In the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), Congress called for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to conduct a rigorous study of the conditions and practices under which educational technology is effective in increasing student academic achievement. A 2007 report presenting study findings for the 2004-2005 school year, indicated that, after one…

This paper describes a program for increasing problem solving and critical thinking skills in mathematics. The targeted population consisted of one kindergarten, one first- and one second-grade classroom in an elementary school located in an older established community 12 miles west of Chicago. The problem was documented through student…

"Saxon Math" curricula and materials are available for grades K through 12, with the content and skills designed to meet National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards and various state standards. This WWC report focuses on middle school math curricula, defined as all Saxon Math curricula for grades 6 through 9. The…

This study compares the mathematics performance of pupils who received no day care experiences with those who received mathematics instruction in a structured day care setting, and those exposed to incidentical learning in day care centers. Eighty-six first, second, third, and fourth grade students who had completed four years in a Title I program…

A study examined the effectiveness of a reading and math basic skills pull-out program. Subjects, 60 students in first through sixth grades enrolled at an upper middle class, suburban school with small class sizes, were identified as having deficiencies in basic skills by their scores on the California Achievement Test (CAT). The basic skills…

The purpose of this research was to design and evaluate a computer based adaptive strategy for teaching mathematics. Results indicated preference for materials with personalized examples for motivation and meaningful learning of problem solving procedures. Practical advantages of the computer-based model for adapting instruction are also…

Examined 6 widely used grade-8 standardized tests for content, required processes, and level to determine their alignment with the 5-8 NCTM "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards." Concluded that these tests inadequately covered the 5-8 standards. A follow-up study examined items from newly developed and foreign tests to demonstrate the…

This report attempts to discover how students think about and use mathematics in open-ended questions. Part I, "Open-ended Questions in Mathematics," describes the rationale for adding open-ended questions to the grade 12 mathematics test of the California Assessment Program (CAP). Part II describes the findings from students' responses…

Three separate evaluations of a computer-assisted instructional (CAI) drill and practice program were conducted. The CAI was provided by the Los Angeles County Superintendent to 14 districts as a means of improving students' math abilities and to help teachers manage diagnostic and prescriptive information. The California Test of Basic Skills…

The Plus Program was designed to provide a maximum amount of remedial work in reading and mathematics for disadvantaged youth in grades 1-8. About 75 percent of the project pupils were black, 20 percent white, and 5 percent Puerto Rican. Specially trained teachers worked with small groups of students in programs designed to be corrective and…

The Lead Teacher Project at Ohio University included 84 teacher participants who represented 42 schools from 13 school districts in Appalachian Ohio. The project was designed to enhance the teaching and learning of science and mathematics at the elementary school level by helping the teacher participants develop skills, knowledge, attitudes, and…

Using a series of regression equations, classroom process and student achievement data from 136 junior high school mathematics and English classes were analyzed to answer the following questions: (1) Are the classroom behaviors and achievement levels of students systematically different across classes of higher and lower ability? (2) Within…

The effectiveness of the Nichols Avenue Follow-Through Program, in Washington, D.C., and the extent to which it provides for improving opportunities for children of low-income families to learn and achieve up to and above national norms in the areas of reading and mathematics were evaluated. The program goals were to assure that: (1) by the end of…

To make sense of the complex information taught in the upper elementary grades -- and to understand the language that increasingly appears in high-stakes tests--students must be proficient in academic English. English language learners are at a serious disadvantage. Two word problems in mathematics illustrate the difficulties that these students…

Reports development and results of the Kramer Project, a two-year study of the implementation of a problem-solving, activity-based mathematics program in the elementary grades. Describes the mathematical content covered, participating teachers, instructional materials employed, inservice teacher training provided, and academic achievement gains of…