Student Attitudes Toward
Using a Global Positioning
System as a Mathematics
Learning Aid
Lisa Buck
Margaret L. Rice
The University of Alabama
Review of Literature


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Suggested that decline of student
success in math starts around 4th grade
General grade where math concepts move
from being concrete to abstract
Result for many who have trouble making
the transition is frustration and lower
self-esteem in the subject (Tankersley,
1993)
Review of Literature (cont.)

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Technology has been used as an aid to
help students in math progress
Students having difficulty in math can
receive additional practice on level of
need
Extra practice leads to better
understanding and higher achievement
This yields to better self esteem and
more positive student attitudes towards
math (Tankersley, 1993)
Review of Literature (cont.)

Although computers have been used with
success in aiding student learners, it is
suggested that they remove students
from contact with the real world (Broda &
Baxter, 2003). However, with the
advancement of technology, there are
now an increasing number of devices that
can be used in real world activities.
What is A GPS?
Global Positioning System
Short History of GPS

1960 - Idea conceived by U.S Air Force as
method to increase accuracy of intercontinental
ballistic missiles. Called Global Positioning
System

1974 - Other branches joined project-renamed
Navstar

1995 - Became fully functional. System
accurate to 15 meters (49.2 feet)

1998 - Wide Area Augmentation System
(WAAS) added to increase accuracy by
commercial airline navigation systems. Now
accurate to 3 meters (9.8 feet)
Purpose of the Study



To design activity that involved the use
of a GPS in completing a mathematics
activity
Measuring students’ attitudes toward
math in general and the use of a GPS in a
math-related activity in particular
Secondary purpose - to develop a viable
instrument for measuring students’
attitudes toward math and using a GPS in
a math activity
Research Design
Pilot study
 Descriptive research design
 Students’ attitudes toward the use of a
GPS in a mathematical activity examined.
 Attitudes toward math in general also
examined
 Descriptive statistics used to examine
data due to small, convenient sample

Procedures
 Challenge – GPS eliminates need for complex
mathematical computation
 GPS unit would serve as a motivational device
 Two activities were considered:
geocaching
finding the area of various parts of school campus
 Geochaching only involved plotting x and y coordinates
 Finding areas required more mathematics procedures
 33 points around campus determined - reduced to 19
 Right triangles could be formed among a number of
these points, creating the basis for the activity
Project Materials
 Map
of an Alabama high school
campus; obtained from County
Courthouse Tax Assessors office
 Map
photocopied from deed volume
 Map
scanned into a computer
 Microsoft
Paint used to draw grid
overlay on top of campus
Map of WBHS Campus
Sample
 21
– 11th and 12th grade students taking
Algebra Connections – 14 Seniors, 10 male
4 female; 7 Juniors, 5 male 2 female
 17
were present to participate in taking
survey. No identifying information was
asked for on the survey. Gender and
Grade will be added next time
Instrument
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25 statements concerning math and
use of a GPS
Likert Style
Strongly Disagree, Moderately
Disagree, Undecided, Moderately
Agree to Strongly Agree
Cronbach Alpha of .952
GPS Activity Procedures
(done outside)

Taught students basic features of a GPS

Taught latitude and longitude

All students given same list of locations
to find on campus

Groups of five to six students to work
collaboratively

One student in each group read numbers
as groups came to each point on list
Longitude and Latitude
http://www.hammondmap.com/sites/hammond/geography/latlong1.html
Map Activity Procedures
(done inside)
Given map of campus that had a grid overlay
 Markings of longitude and latitude already
present on map discussed
 Students taught how to label map to plot
findings
 Students finished maps and were given
worksheet with computations to work
 Students drew lines between plotted points
 Points created right triangles
 Students found area of the triangles

