Mathematics curricula have traditionally focused on content knowledge, often in the form of a scope and sequence of increasingly difficult mathematics. The importance of using and applying mathematics is recognised in the current Australian Curriculum Mathematics (AC: M) as 'proficiencies' that are intended to be integrated with the content. There…

According to the conceptual framework for K-grade 12 statistics education introduced in the 2007 Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) report, students can be located at one of three developmental levels of statistical literacy: A, B, or C. These levels are independent of age and grade level, so, in theory,…

This report is based on an activity completed by 89 Grade 6 students carrying out a statistical investigation with a focus on posing an initial question given a context and then refining it for a chosen data set. Having reached a conclusion based on evidence from their data analysis, students were given additional information on the context and…

This article describes various courses designed to incorporate mathematical proofs into courses for non-math and non-science majors. These courses, nicknamed "math beauty" courses, are designed to discuss one topic in-depth rather than to introduce many topics at a superficial level. A variety of courses, each requiring students to…

In the Australian mathematics curriculum, Year 12 students (aged 16-17) are asked to solve conditional probability problems that involve the representation of the problem situation with two-way tables or three-dimensional diagrams and consider sampling procedures that result in different correct answers. In a small exploratory study, we…

For over a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have pointed to the conclusion that the mathematics curriculum in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on the promise of common standards, the standards…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed interventions to promote middle school students' math knowledge and skills. Because there is some variation in how school districts organize middle school, we considered curricula aimed at students in grades 6 through 9, covering one or more of the following content areas: numbers and operations,…

This article presents problems to challenge students over and above the standard curriculum problems assigned at a Course I level. Every additional problem in the article can be solved using only the tools provided by Course I. (AIM)

A discussion of the classic probability hat check problem. The paper shows how the hat check problem can be viewed as a problem about enumerating certain members of the symmetric group of permutations on n symbols, with an ensuing generalization. (PK)

The computer is in the process of becoming an important aid to the teaching of statistics and probability at the middle and secondary levels. Examples show ways in which the computer can facilitate learning of mathematical concepts through tutoring, simulation, and computation. (JN)

Results of the second mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are analyzed with regard to the performance of 13- and 17-year-olds on probability exercises. The results suggest that this area has been neglected in mathematics instruction. (MP)

Various classroom uses of simulation of random phenomena with a table of random digits are described. Examples are given to illustrate the mathematics of simulation. (MP)

"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 is the instructor's guide to a text designed for the contemporary business student who frequently questions the need for studying mathematics. The text material is presented in a "building-block" fashion, with skills learned in earlier chapters organized to provide a smooth transition into more difficult topics. This guide consists…

Fourteen probability activities are presented, categorized as activities with impossible and certain events, mystery bags, decks of cards, dice, spinners, and flipping. They help children develop an intuitive understanding of probability. (MNS)