Investigating problem-posing during math walks in informal learning spaces

Wang, Min; Walkington, Candace

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1106676

Cited by 4 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Further studies should explore the extent to which task values explain the effects of problem posing on overall achievement and attitudes towards mathematics. The present afterschool program included free and semi‐structured problem posing activities to maximize the benefits of the intervention (Wang & Walkington, 2023). Follow‐up studies should investigate whether different constraints, such as structured problem posing activities, affect students' motivation to different extents and whether short‐duration problem posing has comparable effects to longer‐duration ones (Wang et al., 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aim of the program was for students to develop an app‐based mathematical walk in their hometown to connect mathematical topics to their everyday lives. Math walks describe activities in which students visit a series of locations, perceive mathematics in their environment, and ask or answer mathematical questions about it (c.f., Wang & Walkington, 2023). The main activities of the program followed principles of effective problem‐posing interventions (Wang & Walkington, 2023): We implemented a mixture of free (e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Math walks describe activities in which students visit a series of locations, perceive mathematics in their environment, and ask or answer mathematical questions about it (c.f., Wang & Walkington, 2023). The main activities of the program followed principles of effective problem-posing interventions (Wang & Walkington, 2023): We implemented a mixture of free (e.g. 'Walk along the river.…”

Section: Afterschool Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Personalizing real‐world problems: Posing own problems increases self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value

Schoenherr

2024

Brit J of Edu Psychol

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BackgroundReal‐world problems are important in math instruction, but they do not necessarily trigger students' task motivation. Personalizing real‐world problems by (1) matching problems to students' shared living environment (context personalization) and (2) asking students to pose their own problems (active personalization) might be two interventions to increase students' task motivation.AimIn the current study, we investigated the effects of context personalization and active personalization on students' self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, utility value, and cost.SampleThe participants were 28 fifth‐ and sixth‐grade students who voluntarily took part in a six‐month afterschool program in which they posed problems with the aim of creating a math walk in their hometown.MethodUsing a within‐subjects design, at the end of the afterschool program, the students rated their self‐efficacy expectations and task values for four self‐developed problems associated with their hometown, four peer‐developed problems associated with their hometown, and four instructor‐provided problems associated with unfamiliar locations.ResultsStudents reported higher self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value for active‐personalized than non‐personalized problems. To a lesser extent, context personalization promoted intrinsic value and attainment value. No effect was found for cost.ConclusionsActive personalization (i.e. asking students to pose their own real‐world problems) is suited to enhance students' task motivation, specifically their self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value. Context personalization still boosts students' intrinsic value and attainment value. Implementation in classroom instruction is discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Afterschool Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Personalizing real‐world problems: Posing own problems increases self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value

Schoenherr

2024

Brit J of Edu Psychol

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“…For instance, informal math learning is traditionally focused on academic performance metrics [59,60]. Yet, a growing interest in place-based math education outside conventional classrooms is emerging [61] These environments hold the potential for kindling mathematical reasoning, even when participants might be unaware of their active mathematical engagement [62,63]. Informal science learning is more robust, flexible, and engaging for learners of all ages, spanning museum visits and outdoor interactions [64].…”

Section: Understanding Stem Learning In Informal Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Racially Minoritized Girls’ Perceptions of Their STEM Identities, Abilities, and Sense of Belonging in a Summer Camp

Milton,

Sager,

Walkington

2023

Education Sciences

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Informal science education researchers have become increasingly interested in how out-of-school spaces that offer STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs inform learners’ STEM achievement, interests, and affective outcomes. Studies have found that these spaces can offer critical learning and developmental opportunities for underrepresented racially minoritized (URM) students (Black, Latinx, low socioeconomic status) in STEM subjects. Shifting away from the leaky STEM pipeline analogy, researchers have posited contemporary understandings to explain why the minoritization of URM girls persists. Informal learning environments such as STEM summer camps are being studied to assess how URM girls experience and interact with STEM in novel ways. These environments can inform the research field about how URM girls’ perceptions of their STEM identities, abilities, efficacy, and belonging in STEM develop as they engage in those spaces. This mixed-method study used a multiple-case-study approach to examine how aspects of URM middle school girls’ STEM identities positively changed after participating in a one-week, sleep-away, single-gender STEM summer camp held at a university in the Southwestern U.S. Drawing on intersectionality and STEM identity, we used ecological systems theory to design our research study, examining how URM middle school girls narrate their STEM identities in this informal learning environment. Using quantitative analyses and deductive coding methods, we explored how elements of girls’ STEM identities were shaped during and after their participation in the STEM summer camp. Findings from our study highlight (1) quantitative changes in girl participants’ STEM identities, sense of belonging in STEM, and perceived STEM ability belief, (2) qualitative results supporting our quantitative findings, and (3) how the intersectionality of participants’ race and gender played a role in their STEM identities. This study points to the potential of STEM informal learning camps as a way of developing and fostering URM girls’ STEM identities.

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“…Participants have the autonomy to determine what constitutes mathematics and which mathematical connections are meaningful and compelling. Math walks offer learners valuable chances to apply mathematical concepts in real-world situations, effectively bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application (Wang and Walkington, 2023). By immersing themselves in natural or urban environments, students gain insights into the connections between mathematical concepts and the world around them (Fesakis et al, 2018;Iacono and Dentice, 2022).…”

Section: Math Walksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games?

Sager,

Sherard,

Milton

et al. 2023

Front. Educ.

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This qualitative case study examines the learning that occurred when a small group of middle grade youths embarked upon a personal excursion during a game-based math walk. Math walks are an informal learning activity where learners and facilitators explore mathematical concepts embedded in everyday spaces. The MathExplorer app is a location-based mobile game designed to enhance and gamify math walks. In our broader research, we investigated a group of 18 middle grade learners who used MathExplorer to engage in math walks at a local nature preserve. While most youths in this study used the game as planned by the researchers, one group deviated from the plan and devised new ways of playing the game and participating in the math walks. We see this deviation, or personal excursion, as a source of insight for research on game-based math walks. To understand the learning that took place during this personal excursion, we draw upon sociocultural and self-directed theories of learning. Using methods of interaction analysis and embodied action conversation framework, we analyzed the small groups’ discussion, movement, and game-use to understand: (1) the point at which the students departed from the planned use of MathExplorer; and (2) the learning that took place after this departure. The findings include how the youth explicitly incorporate mathematics into game play through an activity-as-planned, and how the youth embark on a personal excursion relating to game mechanics and gamification, with an implicit focus on mathematics. We discuss the importance of personal excursions for designing informal mathematics learning experiences.

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Investigating problem-posing during math walks in informal learning spaces

Cited by 4 publications

References 51 publications

Personalizing real‐world problems: Posing own problems increases self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value

Personalizing real‐world problems: Posing own problems increases self‐efficacy expectations, intrinsic value, attainment value, and utility value

Understanding Racially Minoritized Girls’ Perceptions of Their STEM Identities, Abilities, and Sense of Belonging in a Summer Camp

Rising in the ranks!: learning math or playing games?

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