Review of The Search for a Common Language: Environmental Writing and Education Edited by Melody Graulich and Paul Crumbley

This edited collection grew out of a symposium held at Utah State University in Logan in 2002. According to the editors, the symposium's purpose was to "publicly explore the particular ways environmental writing educates the public through a fusion of science and literary expression." The Search for a Common Language achieves that purpose by including short prose pieces-ranging from memoirs, essays on specific locations, and scientific papers - as well as poetry on natural themes. The range of topics and genres and the inclusion of poetry provide a variety of ways to talk about the environment and reach out to different audiences to educate them about the natural world.

Educational Investment, Family Context, and Children’s Math and Reading Growth from Kindergarten through the Third Grade

Drawing on longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999, this study used IRT modeling to operationalize a measure of parental educational investments based on Lareau’s notion of concerted cultivation. It used multilevel piecewise growth models regressing children’s math and reading achievement from entry into kindergarten through the third grade on concerted cultivation and family context variables. The results indicate that educational investments are an important mediator of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities, completely explaining the black-white reading gap at kindergarten entry and consistently explaining 20 percent to 60 percent and 30 percent to 50 percent of the black-white and Hispanic-white disparities in the growth parameters, respectively, and approximately 20 percent of the socioeconomic gradients. Notably, concerted cultivation played a more significant role in explaining racial/ethnic gaps in achievement than expected from Lareau’s discussion, which suggests that after socioeconomic background is controlled, concerted cultivation should not be implicated in racial/ethnic disparities in learning.

Writing in a Mathematics Classroom: A Form of Communication and Reflection

In this action research study, I investigated the use of journaling in my seventh grade mathematics classroom. I discovered that journaling can be a very rewarding and beneficial experience for me and for my students. Through journaling, my students became more adept at using correct mathematical terminology in writing and in speaking. The students also believed that they learned the content more deeply and retained it better. Additionally, implementing mathematical journals caused me to emphasize the use of correct terminology and thorough explanations of mathematical thinking in classroom discussions. As a result of this research, I plan to refine my journaling process and continue to use mathematical journals with my future classes.

The Impact of Teaching Presence in Intensive Online Courses on Perceived Learning and Sense of Community: A Mixed Methods Study

This mixed methods concurrent triangulation design study was predicated upon two models that advocated a connection between teaching presence and perceived learning: the Community of Inquiry Model of Online Learning developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000); and the Online Interaction Learning Model by Benbunan-Fich, Hiltz, and Harasim (2005). The objective was to learn how teaching presence impacted students’ perceptions of learning and sense of community in intensive online distance education courses developed and taught by instructors at a regional comprehensive university. In the quantitative phase online surveys collected relevant data from participating students (N = 397) and selected instructional faculty (N = 32) during the second week of a three-week Winter Term. Student information included: demographics such as age, gender, employment status, and distance from campus; perceptions of teaching presence; sense of community; perceived learning; course length; and course type. The students claimed having positive relationships between teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The instructors showed similar positive relationships with no significant differences when the student and instructor data were compared. The qualitative phase consisted of interviews with 12 instructors who had completed the online survey and replied to all of the open-response questions. The two phases were integrated using a matrix generation, and the analysis allowed for conclusions regarding teaching presence, perceived learning, and sense of community. The findings were equivocal with regard to satisfaction with course length and the relative importance of the teaching presence components. A model was provided depicting relationships between and among teaching presence components, perceived learning, and sense of community in intensive online courses.

Creating Meaningful Homework and Implementing Homework Presentations to Aid in Mathematics Instruction

In this action research study of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of meaningful homework and the implementation of presentations and its effect on students’ comprehension of mathematical concepts. I collected data to determine whether the creating of meaningful homework and the implementation of homework presentations would have a positive impact on the students’ understanding of the concepts being taught in class and the reasoning behind assigning homework. The homework was based on the lesson taught during class time. It was grade-level appropriate and contained problems similar to those students completed in class. A pre-research and post-research survey based on homework perceptions and my teaching practices was given, student interviews were conducted throughout the research period, weekly teacher journals were kept that pertained to my teaching practices and the involvement of the students that particular week, and homework assignments were collected to gauge the students’ understanding of the mathematics lessons. Most students’ perceptions on homework were positive and most understood the reasoning for homework assignments.

