USI Math Department advances quantitative reasoning through community-based mathematics initiative

During the 2025 Fall Semester, the University of Southern Indiana Mathematical Sciences Department received funding through an INTEGRATE grant from the Mathematical Association of America for a collaborative outreach initiative at Plaza Park International Prep Academy in Evansville, an after-school Math Club, designed to strengthen middle school students’ quantitative reasoning and prepare them for future success in advanced mathematics courses. 

The project focused on helping students develop a deeper understanding of linear relationships, an essential concept in algebra, and a foundational skill for success in pre-calculus and calculus. Rather than approaching algebra as a set of abstract symbols and rules, the Math Club emphasized a quantitative, real-world approach that encouraged students to explore how quantities change within meaningful situations. 

“We hope to give them mathematical language and symbols to explain those changing quantities so that the symbols and rules for manipulating them have meaning grounded in reality,” said Dr. Mark Creager, Associate Professor of Mathematics. “Many scholars in mathematics education think of this type of reasoning as a foundational skill for calculus.” 

Each session invited students to hypothesize, explore mathematical ideas and justify their reasoning, fostering active engagement and deeper conceptual understanding. Over the course of the program, more than 20 students attended each session, resulting in more than 300 total hours of additional learning opportunities. 

The initiative also provided valuable professional development opportunities for USI math teaching majors who served as Math Club instructors. Through hands-on teaching experiences, the use of instructional technologies and collaboration with experienced educators, they gained practical experience delivering high-impact mathematics instruction. 

"Working with the students throughout the semester has taught me that teaching goes beyond the content and is also about the connections and relationships you build with your students,” said Jennifer Swartzentruber, math teaching and statistics major. “The experience gave me valuable insight into the process of being a teacher and highlighted the importance of encouragement, flexibility and communication."  

Through sustained engagement and hands-on learning, the program fostered both academic growth and confidence among participating students. For more information about USI’s Mathematical Sciences department, visit USI.edu/math. For more information about USI’s Teacher Education department visit USI.edu/teach.