PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2018
San Diego, California
Engaged Learning through Creativity in Mathematics
Page: 1365
This study examined the impact of a deliberate attempt to present creativity as a mathematical endeavor on students’ conceptions about mathematics, attitudes toward learning mathematics, and approaches to mathematics. Course modules were developed as part of a grant-funded project on creativity in STEM education and implemented in a course for non-mathematics majors. Throughout the course, students engaged in hands-on, active learning of mathematics through discovery. The mathematical topics for the course were chosen based on their relevance to students’ everyday lives and their suitability for encouraging creativity. Data were collected through surveys, focus group interviews, and written artifacts. In this paper, we describe the preliminary results of our study and offer implications for both research and teaching.