Essential Question: Does inquiry based instruction develop a positive math mindset and increase student performance on Bridges in Mathematics assessments?
My essential question has remained the same as semester one. This research ins innovative because it focuses on using inquiry in mathematics, cultivating a positive math mindset, and it can be adopted on a larger scale by others. The findings in this study influenced my thinking on inquiry and a growth mindset in mathematics. I found that both of these components helped students increase their math scores, as well as increase their math mindsets. There were three different assessments at the beginning and end of this study: a Math Mindset survey, an Inquiry Survey, and a Bridges in Mathematics test. The pre-test and post-test data was compared to evaluate if these methods of instruction were effective to help increase a positive math mindset, resulting in higher student performance. The data from this study shows an overall increase in student scores. The difference in the pre-test and post-test scores for the Bridges in Mathematics test entitled, “Multi-Digit Multiplication and Early Division” show increased student performance overall. 38% of students scored Far Below Basic in the pre-test, and 6% of students scored Far Below Basic in the post-test. This shows that 32% of students moved out of the Far Below Basic level. The pre-test and post-test data for the “Math Mindset” survey show an increase in math mindset. The largest increase came from the question: “Mistakes are valuable! I believe that mistakes grow my brain!” The True response rose by 10.1% in the post-test. The difference in the pre-test and post-test scores for the “Math Inquiry” survey show an overall increase of student understanding. In the pre-test, 95% of students scored Basic or Far Below Basic. In the post test 65% of students scored Far Below Basic in the post-test. This shows that 35% of students moved out of the Basic and Far Below Basic levels. The data that took place in this study supports the importance of implementing inquiry in mathematics in order to develop a positive math mindset and student performance on Bridges in Mathematics assessments. Interlacing inquiry into mathematics curriculum will allow students to find connections, discuss the logic of mathematics, and reason. Cultivating a positive math mindset is a natural step to bringing this process to fruition. In order for a child to reason and be successful, they must persevere. Inquiry seeks to provide students with the tools to be successful in complex math problems, and a positive math mindset provides students with the motivation to persevere in completing these complex math problems. I will continue to teach with a focus on inquiry and a positive math mindset while I collect data from the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum. Running multiple data cycles will bring further validity to this study, and bring more clarity to the effectiveness of these tools.
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May 2019
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