The effect of instruction on the study behaviors and academic achievement of community college students

The purpose of this study was twofold. It was designed to determine (a) the efficacy of an intervention designed to increase the frequencies of appropriate study behaviors on the part of community college students who were preparing for academic mathematics activities and (b) whether any increase in appropriate study behavior frequency was accompanied by increased academic achievement in college preparatory mathematics classes. A total of 126 Miami Dade College students participated in this study. Two developmental (remedial) mathematics classes were randomly assigned as the experimental group, and two others were assigned as the control group. All students also took a College Survival (SLS) class. The Study Behavior Inventory (SBI) and the Computerized Placement Test (CPT) were administered to the four classes. The SBI was used as a pre- and post-test. The SLS curriculum and classroom time were the same for both groups. However, students in the treatment groups received instruction designed to increase the frequency of effective study behaviors associated with the three factors identified in the SBI, while the students in the control group participated in activities that did not emphasize study behaviors. A series of analysis of covariance procedures were used to analyze four hypotheses. The first three hypotheses proposed that students who were instructed in the use of appropriate study behaviors would score higher on the three factors of the Study Behavior Inventory than those who were not. The fourth hypothesis proposed that a greater proportion of mathematics students who were instructed in the use of appropriate study behaviors would receive a passing grade in their course than students who were in the control group. The four hypotheses were tested at the .05 level of significance. This study revealed that students who received instruction in appropriate study behaviors scored higher in the use of appropriate study behaviors and in mathematics achievement than students who did not. Additional research is needed to investigate whether these effects would persist over time, or be found in subjects other than mathematics.

Fibonacci Series, Golden Proportions, and the Human Biology

Pythagoras, Plato and Euclid’s paved the way for Classical Geometry. The idea of shapes that can be mathematically defined by equations led to the creation of great structures of modern and ancient civilizations, and milestones in mathematics and science. However, classical geometry fails to explain the complexity of non-linear shapes replete in nature such as the curvature of a flower or the wings of a Butterfly. Such non-linearity can be explained by fractal geometry which creates shapes that emulate those found in nature with remarkable accuracy. Such phenomenon begs the question of architectural origin for biological existence within the universe. While the concept of a unifying equation of life has yet to be discovered, the Fibonacci sequence may establish an origin for such a development. The observation of the Fibonacci sequence is existent in almost all aspects of life ranging from the leaves of a fern tree, architecture, and even paintings, makes it highly unlikely to be a stochastic phenomenon. Despite its wide-spread occurrence and existence, the Fibonacci series and the Rule of Golden Proportions has not been widely documented in the human body. This paper serves to review the observed documentation of the Fibonacci sequence in the human body.

The effects of required/sequenced preparatory courses on academic success and retention at a community college

This dissertation had two purposes: first, to analyze how required sequenced college preparatory courses in mathematics, reading, and writing affect students' academic success and, second, to add to a theoretical model for predicting student retention at a community college. Grade point average, number of degree credits earned, and reenrollment rate were measured as determinants of academic success. The treatment group had a significantly higher grade point average than the control group. There was no significant difference in the number of degree credits earned or re-enrollment rate for the groups. A series of logistic regressions used the independent variables E-ASSET scores in math, reading, and writing; number of college prep areas required; credits earned; grade point average; students' status; academic restrictions/required course sequencing; sex; race; and socio-economic status to determine the predictor variables for retention. The academic variable that showed the greatest potential as a predictor for retention was grade point average. Overall, receiving financial aid was the greatest predictor for reenrollment. For a financial aid recipient the odds of reenrollment were 2.70 times more likely than if no financial aid was received.

História da matemática e teatro nas aulas sobre Teorema de Tales: um script proposto

This study will present the results of an investigation of how the history of mathematics and theater can contribute to the construction of mathematical knowledge of students in the 9th year of elementary school, through the experience, preparation and execution of a play, beyond presentation of the script. This brings a historical approach, defining space and time of events, putting the reader and viewer to do the route in the biography of Thales of Miletus (624-546 a.C), creating situations that led to the study and discussion of the content related to the episode possible to measure the height of the pyramid Khufu and the Theorem of Thales. That said, the pedagogical proposal implemented in this work was based on theoretical and methodological assumptions of the History of Mathematics and Theatre, drawing upon authors such as Mendes (2006), Miguel (1993), Gutierre (2010), Desgrandes (2011), Cabral (2012). Regarding the methodological procedures used qualitative research because it responds to particular issues, analyzing and interpreting the data generated in the research field. As methodological tools we have used participant observation, the questionnaire given to the students, field diary and dissertativos texts produced by students. The processing and analysis of data collected through the questionnaires were organized, classified and quantified in tables and graphs for easy viewing, interpretation, understanding and analysis of data. Data analysis corroborated our hypothesis and contributed to improving the use and display of the play as a motivating activity in mathematics classrooms. Thus, we consider that the script developed, ie the educational product proposed will bring significant contributions to the teaching of Mathematics in Primary Education

