Student Experiences – Mathematics

Enactive Educational Ecosystem for the Emergent Learning of Polar Graphing

wiesea — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:28:23 +0000

Each week in class, they pose and pursue their own mathematical inquiries into the wild world of the polar coordinate system through pole-based movement and with other invented tools, tasks, and practices. As they do so, they reflect on how spaces, bodies, things, and feelings shape our mathematical thinking and enliven our understandings. It’s a curious playground, for sure.

At a pivotal moment in their inquiry, they recently joined renowned NYC subway dancer, Ikeem Jones (), on the E-train where he gave them all kinds of choreo-mathematical things to think about. And be in awe of. Check him out. In the first video, he’s doing what he does. In the second one, he’s enacting his interpretation of the 4-petal graph of r = sin 2θ.

Doctoral student and faculty present at International digital fabrication conference

wiesea — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 15:54:29 +0000

Doctoral Student Michael Frimpong along with Drs. Nina Bailey and Steven Greenstein presented at the . This conference brings together educators across the globe who are designing and using digital fabrication and making in schools. Michael designed a 3D physical statistical manipulative for use with elementary students for generative, agentive, creative, and embodied sense making of data. Michael works in our Innovation and Design Lab in the College of Science and Mathematics and is a 3D printing wizard!

Sample Student created 3D graphs to represent data on how students get to school using Michael’s 3D physical statistical manipulative

Using Fraction Strips to Develop Understanding

wiesea — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:16:28 +0000

Brianna Stratton is an elementary education major. She described an experience in Dr. DiNapoli’s course that helped her visualize fractions:

For me personally, fractions are my weakness in math. I have always struggled with fractions, and still do. Dr. DiNapoli’s explanations in class show me how to grasp onto information thoroughly. The concept of the lessons are confusing, however, looking back through his lessons helped me discover more information. By drawing out fraction strips and cutting them into pieces has helped me think throughout this process to further my answer.

The Math Department is Musical!

wiesea — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:40:06 +0000

The MSU choir members from the math department are at it again! Kaleidoscope is a non-stop extravaganza featuring large ensembles Wind Symphony, Symphonic Band, Chorale, University Singers, Jazz Ensemble, and Symphony Orchestra interspersed with chamber performances and solo artists. Great job, all!

From struggle to confidence

wiesea — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:25:09 +0000

Natalie explained her past relationship with math: “I always struggled with [math] because I had a fixed mindset. I didn’t believe I could do math, so I was never truly successful.” Despite these past difficulties, Natalie identified a true transformation while at �鶹��ý��:

At �鶹��ý��, the professors really helped me to understand that I can do anything I put my mind to, including math. It’s almost like I had sunglasses on at night and they helped me take them off to see. The professor who made math click for me was Dr. Nina Bailey! At first, I was skeptical about her class because she seemed so lenient. However, I quickly realized it wasn’t leniency she provided us with; rather, she gave us the freedom to trust her and her process. When I was in her class, I never felt forced to learn or forced to like her teaching style. My fondness for math and her teaching style came naturally because, from the start, she guided us and explained everything each step of the way. Nina Bailey helped me discover my love of math.

Natalie even began to apply what she had learned in her coursework to her teaching life: “When I was substitute teaching, I was working one-on-one with a student in math. The problem was easy for me to understand, but to the student, it was very challenging. The new perspective I gained from Professor Bailey’s class helped me to understand why the student wasn’t understanding the problem. I was able to understand what she already knew about the problem to further guide her to achieving the right answer. It was at this very moment I thought that maybe math wasn’t so hard and maybe I could even be successful in teaching it. My feelings of self-doubt about teaching math withered away upon being able to help that student.”

Students Come Together for Math Game Night

wiesea — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:52:34 +0000

The event was organized by both faculty and students, with special help from our Math Ambassadors (Preston, Kiki, Annabella, Lauren, and Ryan). Attendees spent hours enjoying so many math games, including The Set, Jenga, Hypatian Enigma, Rubik’s Cube, Magic Squares, Math Magic Cards, ColorKu, Oops, and Connect Four. There were also several board games being played, including Settlers of Catan and Betrayal at the House on the Hill. It was a fantastic evening and the department will definitely do it again in the future. Thanks again to the organizers!

Student Spotlight: Finding confidence to explain why

wiesea — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:00:30 +0000

Victoria described her first experience with the pure passion and joy a professor can demonstrate: “A moment that made me think about math for the better was when I was taking Professor Fernandez’s class in the Fall. This was my first math class here at MSU. Professor Fernandez had such pure joy and excitement when teaching. She was so open and happy to hear all of our unique ways of thinking and solving, and referenced math as ‘fun’.” She spoke similarly of her experience in class with Dr. DiNapoli citing his patience and flexibility with class: “Dr. DiNapoli really takes the opportunity to thoroughly explain the question, whether it’s asked in person or via email. Throughout the semester thus far, my peers and I are experiencing him stick to his word with keeping the pace as we need. His main goal is for us to really understand the content and be able to explain to our future students why math makes sense. This alone is something I will hold true to my future teaching. I hope to express the same level of patience and excitement for math as Dr. DiNapoli.” Victoria stated: “I can confidently say that I now understand and can explain the reasoning behind math.”

Student Spotlight: Overcoming Mathematical Fear

wiesea — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:55:40 +0000

I have hated math my entire life and always thought I just didn’t have the “mind for math.” I was told this by some teachers (in not so many words) and always felt very self-conscious about doing math in any capacity. Coming to MSU, and beginning math again was terrifying

Fortunately, Alison has had a transformative experience at MSU. In MTHM 201, Alison stated that “I had a fantastic professor for 201, Frank Forte. The willingness to break down the math into steps for us was so crucial for me.” Then she took the MTHM 302 course with Dr. DiNapoli who she described as “one of the best Professors at MSU for math” and began to see the joy in problem solving, by “wondering the answer” and being “excited to sort it out myself.” Ultimately, Alison said she feels “motivated to learn the math” and perhaps more importantly, she “feels comfortable teaching math in my future because of my experiences with these professors.”

Ask WHY

wiesea — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:09:31 +0000

The biggest switch that was flipped in my head about math was when I was asked the question why? Why does this method work? Why does the math work? It lead me to fall in love with the process of math, way more then the end goal. Sure, the goal was what I would be working towards, but there was something special about learning the methodology behind it, and how it could be applied elsewhere, both in math and in the real world. I’ve even begun to introduce this to my students, and tell them to question everything. Ask why it works, don’t just find the answer. Understanding the process of math will help one better understand and appreciate what it has to offer. That ‘AHA’ moment on a students’ face when they finally understand makes teaching this all so worth it.

Mistakes are part of the learning process

wiesea — Tue, 28 May 2024 14:09:11 +0000

Jess describes how she used to see math as intimidating:

I used to really shy away from math and feel so lost in the classroom but now at MSU I feel comfortable enough to allow myself to make mistakes and in return learn from them which has allowed me to grow tremendously as a student and as a future educator.

She shared that two of her professors helped her overcome that lost feeling: “When taking , I really was nervous but the way she explained everything at a perfect pace and even posted videos explaining concepts we learned helped me be successful. In , I learned how all students need to be taught in so many different ways for one single problem to ensure that everyone has the chance to learn it in a way that they understand the actual concept and not the command on how to solve the problem.” Jess went on to talk about how she persevered in problem solving for the first time:

I do remember a time this semester where a problem after a while finally clicked for me, and I feel like that was the very first time in all my educational journey that I was able to say I really stuck to it and solved it without any outside resources. It made me feel accomplished and inspired to be able to give that to my students one day.