Describes three activities to teach mathematical concepts involving probabilities related to outcomes using "Sicherman" and other dice; geometric representations of algebraic identities; and the volume of a cone. (MDH)

In this study we investigated above-average high school calculus students from Japan and the United States in order to determine any differences in their conceptual understanding of calculus and their ability to use algebra to solve traditional calculus problems. We examined and interviewed 18 Calculus BC students in the United States and 26…

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of using ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces [3]), an online interactive learning system, in teaching a college algebra course at a university. This system was used to replace traditional assignments. The study was conducted in eight college algebra courses in the Fall 2003…

"How can this Abstract Algebra course help me to teach Algebra in high school?" To professors of prospective mathematics teachers, this type of question has a resounding familiarity. Because students are unclear as to the relationship between upper division mathematics courses and the high school curriculum, answering the opening question to the…

In this study, perceived parenting styles and parental involvement were examined to determine if they predicted student motivation. The two views of motivation examined included achievement goal theory and self-determination theory. Algebra I students (N = 140) in a Southeast Texas public high school completed self-report surveys. Multivariate…

This teaching module with its 80-minute videotape of lessons from U.S., Japanese, and German classrooms is designed to help moderators facilitate discussion among educators. This guide is intended to help moderators make appropriate decisions about sessions and suggest items to consider when discussing the Third International Mathematics and…

The New Jersey Mathematics Curriculum Framework is based on the "Mathematics Standards" adopted by the New Jersey State Board of Education on May 1, 1996, and is intended to provide guidance to teachers, administrators, and districts that will help them translate a vision of exemplary mathematics education into reality. It includes…

This document presents the course content for a workshop that integrates the use of the computer algebra system Derive with topics in matrix and linear algebra. The first section is a guide to using Derive that provides information on how to write algebraic expressions, make graphs, save files, edit, define functions, differentiate expressions,…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

Mathematics achievement and the relationship of low socioeconomic status (SES) students with teachers have been a major concern for educators. Although there are social and economic explanations of failure of low SES students, ultimate success and failure may be significantly affected by differing personal beliefs about learning among students and…

This qualitative study is a two-part analysis of first year algebra textbooks adopted for use in South Carolina. Part 1 examines the five books selected in the 1984 adoption. This comparison of first year algebra textbooks examined: (1) whether the textbook authors had adjusted the traditional context of math texts at this level to reflect…

This paper considers how the algebra curriculum in secondary mathematics might be reformulated by rethinking both the content of algebra and the approaches to teaching and learning algebraic concepts. It considers how the concept of function can be made a central theme of the algebra curriculum and further suggests that computer software, when…

This handbook is intended to provide mathematics curriculum leaders and supervisors with discussion and related activities central to a presentation of algebra for teachers of students with a history of lower academic achievement and who are part of our underserved populations. The handbook: (1) deals with general algebra activities; (2) focuses…

This is the 13th annual listing of research on mathematics education. Annotated references are organized alphabetically by author within three categories: (1) research summaries; (2) journal-published reports; and (3) dissertation abstracts. An index is also provided to help locate references to designated mathematical topics. Topic areas include:…

Developed by a statewide committee in response to the legislature's mandate to develop statewide curriculum standards for required subjects, this guide presents the content that should be taught in Mathematics II. It was piloted by teachers in representative school systems and subsequently revised. Seven goals for the course are listed, followed…