A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision

Sarah A. Roberts; Hannali Pajela

doi:10.29333/ejmste/11728

Full Text (PDF)

Sarah A. Roberts ¹ ^* , Hannali Pajela ¹

More Detail

¹ University of California, Santa Barbara, USA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study explored the development of professional vision as related to transfer students becoming upper division, four-year mathematics students. We drew from qualitative focus groups with 21 participants at a four-year research university, who were enrolled in a trio of concurrent transitional mathematics courses. We examined the development of professional vision in three areas: engaging in proof and problem solving, being a member of a university mathematics community, and finding a future in mathematics. We found that students developed professional vision related to proof and problem solving, including experiences that were more abstract, more proof-based, and more problem solving-based. Development of community as part of the students’ professional vision was embedded throughout the cohort model, a noteworthy aspect of the trio of courses. Finally, students’ professional vision around finding a future in mathematics developed around future careers in mathematics, as well as students’ access to and knowledge of future career opportunities. Ultimately, diminished timelines exacerbated many of students’ struggles, as related to professional vision or otherwise.

Keywords

transfer students
professional vision
college mathematics
transitional mathematics courses

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 18, Issue 3, March 2022, Article No: em2086

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

Publication date: 09 Feb 2022

Article Views: 1822

Article Downloads: 729

Open Access Disclosures References How to cite this article

Disclosure

Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

References

Brown, S. A. (2017). Who’s there? A study of students’ reasoning about a proof of existence. International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 3(3), 466-495. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40753-017-0053-6
David, E. J., & Zazkis, D. (2020). Characterizing introduction to proof courses: A survey of US R1 and R2 course syllabi. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 51(3), 388-404.
Goodwin, C. (1994). Professional vision. American Anthropologist, 96(3), 606-633. https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1994.96.3.02a00100
Gordon, S., & Nicholas, J. (2013). Students’ conceptions of mathematics bridging courses. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 37(1), 109-125. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2011.644779
Gravengaard, G., & Rimestad, L. (2012). Elimination of ideas and professional socialisation: Lessons learned at newsroom meetings. Journalism Practice, 6(4), 465-481. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2011.642243
Grossman, P., Hammerness, K., & McDonald, M. (2009). Redefining teaching, re‐imagining teacher education. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 15(2), 273-289. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540600902875340
Hills, J. R. (1965). Transfer shock: The academic performance of the junior college transfer. The Journal of Experimental Education, 33(3), 201-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.1965.11010875
Jacobson, T., Delano, J., Krzykowski, L., Garafola, L., Nyman, M., & Barker-Flynn, H. (2017). Transfer student analysis and retention: A collaborative endeavor. Reference Services Review, 45(3), 421-439. https://doi.org/10.1108/RSR-10-2016-0069
Laanan, F. S. (2001). Transfer student adjustment. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2001(114), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.16
Levine, A., & Shanfelder, B. (2000). The transition to advanced mathematics. Problems, Resources, and Issues in Mathematics Undergraduate Studies, 10(2), 97-110. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970008965951
Lopez, C., & Jones, S. J. (2017). Examination of factors that predict academic adjustment and success of community college transfer students in STEM at 4-year institutions. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 41(3), 168-182 https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2016.1168328
Louie, N. L. (2018). Culture and ideology in mathematics teacher noticing. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 97(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-017-9775-2
Matthews, R. (1996). Learning communities: A retention strategy that serves students and faculty. American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
Mattis, M. C., & Sislin, J. (2005). Enhancing the community college pathway to engineering careers. National Academies Press.
Melguizo, T., Kienzl, G. S., & Alfonso, M. (2011). Comparing the educational attainment of community college transfer students and four-year college rising juniors using propensity score matching methods. The Journal of Higher Education, 82(3), 265-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2011.11777202
Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook. SAGE.
