Summary of SyMETRI Meeting
Date: October 28th, 2026
Host: Dr. Cynthia Nicol

Presenter: Everett Yee

We concluded the second symmetry meeting of the season on 28th Oct., 2026. Dr. Cynthia Nicol, a professor of mathematics education, and Suresh, a third-year PhD student in science education, co-hosted the session. Cynthia began with a land acknowledgment, followed by a brief introduction to the SyMETRI series and short introductions from each participant. In this session, Everett shared his M.Ed. graduation project, which focused on co-creating a mathematical showcase with high school students. The presentation covered the foundational literature, participant recruitment, study findings, and key takeaways. 

Here is the project abstract and some slides shared during the session. 

Abstract: Mathematics can be a polarizing subject for students in high school, with some thriving and others left traumatized. With such varying reactions to mathematics, a question that must be asked is what happens when educators listen to what students have to say about their learning experiences. In this study, a mathematical showcase was chosen as a way to demonstrate the use of an iterative feedback cycle to gather and integrate student voice within mathematical interventions. This mathematical showcase consists of a rotating, single artifact presenting mathematics in a non-traditional manner overlaid with learning supports. The study focused on how including student voice using an iterative feedback process shaped the creation of a mathematical showcase. Two participants, who identified as recent high school graduates, provided feedback across three different rounds via online surveys. Participants’ feedback about a mathematical showcase were analyzed and used to inform modifications to subsequent versions. 

The analysis of the data suggests that the structure of the mathematical showcase, the participants, and the teacher-researcher are all greatly influenced by the iterative feedback process. Specifically, the process of co-creating with participants better aligned the mathematical showcase with their needs and interests, resulting in a positive impact on their views and confidence with mathematics. For the teacher-researcher, the integration of student voice highlighted how a more balanced power dynamic with students contributes to more authentic communication, which results in reduced struggle to create engaging learning activities. This work contributes to the growing research around the impact of student voice and future research targeting practical methods for integrating student voice into education.

After the presentation, the group discussed various topics, including the challenges of sustaining an evolving relationship with students, involving participants in the feedback process, and incorporating the interests of many students into a single artifact. Before the end of the session, Everett shared more examples of possible mathematical showcases, such as spiral staircases and art created using mathematical functions, that might inspire students.