Enhancing Problem Solving Through Math Clubs

This action research paper was about a mandatory math club of seventh graders that met once per week over a 12-week period. The students gathered in the classroom during their regularly scheduled math class. The focus of the math club was to solve challenging math problems, usually cooperatively, and sometimes competitively. The math club activities varied from week to week to offer an element of surprise. Frequently, the students presented their solutions to peers, along with an explanation of the way they solved the problem. Instruments were used to collect information about problem-solving accuracy, student attitudes, and student and teacher behaviors. I discovered a slight improvement in problem solving. Also, on Math Club days, the teaching was less teacher-centered and more student-centered. As a result of this research, I plan to offer my middle school students more problem-solving opportunities and I plan to allow my students to work cooperatively on a regular basis.

Nebraska Builder Award Presented to Dr. Mark Gustafson

Few Nebraskans are as devoted to the University of Nebraska as Mark Gustafson. Driven by his belief that a strong university is key to a strong Nebraska economy, Mark is an advocate for the university in the local, state, and national arenas. He is a Nebraska delegate to the Council for Agricultural, Research, Extension, and Teaching, a national advocacy organization for higher education. Since 1991, he's been a member of Agriculture Builders of Nebraska, Inc., which supports UNL's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as well as the entire University, and has served three terms as president. He has served on the advisory councils for the UNL chancellor and the NU president and served on UNL's Future Nebraska Taskforce. He holds baccalaureate and master's degrees from UNL and a Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley. When he's not volunteering his time, Mark operates the family farm near Mead. He and his wife, Dianne, are the parents of two children - Christopher, a UNL alumnus, and Anneke, a UNL junior.