Moore, R. C. (1994). Making the transition to formal proof. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 27(3), 249-266. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01273731
Mustonen, V., & Hakkarainen, K. (2015). Tracing two apprentices’ trajectories toward adaptive professional expertise in fingerprint examination. Vocations and Learning, 8(2), 185-211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-015-9130-7
National Center for Education Statistics. (2020). The Condition of Education 2020 (NCES 2020-144). https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/pdf/coe_ctr.pdf
Piotrowski, C., & Hemasinha, R. (2012). Career path decisions of masters-level mathematics students: A comparative review. College Student Journal, 46(4), 823-828.
Polhill, J. B. (2007). Improving retention in a stem field with a major specific one-credit course for first year students. Louisiana Association of Teachers of Mathematics, 4(2), 1-10. http://www2.southeastern.edu/orgs/LATM/Vol4Num2/retention.pdf
Provasnik, S., & Planty, M. (2008). Community colleges: Special supplement to the condition of education 2008 (NCES 2008-033). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008033.pdf
Raby, R. L., Friedel, J. N., & Valeau, E. J. (2013). A discussion on community colleges and global counterparts completion policies. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 40(11), 961-964. https://doi.org/10.1080/10668926.2015.1108253
Reyes, M. E. (2011). Unique challenges for women of color in STEM transferring from community colleges to universities. Harvard Educational Review, 81(2), 241-26 https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.81.2.324m5t1535026g76
Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. SAGE.
Santagata, R., König, J., Scheiner, T., Nguyen, H., Adleff, A. K., Yang, X., & Kaiser, G. (2021). Mathematics teacher learning to notice: A systematic review of studies of video-based programs. ZDM-Mathematics Education, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-020-01216-z
Scott, T. P., Thigpin, S. S., & Bentz, A. O. (2015). Transfer learning community: Overcoming transfer shock and increasing retention of mathematics and science majors. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 19(3), 300-316. https://doi.org/10.1177/1521025115621919
Sherin, M. G., & Van Es, E. A. (2009). Effects of video club participation on teachers’ professional vision. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(1), 20-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487108328155
Smith, E. J. (2016). Doing science while black. Science, 353(6307), 1586-1586. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.353.6307.1586
Stage, F., & Maple, S. (1996). Incompatible goals: Narratives of graduate women in the mathematics pipeline. American Educational Research Journal, 33(1), 23-51. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312033001023
Styhre, A. (2011). The architect’s gaze: The maintenance of collective professional vision in the work of the architect. Culture and Organization, 17(4), 253-269. https://doi.org/10.1080/14759551.2011.590304
Thoma, A, & Nardi, E. (2017). Transition from school to university mathematics: Manifestations of unresolved commognitive conflict in first year students’ examination scripts. International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, 4(1), 166-180. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40753-017-0064-3
Townsend, B. K., & Wilson, K. (2006). “A hand hold for a little bit”: Factors facilitating the success of community college transfer students to a large research university. Journal of College Student Development, 47(4), 439-456. https://doi.org/10.2190/CS.10.4.a
Yin, R. K. (2016). Qualitative research from start to finish. The Guilford Press.
Yosso, T. J., Smith, W. A., Ceja, M., & Solórzano, D. G. (2009). Critical race theory, racial microaggressions, and campus racial climate for Latina/o undergraduates. Harvard Educational Review, 79(4), 659-690. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.79.4.m6867014157m707l

How to cite this article

APA

Roberts, S. A., & Pajela, H. (2022). A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(3), em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

Vancouver

Roberts SA, Pajela H. A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2022;18(3):em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

AMA

Roberts SA, Pajela H. A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2022;18(3), em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

Chicago

Roberts, Sarah A., and Hannali Pajela. "A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2022 18 no. 3 (2022): em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

Harvard

Roberts, S. A., and Pajela, H. (2022). A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 18(3), em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728

MLA

Roberts, Sarah A. et al. "A Trio of Courses to Support Mathematics Transfer Students’ Development of Professional Vision". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 18, no. 3, 2022, em2086. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11728