Six major design components of an inclusive math circle for low-income minority middle school students

Design · All designs
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 qualitative), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description

The authors concluded the circle's effectiveness rested on a set of design components conceptualized as part of an enculturation process into the culture of mathematics: control of the physical environment (meeting in the mathematics department lounge), the circle leader being a professional mathematician, labels and normative expectations from selection, creation of a safe mathematical community, natural peer groupings, games and competition, and conveying the value of mathematics. They state: "We concluded that there were 6 major components of the design that were most effective." The components were identified interpretively from the case, not experimentally manipulated.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• A professional mathematician as circle leader and access to a university mathematics department space

Constraints

• The article states only one circle was examined and none of the factors considered impactful were systematically manipulated

Target Learners

• low-income minority middle school students

Learning Goals

• mathematical engagement
• positive mathematical identity
• enculturation into the community of mathematics

Claims

• Competition Enjoyment Task Focused Evaluation [+M]
• Math Circle Selection Labeling Good At Math [+M]

Related Designs

Examples

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Key Sources

• Eugene Kennedy & Lawrence Smolinsky (2016). Math Circles: A Tool for Promoting Engagement among Middle School Minority Males. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 12(4), 717-732. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1223a

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	design
id	inclusive-math-circle-design-components
title	Six major design components of an inclusive math circle for low-income minority middle school students
description	The authors concluded the circle's effectiveness rested on a set of design components conceptualized as part of an enculturation process into the culture of mathematics: control of the physical environment (meeting in...
status	review
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-17
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — eugene-kennedy-lawrence-smolinsky-2016

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