This paper investigates the expectations that a group of preservice secondary mathematics teachers had for how students would approach four particular algebra problems. Their responses to a set of open-ended items were content analysed. Findings show that the teachers ranged in the expectations that they held for their students. Some teachers…

Autism is a neural development disorder which impairs one's ability to socialise, communicate, process sensory information, and those with autism experience restricted interests and repetitive behaviours. These signs all begin before three years of age and the child may have difficulty with organising their responses, with inhibition of repetitive…

The ability to solve linear equations sets students up for success in many areas of mathematics and other disciplines requiring formula manipulations. There are many reasons why solving linear equations is a challenging skill for students to master. One major barrier for students is the inability to interpret the equals sign as anything other than…

The theme of the 38th meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 38) and the 36th meeting of the North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA 36) was "Mathematics Education at the Edge." Academically, the theme provides opportunities to highlight and examine…

Argues that the challenge for teachers of algebra in Australia is to find ways of making the structural aspects of algebra accessible to a greater percentage of students. Uses the zero product principle to provide an example of a common student error grounded in the difficulty of understanding the structure of algebra. (DDR)

The increasing availability of computer algebra systems (CAS) for the high school classroom is expected to have a significant effect on how algebra is taught, when it is taught, and the expected learning types. This paper reports on a computer algebra approach to the teaching of algebra to 13-16 year old students in a high school in Melbourne,…

Presents an approach to explaining a relation, a - b = -(b - a), that is difficult for algebra students to understand. The approach came about as a result of discussions with students in which they provided many novel explanations. (DDR)

Discussed are the philosophy and procedures behind the introduction of algebra to students in grade 7 in Australia. Included are the importance of concrete experiences, language development, and the consequences involved in this procedure. (CW)

The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australia (MERGA) was officially constituted in 1980. In 1984, MERGA produced the first review of the mathematics education research carried out in that region. This book is the third in that series of research reviews. An overview provides the context in which the Australian research was conducted and…

This document is the fourth volume of the proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference papers are centered around the theme of "Learners and Learning Environments." This volume features 42 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Mul and Wu:…

This document contains the second volume of the proceedings of the 29th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference papers are centered around the theme of "Learners and Learning Environments." This volume features 43 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Adl…