest that
Math Journals 45
journals are not significantly different. In order for a teaching strategy to be successful, in
my opinion, the teacher needs to believe the strategy is effective and will bring results.
Based on the teacher surveys, the findings suggest that the teachers who are not receptive
to the use of math journals, using math journals in the classroom is a big commitment on
the part of the teacher because the time associated with providing individual feedback for
each child. The themes associated with the qualitative results do help confirm that
referential adequacy is present. When making the decision to use math journals an
educator needs to prepare for lack of student motivation, difficulty with understanding
vocabulary, preparation of the writing process, and students not being able to convey
their thoughts into words. I believe these themes will occur in most situations involving
the implementation of math journals.
Even though the students were not very receptive to having to write about
mathematics on a daily basis, they were willing to admit through their surveys that math
journals helped them to better understand mathematical concepts and organize their
thoughts. This proves that the study contained catalytic validity, because even though the
students did not enjoy the strategy used they admitted it help them. Transformational or
‘Catalytic Validity’ (Larther as cited by Kinchloe & McLaren, 1998) is the degree to
which you anticipate your study to shape and transform your participants. The results
from the student survey suggested that a transformation of students did occur.
The students were not the only participants in the survey who were transformed to
some degree. I, as a teacher, was also transformed through this study. When making
lesson plans, I now plan more in-depth and concentrate and the attainment of vocabulary
needed to discuss a mathematical concept in detail. I also have a better understanding of
Math Journals 46
how my students process information. This has helped me to become a better teacher by
being more aware of the individual needs of my students.
Impact on Student Learning
This thesis impacts student learning by showing that math journals can be an
effective strategy in significantly increasing test scores. Math journals can be a great tool
for teachers looking to incorporate writing across their curriculum. The results show that
math journals were no more effective than strategies already implemented into my
classroom through inferential statistics. I suggest that a strategy’s success is going to be
dependent on the amount of time a teacher spends trying to insure the strategy is
successful as possible. Math journals are not a cure all for teachers seeking to raise their
math scores, but if used correctly they can significantly raise the student’s scores over a
period of time, as long as the teacher is willing to read all the journals and provide
individual feedback for their students.
Recommendations for Future Research
If a researcher is interested in doing a study on math journals, I would like
recommend that they start the journaling process at the beginning of the school year. As a
teacher and a research, I would like to see the effects of math journaling over the period
of an entire school year. Student attitudes was an obstacle I faced in my study but if the
journaling process began at the beginning of the year, not in the middle as seen with this
study, then student attitudes may change. The study may be more effective if the same
students are not used for the control and treatment groups with the same concept being
taught. The goal original goal was for this study to have two completely independent
groups, but due to unexpected obstacles than was unable to occur. If a research is able to
Math Journals 47
have two independent groups and complete a year long study, I believe that the research
would have more catalytic validity and referential adequacy.
Math Journals 48
References
Bruce, S. (2010). Action research in special education : an inquiry approach for effective
teaching and learning. New York: Teachers College Press.
Burns, M. (1998). Math in action. link classroom projects to math practice. Instructor,
107(8), 69.
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Appendix A
Instructional PlanCriteria DescriptionParticipants Two Third grade classrooms consisting on
thirty two students. The gender break down is 19 boys and 13 girls.
Content Area Math with a focus on measurement.Standards Met M3M2. Students will measure length
choosing appropriate units and tools.
a. Use the units kilometer (km) and mile (mi.) to discuss the measure of long distances.
b. Measure to the nearest ¼ inch, ½ inch and millimeter (mm) in addition to the previously learned inch, foot, yard, centimeter, and meter.
c. Estimate length and represent it using appropriate units.
d. Compare one unit to another within a single system of measurement.
Time Frame The students will engaged in instructional time for 45 minutes a day for ten consecutive school days.
Rationale The study is designed to assess the role math journals play in the comprehension of mathematical concepts. The study will also evaluate student attitudes towards using journals in math class.
Role of Teacher The teacher will be guiding instruction through both whole group and small group instruction. The teacher will also be guiding journal writing through prompts.
Procedures The students will participate in whole group instruction where the information for the day will be given. During small group
Math Journals 53
instruction the lesson topic will discussed and the student’s will participate in journal prompts to further assess their knowledge and increase understanding of the topic. The journal prompts will be worded in order to engage students and promote writing. The prompts will be story based so that the students will feel more comfortable writing. Vocabulary was also taught through discussion, flashcards, and examples.
Modifications Lessons may need to be modified based on the IEP’s of students participating in the survey
Math Journals 54
Appendix B
Instructional Plan RubricCriteria Description Feedback Participants Two Third grade classrooms
consisting on thirty two students. The gender break down is 19 boys and 13 girls.
How can the sample size be adjusted to better fit the study?
Content Area Math with a focus on measurement.
Will the content area be applicable to the study?
Standards Met M3M2. Students will measure length choosing appropriate units and tools.
a. Use the units kilometer (km) and mile (mi.) to discuss the measure of long distances.
b. Measure to the nearest ¼ inch, ½ inch and millimeter (mm) in addition to the previously learned inch, foot, yard, centimeter, and meter.
c. Estimate length and represent it using appropriate units.
d. Compare one unit to another within a single system of measurement.
Could the standards better correlate with the content area and the study?
Time Frame The students will engaged in instructional time for 45 minutes a day for ten consecutive school days.
How could the time frame be adjusted to be more adequate for the study?
Rationale The study is designed to assess the role math journals play in the comprehension of mathematical concepts. The study will also evaluate student attitudes towards using journals in math class.
What changes could be made to the rationale in order to better capture the study?
Role of Teacher The teacher will be guiding instruction through both whole group and small group
How could teachers effectiveness be maximized in order to
Math Journals 55
instruction. The teacher will also be guiding journal writing through prompts.
What materials need to be added to the ones listed?
Procedures The students will participate in whole group instruction where the information for the day will be given. During small group instruction the lesson topic will discussed and the student’s will participate in journal prompts to further assess their knowledge and increase understanding of the topic. The journal prompts will be worded in order to engage students and promote writing. The prompts will be story based so that the students will feel more comfortable writing. Vocabulary was also taught through discussion, flashcards, and examples.
Are the procedures listed clear? How could the procedures be modified to increase the effectiveness of the study?
3. I believe that using journal writing in my math class could beneficial to my students understanding of mathematical concepts.
1 2 3 4
4. I am receptive to incorporating journal writing in my math classes.
1 2 3 4
5. If research proved that journal writing increased students’ academic achievement in mathematics, I would incorporate it into my lessons on a daily basis.
1 2 3 4
Math Journals 58
Appendix E
Reflective Journal Prompts
Class
Date
Strategy
1. What were three main things I learned from this session?
2. What did we not cover that I expected we should?
3. What was new or surprising to me?
4. What have I changed my mind about, as a result of this session?
5. One thing I learned in this session that I may be able to use in the future is...
6. I am still unsure about...
7. Ideas for action, based on this session...
8. What I most liked about this session was...
9. What I most disliked about this session was...
10. Miscellaneous interesting facts I learned in this session...