A geometria do compasso (1797) de Mascheroni (1750 – 1800) em atividades com o GeoGebra

The present work aims to show a possible relationship between the use of the History of Mathematics and Information and Communication Technologies (TIC) in teaching Mathematics through activities that use geometric constructions of the “Geometry of the Compass” (1797) by Lorenzo Mascheroni (1750-1800). For this, it was performed a qualitative research characterized by an historical exploration of bibliographical character followed by an empirical intervention based on use of the History of Mathematics combined with TIC through Mathematical Investigation. Thus, studies were performed in papers dealing with the topic, as well as a survey to highlight problems and /or episodes of the history of mathematics that can be solved with the help of TIC, allowing the production of a notebook of activities addressing the resolution of historical problems in a computer environment. In this search, we came across the problems of geometry that are presented by Mascheroni stated previously in the work that we propose solutions and investigations using GeoGebra software. The research resulted in the elaboration of an educational product, a notebook of activities, which was structure to allow during its implementation, students can conduct historical and/or Mathematics research, therefore, we present the procedures for realization of each construction, followed at some moments by original solution of the work. At the same time, we encourage students to investigate/reflect its construction (GeoGebra), in addition to making comparisons with the solution Mascheroni. This notebook was applied to two classes of the course of Didactics of Mathematics I (MAT0367) Course in Mathematics UFRN in 2014. Knowing the existence of some unfavorable arguments regarding the use of history of mathematics, such as loss of time, it was found that this factor can be mitigated with the aid of computational resource, because we can make checks using only the dynamism of and software without repeating the construction. It is noteworthy that the minimized time does not mean loss of reflection or maturation of ideas, when we adopted the process of historical and/or Mathematics Investigation

Cenário da produção acadêmica em história da matemática no ensino de matemática: uma análise reflexiva das teses e dissertações (1990-2010)

This research aims to make a reflective analysis about the academic production originated in the stricto sensu post graduation programs in the country, produced in the period of 1990 to 2010, in the field of History of Mathematics, especifically on works about the History of Mathematics in Mathematics education and that present pedagogical proposals that make use of the History of Mathematics in order to teach Mathematics. Defending the thesis that the researches on mathematics education with goals turned to the use of didactic proposals related to the history of mathematic that take in consideration the coherency between epistemological aspects inherent to mathematics history and anthological elements materialized on the conceptions of mathematics and mathematics history and of apprenticeship (implicitly or explicitly exposed) may originate significant contribution to the field of history of mathematics on education. Among these, nine were Master’s Degree dissertations and five PHD’s theses. The reflective analysis was accomplished from two matrixes; one from theoretical nature and the other, ontologic nature, elaborated from the pretexts of Sanches Gamboa, about the epistemological analysis from academic production in the field of Mathematics Education and the following theoretical perspectives in the field of History of Mathematics Education, that are: linear evolutionary theory, structural construtivist operative, evolutionary discontinuous, historical and socialcultural investigation and the use of activities estimulating the usage of verbal and nonverbal expressions. These perspectives were based on the works of Miguel and Miorim, Mendes and Radford. As results, we have detected some established dissonances between the categories related to theoretical and ontologic levels and the pedagogical proposal presented in these researches. On the other hand, we have discovered works that are able to establish consonances between the theoretical and ontological elements and the presented pedagogical proposal. These works carry significative contributions to the field of History of Mathematics applied to Mathematics pedagogical practice, inclusively presenting significative theoretical elements to the production of knowledge recognized as scientific in the Mathematics field

Família e escola: memórias de letramento

The school has the social function of educating the individual, building knowledge, attitudes and values that make supportive, critical, ethical and participatory. It is understood, however, in this study, these functions will only be, in fact, met at school if the family engagement at school. As a result, the objective of this research is to rescue the stories of families literacies yesterday and today and their expectations forward to school literacy of children. Theoretically, this research is based on studies of literacy (STREET, 1984; KLEIMAN, 1995; TFOUNI, 1995; 2010; OLIVEIRA, 2008) and in research on family literacy (HEATH, 1982; 1983; DANTAS; MANYAK, 2010). Methodologically, it is a qualitative research which fall within the field of Applied Linguistics (MOITA LOPES, 2006), characterized as an approach of the kind interpretative (MAYRING, 2000; CRESWEL, 2010). It takes as research area Municipal School Councilman Jose Sotero - Igapó / Natal-RN, using data generation tools such as: interview, questionnaire, teaching sequence and conversation wheel, aiming to seek answers to the following questions: How important to recover the reading and writing practices of the parents? What are the relationships between the history of the parents and the reading practices prevalent in the family? Which way to articulate these two systems: family and school, giving new meaning to the literacy practices experienced in the family context and the implications of literacy in school literacy of children? From the analysis of the data generated is expected to understand the family-school binomial and its interference in the literacy process of the students.

