According to the author's website, Danica McKellar's first book is meant to serve as a resource for middle school girls to help them understand math concepts that are commonly confusing. This review will explore McKellar's use of mathematical contexts for presenting mathematical content and consider how these contexts may or may not limit the ways…

The Expert Mathematician (version 3.0), a middle school math curriculum, was developed from LogoWriter, a computer program that the developer claims is designed to help children learn independently through exploration. According to J. J. Baker, the Expert Mathematician is designed to provide a creative environment that is intended to foster a…

Reflects on the chapters of this theme issue and summarizes information about children as learners and knowledge about school mathematics, both of which are essential components for effective mathematics instruction. (SLD)

The central question of this study was whether there was a difference in mathematics achievement between students taught in an ICL classroom and those taught in a traditional classroom. The author was also interested in the experience students had while using the software. Thus, students in the ICL curriculum were surveyed about their attitudes…

Reviews four books that deal with reading comprehension, phonics in a whole-language classroom, children's books for mathematics learning, and using nonfiction trade books. (SR)

Reviews two software programs: "The Graph Club" which makes learning graphs "magical and exciting"; and "WiggleWorks," an "exciting" reading curriculum on CD-ROM. (SR)

Reviews evidence that refutes unfavorable portraits of American mathematics teachers in two books, "The Teaching Gap" (James Stigler and James Hiebert) and "Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics" (Liping Ma). Young students' difficulty with the "equals" concept can be addressed by teaching algebraic concepts…

Reviews visualization research concerning the objects of visualization, the visualization process, and visualization in educational situations. Teaching procedures, the role of material and the social environment, and how the individual interacts with that environment are described. (YP)

Three pieces of computer software are described and reviewed: HyperCard, to build and use varied applications; Iggy's Gnees, for problem solving with shapes in grades kindergarten-two; and Algebra Shop, for practicing skills and problem solving. (MNS)

Brooks (1999) compared algebra achievement of students enrolled in the intervention group (I CAN Learn[R] classes) to that of students enrolled in the comparison group (traditional classes) at pretest, midyear, and posttest. Brooks found that students in the I CAN Learn[R] classes achieved higher scores in algebra than students in traditional…

"Cognitive Tutor[R]", a full-year course, covers organizing single variable data, simplifying linear expressions, mathematical modeling, solving systems with linear equations, problem-solving using proportional reasoning, and powers and exponents. Students work at their own pace to develop problem-solving skills. The duration of each…

Two authors introduce the topic of visualization in mathematics education. Fourteen articles are briefly described. (YP)

Describes software programs for use by math teachers in elementary and secondary schools that can be used to help develop critical and analytical math skills. Highlights include programs that link mathematics with daily living skills, programs that stress visual representation, and a software "sampler" that includes educational…

Describes the understanding, nature, and meaning of mathematical culture and the implications of mathematical culture for mathematics education. (YP)

Uses teachers' initiatives in 3 content areas--social studies, science, and mathematics--to highlight how 13 software packages are and can be used to support instruction. (PRA)