Authors

Crystal Gomez

Publication Date

12-2011

Document Type

Project

Degree

Master of Arts in Education (MA)

MA Concentration

Teaching Mathematics

Advisors

Enrique Dominguez Deleon, Pamela A. Redmond, Jim O'Connor

Abstract

Statistics show that the California high school dropout rate is increasing each year. "In 2008-09, 70.1 percent of public school students in California graduated from high school, up from 68.5 percent last year. The adjusted four-year derived dropout rate for the same school year is 21.5 percent, up from 18.9 percent last year." (California Department of Education, 2010) Students are not ready to compete in the very competitive world job market due to the fact that they lack the foundational skills needed in order to graduate high school. This is, in part, due to the fact that students lack motivation to learn and participate in the classroom. The current study investigated the effectiveness of hand-held devices in a sixth grade suburban classroom composed of thirty-five students. Students completed a pre/post motivation survey and actively participated in lessons using hand-held devices. The responses to the survey were tabulated and compared to show the increase and decrease of positive responses from pre to post survey. Results showed that there was an overall increase in positive attitudes towards mathematics, use of feedback, use of technology and increase in participation after the use of hand-held devices. This study shows that if students are given control of technology in the classroom, their attitudes and participation in mathematics change positively.

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