Date Approved

2025

Degree Type

Open Access Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department or School

Teacher Education

Committee Member

Joe Bishop, PhD

Committee Member

Gabriela Dumitrascu, PhD

Committee Member

Michael McVey, EdD

Committee Member

Paul Ramsey, PhD

Abstract

This research study begins to explore how the use of math games focused on foundation skills can potentially support parents and families in mathematics interactions. The primary goal was to examine parents' perceptions of the impact of math games on their engagement with their children. In addition, embedded guides were provided for parents to engage in mathematical discourse, and support specific math strategies. The qualitative study involved the families of six students who were entering fourth grade and attending a summer-school program. The students and their families engaged in a six-week intervention where they received two math board games and support guides for parents. The intermediate elementary age of the participants was chosen to explore how games involving foundational skills supported the engagement. Specifically, the games both involved finding the sum of two single-digit addends. At the start of the intervention, parents were interviewed regarding their prior experiences with math interactions at home. Following the intervention, parents were interviewed to share their perceptions of the experiences with the math games. There was a significant contrast in parents' perceptions of prior experiences with math activities at home and the engagements with the math games. Previously, families had negative experiences mainly with homework that commonly resulted in frustration and potential math anxiety. On the other hand, the experiences with the math games were overwhelmingly positive and also indicated that engagement was sustainable for the length of the intervention. In addition, parents perceived a noticeable increase in single-digit addition fact fluency, which was the embedded foundational skill. These findings support increased opportunities to engage families in math games. Findings also support the use of embedded foundational skills, instead of current grade level skills, as a target area for parents to potentially provide support.

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