Measuring mathematical resilience : an application of the construct of resilience to the study of mathematics

To meet the challenge of accelerating demands for quantitative literacy in the work force, improvements are needed in mathematics education. Student skill must be increased at all ability levels while also reducing the achievement gap across gender, racial and ethnic groups to increase their participation in advanced mathematics coursework and representation in mathematics related careers (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008). Research has shown that affective traits such as motivation and attitude are linked to increased likelihood of taking advanced mathematics courses (Ma, 2006) and are significant predictors of improved cognitive activity and achievement (Buff, Reusser, Rakoczy,& Pauli, 2011; Ethington & Wolfe, 1986). In addition, males generally score more favorably than females on affective variables related to mathematics achievement and persistence (McGraw, Lubienski, & Strutchens, 2006; Sherman & Fennema, 1977; Wilkins and Ma, 2003). Although psychological resilience has been researched extensively (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000; Luthar, 2007) the study of mathematical resilience, defined as a positive adaptive stance to mathematics which allows students to continue learning despite adversity, represents a new approach (Johnston-Wilder & Lee, 2010; Rivera & Waxman, 2011). Math anxiety looks at maladaptive response to learning mathematics and is well-studied (Hembree, 1990; Richardson & Suinn, 1977; Tobias, 1978). In contrast, resilience incorporates factors associated with optimal functioning. Although mathematical resilience has been identified as important for success (Johnston-Wilder & Lee, 2010; Rivera & Waxman, 2011), little consensus exists around its definition and no measures of resilience have been rigorously developed and/or validated. Rivera & Waxman (2011) identified the use of teacher nomination of resilient students as a limitation of their study, further motivating development of an instrument. This presentation will report on efforts to develop and validate an instrument measuring mathematical resilience. Ultimately, the measure will aid in developing and testing models that gauge the role of mathematical resilience in student achievement and persistence in advanced coursework. These models can be used to develop interventions to improve mathematical resilience, achievement, and quantitative literacy (Johnston-Wilder & Lee, 2010)

Expressing Intellectual Freedom: A Content Analysis of Catholic Library World from 1980 to 2015

Objective &ndash; Professional librarians have varying values relating to the topic of intellectual freedom that may or may not align with the American Library Association&rsquo;s (ALA) policies defining professional expectations on the topic. The personally held values and beliefs of Roman Catholic librarians and those working in libraries affiliated with Roman Catholicism are worthy of study to determine how personal religious values may translate into professional practice. The objective of this paper is to ascertain how frequently and in what context the topics of intellectual freedom and censorship were expressed in articles published in Catholic Library World (CLW), the professional journal of the Catholic Library Association (CLA) from 1980 to 2015. Published content on these topics can be used as evidence to determine how this population discusses the concept of intellectual freedom. Methods &ndash; Articles relevant to these topics were retrieved from the American Theological Library Association Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (ATLA CPLI) and Library, Information Science &amp; Technology Abstracts (LISTA) databases by conducting keyword searches using the terms &ldquo;intellectual freedom&rdquo; and censorship. Each retrieved publication was analyzed by counting the number of times the phrase &ldquo;intellectual freedom&rdquo; and the root censor* occurred. Through a deep reading of each publication, statements containing these search terms were then coded as positive, negative, or neutral, establishing a context for each occurrence. Results &ndash; The majority of published content supported intellectual freedom and opposed censorship. Negative content typically occurred in publications about children or school libraries. Additionally, CLW contributors did express a certain level of conflict between personally held religious values and professional values. Conclusions &ndash; This study adds to the limited research available on the intersection of personally held religious values and professional values. Further research is needed to gain a better understanding of the conflict between values amongst Catholic librarians, librarians of other faith traditions, and librarians in general.</p

Engineering the Future of Outreach

While academic libraries strive to meaningfully engage their campus communities, it can be hard to imagine new and creative outreach strategies. InfoMotion, a customized tricycle, is the University of Colorado Boulder Libraries&rsquo; &ldquo;vehicle&rdquo; to meet patrons where they are and embed ourselves in the campus community. InfoMotion was mobile and eye-catching, but it was cumbersome as we navigated campus pathways. The authors discuss their institutional context and describe an impactful partnership with engineering students to design an electric-assist system for InfoMotion. This collaboration resulted in a more user-friendly way for Libraries personnel to engage with the campus community, and helped the authors learn about student information needs while building relationships with engineering faculty and students.</p

Instruction and Outreach for Transfer Students: A Colorado Case Study

Studies of transfer student success abound in higher education, yet few studies examine the role that academic libraries play in students’ transitions. This study explores the academic library services offered to transfer students in Colorado through a survey of librarians. What are barriers to offering these services? How do library professionals perceive instruction and outreach to transfer students? Results show differences between attitudes and practice, even within the same institution, and suggest opportunities for future collaboration among two-year and four-year academic libraries in Colorado. The article discusses these findings in the context of findings from New York and Ohio studies, suggesting that academic libraries need greater awareness of, and services for, transfer students