Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
The effect of instructional materials implementing NCTM's standards on the mathematical achievement of high school consumer mathematics students
Abstract
The effect of instructional materials designed to implement the learning activities and strategies recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1987) on the mathematical achievement of high school consumer mathematics students was investigated. Mathematical achievement was determined by students' procedural skills, conceptual understanding, application skills and attitude toward mathematics. The design of the study was quasi-experimental. Four high school consumer mathematics teachers in three high schools in a midwestern city volunteered to participate in the study. The teachers were randomly assigned to teach using the instructional materials based on NCTM's recommendations (treatment) or to teach from a traditional consumer mathematics textbook (control). Of the 138 students who completed the study, 82 composed the treatment group and 56 were in the control group. Four tests were constructed to measure the components of mathematical achievement: Procedural Skills Test (PST), Conceptual Understanding Measure (CUM), Application Skills Test (AST), and Student Attitude Survey (SAS). Results showed that the mathematical achievement of students in the treatment group was significantly higher than the students in the control group (p $<$.001). Students in the treatment group scored significantly higher on all variables composing mathematical achievement (p $<$.01). Recommendations of this study include: (1) immediate implementation of the instructional activities and strategies recommended by NCTM within the high school consumer mathematics curriculum; (2) consistent inservice training and support be provided teachers to assist them in changing their teaching strategies to conform to NCTM's recommendations; and (3) preservice teacher education programs include training of teaching skills that are designed to enhance the development of mathematical concepts.
Subject Area
Mathematics education
Recommended Citation
Zech, Linda Kay, "The effect of instructional materials implementing NCTM's standards on the mathematical achievement of high school consumer mathematics students" (1989). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8925264.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8925264