- Year 2019
- NSF Award #1660606
- Registration Current Noyce Scholar
- First Name Ian
- Last Name Lynch
- Discipline Math
- Institution Eastern Washington University
Abstract
For this research, I wanted to look at the effects of a rotation or station classroom model on student engagement and learning in a middle school math classroom. As of 2016, the Christensen Institute found most schools turning away from this approach to learning for more ‘blended and personalized’ approaches to teaching. An article from this institute in 2013 was focused on elementary grade levels using the station rotation model. In this research project I created a rubric for four levels of student engagement based on
published research papers. From this rubric, the class is assigned a level based on the mode of the individual students’ levels. This is done three times through the class period at pre-identified times. Along with this observation, I gave students a survey twice, once at the beginning of a unit and once at the end, to measure their enjoyment levels of math, learning math, whether they see math as one of their strengths or not, and how they feel they do in math. Results indicate that using a station rotation model in a middle school math class allows for students to seek to engage more readily and enjoy learning math at the same time. If we target ways for students to enjoy learning, then we can focus and improve the engagement levels students show in the classroom. Further analysis will allow me to evaluate which aspects of the station rotation model are the most beneficial to engagement in mathematics classrooms based on the observations of engagement levels and student self-reports.
