The purpose of the study was to explore how contents related to sustainable development were presented in Japanese, Korean, and Singaporean elementary mathematics textbooks. For this purpose, the contents in the textbooks were analyzed at both macro and micro levels through a mixed method research. The results showed that the…

This paper is based on data gathered during visits to Uganda and Malawi, conducted by the International Math-teacher Professionalization Using Lesson Study (IMPULS) project and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The author's observations and experiences highlighted misconceptions about lesson study. The paper concludes that some…

The purpose of this paper is to analyze in detail the process in which a 5th grade student learned proportion and percent using double number lines and to obtain insights into how his use of those representations supported his learning. A series of lessons were designed and conducted in a class and the whole learning process of one student was…

What is the product of Lesson Study? Lesson Study is a scientific activity for teachers based on the methodology introduced in the 1880s. In Japan, research topics for Lesson Study are usually shared through the regular revisions of the curriculum and the research movement of several societies. As a result of teachers' efforts to overcome…

Research findings indicate that specific instructional strategies, such as the use of real-world examples and independent learning activities, are positively related to mathematics achievement. This study was designed to investigate relationships between classroom instructional strategies and mathematics achievement of elementary-school students…

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…

Describes a typical fifth-grade mathematics lesson as taught in a Japanese elementary school, followed by a reflective commentary focused on problem solving, using manipulative aids, and multiple solutions. (ASK)

An educational psychologist visited a Japanese fifth-grade mathematics class that was discussing and solving the problem of how to divide two into three parts. Students learned to devise and describe methods for solving mathematics problems and to defend and explain their problem solving. American educators are adapting some methods that the…

Compares the practice of using drawings in story problems in Japan and the United States and includes recommendations for teachers in the United States. (Contains 14 references.) (MKR)

Investigates different approaches of students from different cultures to problems and problem-solving strategies. Suggests ways to encourage students to use algebraic strategies. Provides some action research ideas for teachers to try in their classrooms. Contains 11 references. (ASK)

The main purposes of the seminar were to examine the present status of school mathematics problem solving; to explore classroom practice and what is known about research; to compare the situations appearing in textbook word problems; and to make plans for cross-cultural research in both countries. A paper from each country was presented during the…

A delegation of 22 mathematics educators sponsored by the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics visited Japan September 23-October 11, 1988. The group included teachers from elementary through university levels. The group visited 16 schools, 2 teacher training colleges, a scientific university, and 2 juku schools in the four major population…

Five classroom situations in Japanese elementary schools are described and interpreted from perspective of first four standards in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards. Concludes that Japanese children do so well in mathematics because Japanese teachers embody essence of the standards in…

This paper reports on five related studies on upper elementary school students' beliefs about the role of real-world knowledge in solving mathematical word problems, and on possibilities of overcoming their unrealistic mathematical modeling. Findings from the first study of 75 Belgian fifth-grade students showed that as a consequence of current…

This study compared the results of group tests of computational skills and tests of knowledge and skills in mathematics between three groups of first and fifth grade students from the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The battery of tests were constructed after reviewing the mathematics textbooks used in each location and discussing the major…