When confronted with a challenging problem, many solvers may at first think that not enough information has been provided. If, however, they suspect that the problem is solvable, this feeling typically influences them to persevere as well as monitor and reflect on their efforts. In this article the authors present four nonroutine tasks that they…

This special issue of "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" reflects conclusions and recommendations in the "Discipline-Based Education Research" (DBER) report and makes a substantial contribution to advancing the field. Research on undergraduate science learning is currently a loose affiliation of related fields. The…

It is not surprising, as research has shown, that fractions are one of the most difficult of the elementary school math topics to teach and learn in ways that are meaningful. The authors reference a work by James Hiebert, "Mathematical, Cognitive, and Instructional Analyses of Decimal Fractions" (1992), that mathematical concepts should…

Meaningful learning of formal mathematics in regular classrooms remains a problem in mathematics education. Research shows that instructional approaches in which students work collaboratively on tasks that are tailored to problem solving and reflection can improve students' learning in experimental classrooms. However, these sequences involve…

Collaboration is inherently part of many dance pedagogies, dance practices, and dance careers, which is why dance students are frequently required to work and learn together in the dance studio and classroom. Outside of dance, in a variety of disciplines, the ability to collaborate is prized as a highly valuable competency, and the facility to…

There are selected psychologists who have contributed much toward studying problems in teaching and learning. They have suggested plans from research, carefully conducted, which enable educational practices to be set on more secure and justifiable grounds. The writer will briefly write about ten leaders, although there are salient others.

After completing a science unit on transfer of energy, including how chemical energy from a battery is converted to electrical energy; electrical circuits; and transformation of energy into sound, light, or heat; the students in Mrs. Finlay's fourth-grade science class were challenged to use what they learned to solve a problem. The students…

As current mathematics standards, such as the Common Core, are being implemented throughout the United States, it has become evident that teachers need support to enact the tenets of those standards. To help in this endeavor, this article was published as a guideline to emphasize to mathematics education stakeholders that "effective teaching…

In early November 2013, the authors started talking about visiting the Hurley School, a dual-language school in Boston, Massachusetts. The Hurley School had spent considerable time transitioning to the Common Core State Standards on literacy, but little time addressing the shifts in math. They worried that math classes were no longer rigorous…

Studies in cognitive science have verified that working memory (where the brain solves problems) can manipulate nearly all elements of knowledge that can be recalled automatically from long-term memory, but only a few elements that have not previously been well memorized. Research in reading comprehension has found that "lecture notes with…

Research over the past few decades points to ways precalculus and calculus courses can be strengthened to improve student learning in these courses. This research has informed the development of the Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness (APCR) and the Calculus Concept Readiness (CCR) assessments. In this article, the authors present three…

How can geometry teachers design great tasks that allow students to make connections among interrelated concepts and expand their geometric reasoning skills? Many curricular materials provide problems for students to apply a single geometric concept. However, these problems do not always promote reasoning opportunities for students, because…

It is now increasingly recognized that mathematics is not a neutral value-free subject. Rather, mathematics can challenge students' taken-for-granted realities and promote action. This article describes two issues, namely deforestation and income inequality. These were specifically chosen because they can be related to a range of calculus concepts…

Interest on the part of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) Board of Directors in the development of a set of descriptions of the core competencies for AACRAO professions goes back several years, with more active discussion beginning in 2011 under the leadership of AACRAO President Nora McLaughlin. At…

Showing early indicators of increased graduation rates and college readiness among students of color and low-income students, Linked Learning has the potential to be even more impactful when integrated with Common Core and other new California standards. This report examines promising strategies being employed at nine California school districts.…