West Blocton High School GPS Markings
Find the latitude and longitude for the following places on campus.
Plot these points on your map.
Location
Lat
Long
Softball Homeplate
33o 06’ 50’’N
87o 07’ 42’’W
Softball First Baseline Post
33o 06’ 51’’N
87o 07’ 42’’W
Door of Football Concession Stand
33o 06’ 49’’N
87o 07’ 41’’W
Garbage Dumpsters
33o 06’ 45’’N
87o 07’ 41’’W
Baseball Homeplate
33o 06’ 44’’N
87o 07’ 45’’W
Baseball Leftfield Post
33o 06’ 44’’N
87o 07’ 42’’W
Lunchroom Doors
33o 06’ 45’’N
87o 07’ 43’’W
Back Side Door
33o 06’ 45’’N
87o 07’ 42’’W
Backdoor
33o 06’ 45’’N
87o 07’ 41’’W
Backdoor Kee
33o 06’ 48’’N
87o 07’ 41’’W
Top of Football Seats South End
33o 06’ 49’’N
87o 07’ 40’’W
Top of Football Seats North End
33o 06’ 50’’N
87o 07’ 41’’W
Front Door Harris
33o 06’ 48’’N
87o 07’ 44’’W
Front Door
33o 06’ 47’’N
87o 07’ 44’’W
Front gate Baseball Side
33o 06’ 45’’N
87o 07’ 46’’W
Center Gate
33o 06’ 46’’N
87o 07’ 46’’W
Front gate Soft Ball Side
33o 06’ 50’’N
87o 07’ 45’’W
Top of Main Drive
33o 06’ 51’’N
87o 07’ 46’’W
School Sign
33o 06’ 53’’N
87o 07’ 46’’W
West Blocton High School
GPS Area Assignment
Directions - On your map create right triangles for the following co-ordinates.
Using the formula for finding the area of a triangle; ½ base x height.
Softball Homeplate – Softball First Base Line Post- North End of Football Seats.
Area___________________________________
Softball Homeplate - North End of Football Seats – Concession Stand
Area ____________________________________
Softball First base Line Post – Top of Main drive – School Sign
Area___________________________________
Baseball Homeplate – Baseball Left 330’ marker – Baseball Leftfield Post
Area _________________________________
Baseball Homeplate - Baseball Leftfield Post – Softball Homeplate Area__________________________________
Top of Main Drive - Softball First base Line Post - Baseball Leftfield Post
Area ________________________________
Results
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Attitude survey scores varied over the range
of possibilities
One student strongly agreed with majority
of statements on attitude survey, showing a
very positive attitude toward math and GPS
activity
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One student strongly disagreed with all
statements, showing a very negative attitude

Majority fell between no opinion and
somewhat agree
Results (con’t)
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Majority generally responded positively to the
statements about math and about using a GPS
in math
Interesting to note that 40% of the students
were undecided as to whether their parents
were good in math
64% agreed or strongly agreed that they like
learning to use technology
52% strongly disagreed that their time could
have been better spent in the classroom than
outside using a GPS
Results (con’t)
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54% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt
more motivated to learn about area while using
a GPS
54% indicated that they would be more
motivated to learn about other math topics if
they could use a GPS
Numbers were fairly evenly split for the
statement, “I understood the concept of
finding area better than I would have without
using the GPS”: Strongly or moderately
disagree 30%; Undecided (34%); Strongly or
moderately agree (36%)
Conclusions

Results of study cannot be generalized due to
small, convenient sample

Provides idea of how students react to the use
of a GPS in learning math concepts

Provides possible attitude instrument for
examining attitudes

Provides guidance on how math activity using a
GPS could be designed and conducted

Level of cooperation from students, and
positive attitude when working on project,
suggest a GPS can be an useful tool as learning
aid in various math procedures and concepts.
Recommendations for Future
Research

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Administration of attitude survey pre and post
to determine if attitudes about math change
Qualitative study where students are closely
observed as they work through lesson and
interviews conducted to gain more information
from students on their reactions to the lesson
Study with control and treatment groups could
shed light on whether the GPS activity leads to
higher achievement on a posttest
Studies concerning other technological devices
available for use in the math curriculum