The Effects of Changing from a Traditional Mathematics Curriculum to an Integrated Mathematics Curriculum on Student Mathematics Learning in Georgia

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The Effects of Changing from a Traditional Mathematics Curriculum to an Integrated Mathematics Curriculum on Student Mathematics Learning in Georgia The University of Southern Mississippi The Aquila Digital Community Dissertations Fall 12-2011 The Effects of Changing from a Traditional Mathematics Curriculum to an Integrated Mathematics Curriculum on Student Mathematics Learning in Georgia Catherine Lynn Mallanda University of Southern Mississippi Follow this and additional works at: https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, and the Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons Recommended Citation Mallanda, Catherine Lynn, "The Effects of Changing from a Traditional Mathematics Curriculum to an Integrated Mathematics Curriculum on Student Mathematics Learning in Georgia" (2011). Dissertations. 485. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/485 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by The Aquila Digital Community. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of The Aquila Digital Community. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of Southern Mississippi THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING FROM A TRADITIONAL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM TO AN INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM ON STUDENT MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN GEORGIA by Catherine Lynn Mallanda Abstract of a Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2011 ABSTRACT THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING FROM A TRADITIONAL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM TO AN INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM ON STUDENT MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN GEORGIA by Catherine Lynn Mallanda December 2011 In 2005, the state of Georgia adopted a new integrated mathematics curriculum, the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS), which included a task-based approach for instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if the new Georgia Performance Standards for mathematics increased students’ mean mathematics Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores or induced changes in the distribution of students’ scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition, it was determined whether the level of course the student took, the type of implementation of the GPS curriculum or the preparation for implementation affected the PSAT/NMSQT scores. The results of the study indicated there was a statistically significant relationship between the GPS curriculum and students’ mean mathematics scores for year one of implementation, but not for year two. Results also showed a change in the distribution of test scores for students scoring in the lower half of the range of possible scores. This study did not reveal any indication that following the specific practices of the GPS had an effect on the PSAT/NMSQT scores. In addition, the department chairman indicated while students benefitted from the GPS as it provided a more challenging curriculum and required students to make more mathematical connections, there were significant challenges for the students and teachers. ii COPYRIGHT BY CATHERINE LYNN MALLANDA 2011 The University of Southern Mississippi THE EFFECTS OF CHANGING FROM A TRADITIONAL MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM TO AN INTEGRATED MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM ON STUDENT MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN GEORGIA by Catherine Lynn Mallanda A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Southern Mississippi in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved: Rose McNeese_______________________ Director Tammy Greer________________________ David Lee___________________________ Ronald Styron________________________ Susan A. Siltanen_____________________ Dean of the Graduate School December 2011 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through this endeavor. To my parents, Frances and John Mallanda, thank you for teaching me how to be independent and to rely on myself and hard work to meet my goals, without which I would not be earning this degree. To my friend Roberta Manheim, thank you for always listening to me, encouraging me and providing a grammar lesson when necessary. To my study group, Angela Bare, Marla Hutton and Karen Lockhart, I will always remember our long Sunday afternoons trying to digest what we were learning, debating educational benefits and encouraging each other professionally and personally to keep going and finish this program. I appreciate the support of my committee, Dr. Rose McNeese (chair), Dr. Tammy Greer, Dr. David Lee and Dr. Ronald Styron, for your guidance through this process. I would also like to thank Dr. Ed Leonard whose encouragement through the first few classes made me believe in my abilities. I would like to thank the Educational Leadership department for establishing a cohort model which made this degree a reality for those of us in Georgia. To our program director, Dr. McNeese, thank you for taking care of our cohort. You were gracious in answering our questions, concerns and putting us all at ease. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………………………………………………..iii LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………..vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS…………………………………………………………….vii CHAPTERS I. INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY…...………………………………...1 Background Theoretical Framework Statement of the Problem Statement of the Purpose Research Questions Rationale/Significance of Study Assumptions Delimitations Definitions Summary and Organization of the Study II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE……………...…………………………….15 Introduction Political Framework Curriculum Development Instructional and Transformational Leadership Constructivist Theory Integrated Mathematics Summary III. METHODOLOGY…………………...………………………………….52 Introduction Research Questions and Hypothesis Research Design iv Participants Instrumentation Data Collection Procedures Data Analysis Changes to Mathematics Instruction Before and After the Georgia Performance Standards Summary IV. RESULTS……………………………………………………………….60 Introduction Results Descriptive Statistics Statistical Results Summary V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS………………………………………………..75 Introduction Summary of the Study Conclusions Limitations of the Study Implications for School Leaders Recommendation for Future Research Concluding Remarks APPENDIXES……………………………………...……………………………………89 REFERENCES………………………………...………………………………………...96 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Trends In International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) scores of the highest scoring countries and the United States in the years 1999, 2003 and 2007……..……………………………………………………………………42 2. Student Demographic Data by Year…………………………………………61 3. Descriptive Statistics for PSAT/NMSQT scores for 2007-2010…………….63 4. Frequency Distribution (Percentages) of Student Mathematics PSAT scores from 2007-2010……………………………………………………………...65 5. Chi Square Analysis Results on the Distribution of PSAT/NMSQT scores...65 6. Descriptive Statistics for Survey Items (N = 8)...……………………………66 7. Simple Correlations Among Predictor with Criterion Variables (N = 8)...….67 8. Hierarchical Regression of Predictor Variables on PSAT/NMSQT Scores (N = 8)……………………………………………………………………..…69 9. Frequency Distribution (Percentages) Summary of Themes from Open-Ended Responses of Mathematics Department Chairmen (N = 8)...………………..71 vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1. Change in Mean PSAT/NMSQT Scores by Curriculum Over Time………...64 vii 1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Background With the creation of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the federal government created a new sense of urgency for improving education in America (No Child Left Behind Act [NCLB], P.L. 107-110 (HR1), 20 U.S.C. 6301et seq., 2002). The purpose of the act was to ensure that all students had “a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education” (LaMorte, 2008, p. 470). In addition, students were required to demonstrate their achievement on “state academic assessments” (LaMorte, 2008, p. 470). One way for states to achieve this goal is to make sure that all students have access to a high-quality curriculum. Phi Delta Kappa audited the Georgia Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) in 2001. The findings determined the QCC was not rigorous or demanding enough for every student. In addition, the QCC included more objectives than could be taught in one year and provided little guidance for teachers. Evaluating a multitude of State and National assessments, including the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in which Georgia students scored below national average, it was clear that Georgia’s students were not making enough gains and that the achievement gap was not narrowing. At that point the State Board of Education charged the Georgia Department of Education with developing a new mathematics curriculum. The purpose of the new curriculum was to alleviate the following concerns: a lack of rigor and focus, a lack of usability by teachers to truly guide classroom instruction, and a lack of student-centered versus teacher-centered instruction (Georgia Department of Education, n.d.b). 2 In 2005, Georgia adopted the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) for mathematics. Each performance standard had four components. There was a content standard for each one of the following: “numbers and operations, measurement, geometry, algebra and data analysis and probability” (Georgia Department of Education, n.d.b, p. 2). In addition, each course included “process standards emphasizing problem solving,
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