IMPROVING BASIC MATH SKILLS USING TECHNOLOGY Siobhan Hudson Sarah Kadan Karen Lavin Tylita Vasquez An Action Research Project Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the School of Education In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Teaching and Leadership Approved Content Designation for Teacher Leader Endorsement Siobhan Hudson: Social Science Sarah Kadan: Social Science Karen Lavin: Mathematics Tylita Vasquez: Special Education Saint Xavier University Masters of Arts in Teaching and Leadership Program Chicago, Illinois December 2010 i DEDICATION This paper is dedicated to our students, parents, families, professors, and classmates. Thank you to our students for allowing us to restructure your learning environment. Thanks for trying new things. Thank you to all the parents that supported and encouraged our efforts to enhance the learning environment by allowing their children to participate in our research. Thank you to our building administrators for allowing us to conduct our action research projects as well as other initiatives. Your support was appreciated. Thank you to our families for supporting our laboring efforts and lovingly encouraging us to finish the program. Thank you to all of our professors for their time, patience, understanding, and guidance throughout the entire program. They made it a fun and challenging experience for us all. A special thanks to Marge, Jim, and Jerry for inspiring us to become better educators, change agents, and teacher leaders. Thank you to our fellow classmates (OP56) for assisting and supporting us throughout this crazy, fun-filled journey of discovery. “Always remember to K.I.S.S.” Finally, thank you to Saint Xavier University for providing a convenient and comprehensive Masters of Arts in Teaching and Leadership program. Siobhan Hudson Sarah Kadan Karen Lavin Tylita Vasquez ii TITLE: IMPROVING BASIC MATH SKILLS USING TECHNOLOGY AUTHORS: Siobhan Hudson - Carol Moseley Braun Elementary School Sarah Kadan - Washington Elementary School Karen Lavin - Harold L. Richards HS/Mathematics Tylita Vasquez - Berger-Vandenberg Elementary School DATE: December 2010 ABSTRACT The students of the targeted fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth grade classes exhibited difficulties with number sense that interfered with understanding and recall of basic math facts. Evidence for the existences of the problem included teacher observation, test scores, and student and teacher surveys. The research participants included 42 children under 12 years old, 50 children over 12 years old and 20 teachers. The dates of the study were January 11, 2010 – May 07, 2010. During the course of this intervention, teacher researcher(s) attempted to enhance students’ basic math skills by re-teaching basic math skills with an emphasis on number sense using computers, calculators, and other technological devices. The students accessed mathematical websites and software via computers weekly. The rationale for the action research project was to enhance basic math skills of the targeted fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth graders. Deficiencies in basic math skills in the classroom typically lead to inaccurate computation that created obstacles when problem solving. After a thorough review of the literature, three common probable causes were found to be lack of prior knowledge, negative attitude towards math, varied teaching methods. After a review of the literature, the teacher researchers selected four possible solutions for the lack of retention of basic math skills from the variety of solutions proposed by researchers. These possible solution strategies included: early screening, implementing the use of manipulatives, cooperative learning, and integrating technology. The teacher researchers recommend that all mathematics teachers, regardless of grade level, take some time to reinforce basic math skills. To reinforce and explore these topics, the teacher researchers recommend using technology such as software programs, PowerPoint, Elmos, Smart Boards, projectors, calculators, internet websites, You Tube videos and DVDs, and music CDs. Overall, targeted students in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth grades improved their understanding of basic math skills by using technology. Their post intervention test scores indicated a noticeable increase in student mastery of basic mathematics. More students earned scores of 70% or higher when compared to the pre assessment scores. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 – PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT .......................................................1 General Statement of Problem .............................................................................................1 Immediate Problem Context ................................................................................................1 The Surrounding Community ..............................................................................................7 National Context of the Problem .......................................................................................11 CHAPTER 2 – PROBLEM DOCUMENTATION .......................................................................14 Problem Evidence ..............................................................................................................14 Probable Causes .................................................................................................................21 CHAPTER 3 – THE SOULUTION STRATEGY .........................................................................26 Literature Review...............................................................................................................26 Project Objectives and Process Statements ........................................................................31 Methods of Assessment .....................................................................................................31 Project Action Plan ............................................................................................................32 CHAPTER 4 – PROJECT RESULTS ...........................................................................................34 Historical Description of the Intervention .........................................................................34 Presentation and Analysis of Results .................................................................................43 Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................................50 Reflections .........................................................................................................................52 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................54 APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................57 1 CHAPTER 1 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND CONTEXT General Statement of the Problem Deficiencies in basic math skills in the classroom typically lead to inaccurate computation that created obstacles when problem solving. The students of the targeted fourth, fifth, sixth, and ninth grade classes exhibited difficulties with number sense that interfered with understanding and recall of basic math facts. Evidence for the existences of the problem included teacher observation, test scores, and student and teacher surveys. Immediate Problem Context The action research project was conducted in four different schools within three different school districts situated in south suburban communities near a major metropolitan city in the Midwest. The four sites involved in this project consisted of three elementary schools and one high school. One teacher researcher was located at Site A with students in the sixth grade. Another teacher researcher was located at Site B with students in the ninth grade. The third teacher researcher was located at Site C with students in the fourth grade, and the fourth teacher researcher was located at Site D in the fifth grade. Site C and Site D were part of the same school district. 2 Site A Site A was a public elementary school, including grades kindergarten through sixth with a total enrollment of 317. The students’ racial/ethnic background was 99.1% Black and 0.9% Hispanic. There were no students limited in English proficiency. Limited English proficient rate was defined as those students eligible for transitional bilingual programs. This site had a low income rate of 85.5%. Low income was defined as students who came from families receiving public aid, lived in institutions for neglected or delinquent children, were supported in foster homes with public funds, or were eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunches. The attendance rate was 92.5% and there was no chronic truancy rate. The mobility rate was 40% (State School Report Card, 2008a). The staff at Site A included one principal, one assistant principal, 27 teachers, one nurse, and one social worker, 29 of whom were female and two were male. Eighteen members of the staff were Black females, 11 were White females, and two were White males. The pupil to teacher ratio was 14.7, and the average years of teaching experience was 9.6 years. The average teacher salary was $48,443. The percentage of teachers with bachelor’s degrees was55.8%, and the percentage of teachers with master’s degrees and above was 44.2%. The percentage of classes not taught by highly qualified teachers was 1.3% (State School Report Card, 2008a).