MATH RESEARCH MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IMPACT & OUTCOMES
LINDA CREAGH FALL 2024
Presented to
Dr. Creagh, thank you for generously funding the math research mentorship program at the University of North Texas. Your support was pivotal in bringing this project to fruition. We are pleased to present this report, which highlights the far-reaching impact of your philanthropy.
Ellen’s Story
From October 2023 to August 2024, Nirmala Naresh, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics, mentored Ellen Li, a high-school student enrolled in the math research mentorship program at UNT. Ellen’s research focused on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in mathematics learning environments, specifically examining how AI tools influence learner engagement and mathe- matical comprehension among college students. Ellen’s journey began with completing the Institutional Review Board (IRB) training required for conducting research with human subjects, ensuring full compliance with federal regulations. She then conducted a literature review, focusing on productive learning in mathematics, AI’s role in mathematics education and outlining relevant theoretical frameworks. She then conducted a review by examining over 30 journal articles and learned to use interlibrary loan resources to access additional articles and data not available through public databases. She synthesized her findings to identify key themes and findings pertinent to the research topic. Next, Ellen used the interactive AI tool Khanmigo to solve a set of eight mathematics problems — four related to the history of mathematics and four aligned with the standard curriculum. This hands-on experience not only allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of mathematics concepts but also enhanced her ability to utilize the AI tool.
Powered by GPT-4, Khanmigo provides personalized tutoring and interactive learning experiences. Ellen critically analyzed the data gathered during this process to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness, strengths and areas for improvement. Alongside a team of three other research assistants, Ellen conducted a comprehensive analysis of longitudinal data, applying a learner-AI engagement framework to this new data set. During her time as a research assistant, she co-authored both a research report and a poster report for the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PMENA) conference proceedings. A key goal of PMENA is to promote and stimulate interdisciplinary research in mathematics education, with the cooperation of psychologists, mathematicians and mathematics teachers. The research report introduced an emerging framework for understanding learner engagement with AI tools, and it provided detailed findings from a longitudinal study of interactions between undergraduate teacher-education students and an AI tool (ChatGPT) during mathematics modeling tasks. The poster presentation highlighted a case study using Khanmigo to solve a mathematical problem centered on optimizing concert ticket pricing. These scholarly outputs are llisted below in the references section. In October 2024, Ellen will present another poster at UNT’s University Research Day. Your Gifts Make a Difference! Linda, your contributions have had a profound impact on Ellen’s academic achievements and personal growth. The research opportunities made possible by your generosity played a significant role in her successful application for the Ken Parmerter Memorial Scholarship in May 2024. This scholarship, awarded by the SEMI Texas Chapter and the SEMI Foundation, supports high school juniors and seniors pursuing technology-related fields in college. We are deeply grateful for your gifts and the impact they’ve had on Ellen Li’s scholarship and growth.
Melanie Hanna Director of Development College of Science 940-369-6149 melanie.hanna@unt.edu
References Li, E., & Naresh, N. A Learner / Researcher Perspective on the use of Khanmigo in a Mathematics Learning Environment, Poster Session, UNT Research Day. Naresh, N., & Yilmaz, Z., & Li, E. (2024). Exploring learner-AI engagement in mathematics education: An emerging framework for inquiry. Proceedings of the 46th Annual Conference of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Naresh, N., & Li, E. (2024). Insights from a Case study of AI-integration in Undergraduate Mathematics. Poster session, Proceedings of the 46th Annual Conference of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education.
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