Ron Wasserstein is Executive Director of the American Statistical Association (ASA). He previously served as Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Statistics at Washburn University. This interview took place via email on January 21- February 24, 2014. Topics covered in this interview are as follows: 1) Beginnings, 2) Teaching…

A discussion is given on the probability of winning at the game of craps. Variations are discussed in terms of probabilities. (MP)

This essay discusses the possible types of uses of calculators in the elementary school, citing several publications, articles, and research studies. (MP)

Article is based on the keynote address of the 1987 annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Suggests that George Polya left a legacy which has not only touched knowledge and abilities in mathematics and problem solving but also had significant effects on thoughts about teaching. (PK)

This article is based on the 1987 presidential address to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The work of George Polya is used to draw conclusions about teaching and learning mathematics. (PK)

Reported is whether and how mathematics has changed during the 75 years of the Mathematical Association of America's (MAA) existence. The progress of mathematics is organized into 9 concepts, 2 explosions, and 11 developments. (KR)

Explores the use of dialogue and dramatization to reconstruct the formation of mathematical concepts. An appendix provides the synopsis of a 6-scene play that portrays the rise of negative numbers over a period of 300 years. (MDH)

Introduces the idea of using computer microworlds--interactive software for exploration of specific concepts--for mathematics education, the theme of this issue's articles. Discusses their development and the advantages of their use. Suggests that they can be successfully used for interactive teaching or for interpreting mathematics textbooks,…

This collection of brief essays covers a range of topics pertaining to mathematics education thought by the author to be of relevance. These include thoughts on: philosophy of education, noting diverse schools of thought; goals, noting ways to organize mathematics instruction; process objectives, with a brief list of objectives and comments on…

A discussion of mathematics curriculum and teaching methods based on the standards issued by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) is presented. The standards emphasize the connectedness of each of the branches of mathematics and underline the relationship of each branch to…

Discussed are the major historical developments of geometry. Euclid, Descartes, Klein's Erlanger Program, Gaus and Riemann, globalization, topology, Elie Cartan, and an application to molecular biology are included as topics. (KR)

Presents a position statement on interdisciplinary learning and guiding principles for preK-4 curricula endorsed by the NCTM Board of Directors. Guiding principles include using meaningful connections among disciplines, fostering collaborative learning environments, developing democratic citizenship, providing a variety of social contexts,…

Why games should be used in mathematics classes is discussed. Their advantages and use in teaching mathematics effectively are emphasized: to practice skills, to develop concepts, to build problem-solving strategies, and to motivate. (MNS)

It is suggested that the reasons for teaching the standard written algorithms for calculations are not out of date. Alternative algorithms, such as mental algorithms, calculators, and nonstandard written methods, are discussed. (MP)

Uses work on children's counting schemes and a radical constructivist orientation to describe the development of computer microworlds for the teaching of rational numbers. Suggests that the design of complex software systems needs a strong theoretical background to provide direction for the design. Suggests that computer environments are the…