Relationship between mindful teaching methods and student perception of their retention of mathematical knowledge

Although little research has been done on what students perceive increases their retention of mathematical content, studies show that how a memory is acquired has a direct impact on how strong that memory is. By increasing student engagement through the use of teaching tools found in Liljedahl’s thinking classroom, along with digital technology, an increase in student retention in a mathematics classroom could occur. This research study focuses on if there is a relationship between students’ perception of their retention of mathematical knowledge and the use of engaging teaching methods such as vertical, non-permanent surfaces, visibly random groupings, mindful notes, and digital technology. Results were gathered through student surveys and interviews, although staggered assessments were also analyzed to see if variance in results occurred with the implementation of new teaching methods. Results showed that the implementation of engaging teaching methods have a positive impact on students’ perception of their retention of mathematical content.