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This paper presents an initiative aimed at integrating tailor-made micro-programming environments (MPEs) into middle school mathematics education to foster student learning and enhance computational thinking skills. We examine the effectiveness of MPEs in engaging students in computational thinking, aligning with mathematical practice standards, and usability in promoting interdisciplinary connections between mathematics and computing in the middle school setting. Findings suggest MPEs can advance computational thinking skills and enrich lesson alignment with educational standards. Most participants indicated approval of integrating MPEs into middle school classrooms. 

This paper shares a synthesis of the literature related to the application of a relationships-first approach to high-dosage math tutoring. In the context of our research, high-dosage tutoring is delivered multiple times per week during the school day by paraprofessionals who work with students in historically under-resourced schools. We apply a critical perspective to frame the importance of attending to interpersonal relationships during tutoring. We then explain the core ideas of small group interactions, dialogue, relational interactions, care and belonging and provide a synthesis of these constructs. The literature synthesis presented is intended to be applied to research-based efforts aimed at supporting tutors working to increase their skills for cultivating strong interpersonal relationships and enacting equity oriented pedagogy. 

This paper shares a synthesis of the literature related to the application of a relationships-first approach to high-dosage math tutoring. In the context of our research, high-dosage tutoring is delivered multiple times per week during the school day by paraprofessionals who work with students in historically under-resourced schools. We apply a critical perspective to frame the importance of attending to interpersonal relationships during tutoring. We then explain the core ideas of small group interactions, dialogue, relational interactions, care and belonging and provide a synthesis of these constructs. The literature synthesis presented is intended to be applied to research-based efforts aimed at supporting tutors working to increase their skills for cultivating strong interpersonal relationships and enacting equity oriented pedagogy. 

This research explores how undergraduate students interpret mathematical symbols in new contexts when reading diverse mathematical texts across various subareas. Collaborating with experts in mathematical sciences, we collected proof-texts aligned with their specialized areas. These proof-texts were presented to undergraduate transition-to-proof students who had studied logic for mathematical proof while their experience of proofs in advanced mathematics topics was limited. Task-based interviews were conducted outside their regular classroom. This paper examined student encounters with curly bracket symbols in a graph theory context. Our findings suggest the nuanced relationship students have with symbols in proof- texts. While possessing familiarity with certain symbols, this pre-existing student knowledge could influence their accessibility to symbols introduced in unfamiliar contexts. 

Because the master narratives about mathematics in the US often play an exclusionary role in students’ educational experiences, educators have sought to integrate counternarratives into instruction that might disrupt these effects. As part of a larger project to develop a research-informed curriculum for undergraduate introduction to proof courses, we gathered author stories from a diverse set of mathematicians for students to read and reflect upon. To study student responses to these author stories, we synthesized a framework of the master narrative of mathematics in the US and identified how the author stories countered elements of this narrative. We then analyzed 80 student reflections from one introduction to proof course to identify whether and how students either endorsed or countered the elements of the master narrative. Our findings point to a positive, yet modest capacity for these stories as counternarratives. 

Experiential learning represents a shift in K-12 education that requires teachers to change the ways that they engage students. We created a professional development experience in which teachers learned about the entrepreneurial-based design challenges we developed (Authors, 2019) and practiced implementing teacher check-ins with students participating in our summer camp. In this paper, we conduct a case study to explore how three teachers used teacher discourse moves during their teacher check-ins. We found three types of teacher-student interactions: (a) positioning students as experts, (b) co-designing with students, and (c) pushing students towards an outcome. These findings suggest that teacher professional development for experiential learning should intentionally support teachers in learning how to employ the moves during teacher check-ins in ways that elevate student expertise and advance their thinking.