Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3822-6393

Date Available

8-3-2022

Year of Publication

2022

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Education Sciences

Advisor

Dr. Molly Fisher

Abstract

While teaching math for social justice and equity has become a heavily researched topic in recent decades with Jo Boaler (2008, 2015, 2016), Rochelle Gutiérrez (2009, 2013), and Eric (Rico) Gutstein (2003, 2006, 2007, 2013) emerging as recent leaders in the charge, the focus has consistently remained on traditional classroom teaching (e.g. Boaler, 2008; Gutiérrez, 2009; Gutstein, 2003). This convergent design mixed methods study investigated the impact of teaching math for social justice in the online learning environment, specifically, the impact of discussion forums on students’ social justice beliefs in fully online undergraduate math courses.

Quantitatively, 56 students completed pre- and post-course demographic and Likert-scale surveys adapted from the Learning to Teach for Social Justice – Beliefs Scale (Ludlow et al., 2008). This data was used to determine a pre- and post-course Social Justice Score and analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA in SPSS. Qualitatively, students completed eight weekly discussion forums relating mathematical concepts to social justice issues. Data for students completing required forums (n = 40) was then compiled, coded, and analyzed for common themes. The combination of quantitative and qualitative were then analyzed under the convergent design of mixed methods. While statistically significant results were not found in the quantitative data as defined by p < .05, analysis of the qualitative data and analysis of the merged data resulted in optimistic outcomes and lays groundwork for future research in teaching math for social justice beyond the classroom.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2022.265

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