Vocabulary Instruction as a Tool for Helping Students of Diverse Backgrounds and Ability Levels to Understand Mathematical Concepts

This action research project describes a research project designed and implemented specifically with an emphasis on the instruction of mathematical vocabulary. The targeted population was my second period classroom of sixth grade students. This group of seventeen students represented diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and abilities. The school is located in a community of a population of approximately 5,000 people in the Midwest. My research investigation focused on the use of specific methods of vocabulary instruction and students’ use of precise mathematical vocabulary in writing and speaking. I wanted to see what effects these strategies would have on student performance. My research suggested that students who struggle with retention of mathematical knowledge have inadequate language skills. My research also revealed that students who have a sound knowledge of vocabulary and are engaged in the specific use of content language performed more successfully. Final analysis indicated that students believed the use of specific mathematical language helped them to be more successful and they made moderate progress in their performance on assessments.

Writing Relevant Word Problems: Seeking to Increase Student Mathematical Achievement

In this action research study of eighth grade mathematics, I investigated my students’ use of writing and solving word problems. I collected data to determine if writing and solving word problems would have a positive effect on students’ abilities to understand and solve word problems. These word problems are grade-level appropriate and are very similar to the problems on the eighth grade online assessment of state standards. Pre- and post-test data, weekly word problems that focus on specific mathematics topics, beginning and end surveys about word problem perceptions, and a teacher journal reveal that student engagement in this weekly practice of writing and solving word problems did influence the students’ overall abilities for, achievement in and attitudes toward solving word problems. Except for some students’ perceptions, the influence was largely positive. This suggests that word problems can be a constructive feature in eighth mathematics instruction.

Departmentalization in the 5th Grade Classroom: Re-thinking the Elementary School Model

In this action research study of my 5th grade classroom, I investigated the benefits of a modified block schedule and departmentalization. The research consisted of dividing the 5th grade curriculum into three blocks. Each block consisted of two primary subject areas: Mathematics was paired with Social Studies, Reading was paired with Health, and Writing was paired with Science. These groupings were designed to accommodate district time-allotment requirements and the strengths of each teacher within the 5th grade team. Thus, one teacher taught all of the Mathematics and Social Studies, another all of the Reading and Health, and another all of the Writing and Science. Students had classes with each teacher, each school day. I discovered that this departmentalization had many benefits to both students and teachers. As a result of this research, we plan to continue with our new schedule and further develop it to more fully exploit the educational and professional advantages we found to be a part of the project.

Mathematical Communication through Written and Oral Expression

In this action research study of my classroom of sixth grade mathematics, I investigated the use of communication of mathematics through both written and oral expression. Giving my students the opportunity to communicate mathematics both in writing and orally helped to deepen the students’ understanding of mathematics. The students’ levels of comprehension were increased when they were presented with a variety of instructional methods. Through discussion and reflection the students were able to find methods that worked best for them and their learning ability. Students’ understanding increased from probing questions that made the students reflect and re-evaluate their solutions. This learning took place when students were made aware of different solutions or ways of doing things from the class discussions that were held. I discovered that when students are challenged to express their thinking both in writing and orally, the students found that they could communicate their thinking in a new way. Some of my students were only comfortable expressing their thoughts in one of the two ways but by the time the project was completed, they all expressed that they enjoyed both ways, and maybe changed the original way they preferred doing mathematics. As a result of this research, I will continue to require students to communicate their thinking and reasoning both in writing and orally.

Written Solutions of Mathematical Word Problems

In this action research study of my classroom of ten ninth grade algebra students, I investigated how my students expressed written solutions of mathematical word problems. I discovered that my students writing and performance improved as they experienced different strategies to attack problem solving. These experiences helped improve the confidence of my students in their problem solving skills and in their mathematical writing. I also discovered that my teaching style changed, as my students took on more responsibility for their learning. As a result of this research, I plan to implement problem solving activities in all my classrooms next year. I also plan to have my students develop their written communication skills by presenting their solutions to their problem solving activities in writing.

Written Communication in a Sixth-Grade Mathematics Classroom

In this action research study of my sixth grade mathematics classroom, I investigated what happened to students’ mathematical achievement when they had increased practice on written explanations to problems. I wanted to see if writing out solutions to problems helped them overall in daily mathematics. By using specific mathematic vocabulary more frequently and deliberately during my instruction, I wanted to investigate whether students would correctly use specific math vocabulary in their written explanations. I also increased my expectations of the students’ written explanations throughout the research project. I wanted to determine whether students would try to meet or even exceed my expectations. I discovered that students used vocabulary more frequently in their written explanations by providing definitions of vocabulary versus using the vocabulary in context. I found little to no evidence suggesting that my students’ mathematical achievement changed through more practice on written communication; however, I did find as my expectations for the quality of students’ written explanations increased, most of my students improved their written explanations of problems and my teaching became more deliberate and specific. As a result of this research, I plan to continue having students communicate their mathematical ideas through written communication while continuing to focus on specific mathematical vocabulary and its purpose in written communication.