Campus Location
Abilene Campus
Date of Award
Spring 5-8-2026
Document Type
Manuscript
Department
Teacher Education
Degree Name
Master of Education in Teaching and Learning
First Advisor
Andrew Huddleston
Abstract
This action research study examined the perceived impact of a Building Thinking Classrooms framework on student engagement and participation in small-group discussion. The guiding research question explored both student and teacher perceptions of how the framework influenced classroom engagement. Data was collected through surveys, one-on-one interviews, focus group interviews, and classroom observations over a four-week period. Qualitative analysis identified four key themes: student agency and mathematical identity; mathematical communication and thinking; collaboration and group dynamics; and learning environment, structure, and engagement. Findings suggest that both students and the teacher perceived an increase through Building Thinking Classrooms in student engagement by promoting ownership, confidence, and active participation in collaborative tasks. Students expressed a greater willingness to share their thinking through structured peer discussions and problem-solving at vertical whiteboards. Overall, the study highlights that students and the teacher saw an importance of structured, student-centered instruction in fostering meaningful engagement.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Wolff, Savanna, "Exploring Student and Teacher Perceptions of Building Thinking Classrooms in Secondary Mathematics" (2026). Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning. 93.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/metl/93
Included in
Junior High, Intermediate, Middle School Education and Teaching Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons, Secondary Education Commons