Família e escola: memórias de letramento

The school has the social function of educating the individual, building knowledge, attitudes and values that make supportive, critical, ethical and participatory. It is understood, however, in this study, these functions will only be, in fact, met at school if the family engagement at school. As a result, the objective of this research is to rescue the stories of families literacies yesterday and today and their expectations forward to school literacy of children. Theoretically, this research is based on studies of literacy (STREET, 1984; KLEIMAN, 1995; TFOUNI, 1995; 2010; OLIVEIRA, 2008) and in research on family literacy (HEATH, 1982; 1983; DANTAS; MANYAK, 2010). Methodologically, it is a qualitative research which fall within the field of Applied Linguistics (MOITA LOPES, 2006), characterized as an approach of the kind interpretative (MAYRING, 2000; CRESWEL, 2010). It takes as research area Municipal School Councilman Jose Sotero - Igapó / Natal-RN, using data generation tools such as: interview, questionnaire, teaching sequence and conversation wheel, aiming to seek answers to the following questions: How important to recover the reading and writing practices of the parents? What are the relationships between the history of the parents and the reading practices prevalent in the family? Which way to articulate these two systems: family and school, giving new meaning to the literacy practices experienced in the family context and the implications of literacy in school literacy of children? From the analysis of the data generated is expected to understand the family-school binomial and its interference in the literacy process of the students.

História da matemática na formação de professores: sistemas de numeração antigos

This essay aims to present and describe a proposal of insertion of Mathematics History into teachers undergraduation. Such addition proposal is expected to take place as curricular component to be taught on initial undergraduation for mathematics teachers. The selection of contents for the proposal has been based on the national Curriculum Guidelines (DCN, 2001, acronym in portugueses) for bachelor’s degree in Mathematics; the National Curricular Guidelines for Elementary School (PCNEF, 1998, acronym in Portuguese); and the National Curricular Guidelines for High School (PCNEM, 1999, acronym in Portuguese). The curricular component now presented is supposed to take a 60 hour workload, and includes the following topics: History of Ancient Numbering Systems, History of Trigonometriy and History of fuctions. For the sake of exemplification, the topic History of Ancient Numbering Systems is discussed and analysed in detail as practice for the new curricular component.

Identidade pessoal em Hume e em Kant

The issue of this dissertation is the problem of personal identity. More specifically, the objective of this work is to investigate and compare how Hume and Kant construct, within their own philosophical systems, their theories of personal identity (of the self), so that these theories can set the grounds for the construction of theoretical knowledge. Hume’s theory of personal identity is closely connected to his empirical model of investigation, according to which no metaphysical conclusion can be accepted. This implies a very specific limitation to the humean description of personal identity. Because he can’t find a safe empirical reference for the self, Hume is obliged to describe it as a mere fiction, which the imagination creates to try to give unity to the set of perceptions that composes the mind. Kant, on the other hand, constructs his theory of the self with the aim of explaining the possibility of the a priori knowledge in Mathematics and in Physics. Kant tries to find which attributes must necessarily belong to the self so that this self can be, at the same time, the a priori transcendental condition of a subjectivity in general and the equally a priori transcendental condition for the construction of objective knowledge. Moreover, Kant shows the impossibility of objectively knowing, as intuition, the self, and limits himself to the description of the self as a mere subjective consciousness of the synthetic capacities of the understanding. Several disparities, thus, can be perceived between the theories of personal identity of these two authors. Based on these differences, the present work also examines the possibility of making an interpretation of the humean theory of the self by using elements of the kantian philosophy. The purpose of this kind of interpretation is to propose a solution to the difficulties faced by Hume in the description of his theory of personal identity.

Norms of inner derivations for multiplier algebras of C ∗ -algebras and group C ∗ -algebras, II

Peer reviewed

On string topology of classifying spaces

Peer reviewed

Finite Group Actions on Kervaire Manifolds

Date of Acceptance: 09/06/2015

Norms of inner derivations for multiplier algebras of C ∗ -algebras and group C ∗ -algebras, II

Peer reviewed

On string topology of classifying spaces

Peer reviewed