Investigates students' conceptions and misconceptions relating to the construction of graphs. Qualitative analysis of students' responses identified three main alternative conceptions. Quantitative analyses of the data indicated that overall students did not enter the learning situation as a tabula rasa. Discusses the theoretical and practical…

Finds that these teachers claimed commitments to several practices: (1) extensive reading at the heart of their reading instruction; (2) diverse instructional practices; (3) teaching of both word-level and higher-order skills and processes; (4) development of student background knowledge; (5) student writing; (6) extensive use of diverse…

Describes a study of 24 secondary school students in London (England) that explored ways in which reflective writing supported pupils' learning. Writing with support from the teacher was compared with support from the teacher and from a hypermedia framework, and results showed improvement in pupils' ability to reason with the hypermedia support.…

Tells stories of children in their first year of school (mostly age five) who were using calculators for the first time. Implications are that children's thinking moves from a rough to a more thorough and refined grasp of the whole. Learning mathematics with calculators is more like the learning of language than traditional classroom mathematics.…

Describes two approaches to connecting literature and problem solving with mathematics. One approach is to focus on a particular strategy of problem solving, then find a storybook related to the strategy. Another approach is to find a favorite children's book and develop the problem-solving portion of the lesson from the book. A resource list and…

Consideration of a definite integral in an advanced calculus class led to a great deal of mathematical thinking and to the joy of discovery. Graphing calculators allowed students to investigate quick solutions which should be regarded as stepping stones to additional investigation and rigorous proof. With slight modifications to their proofs,…

Describes how preschool teachers guided 4-year-olds in a classroom project that integrated constructing with wire, drawing, and storytelling. Notes that children monitored and directed their work and responded to learning challenges. Shows how teachers supported learning of individual children as children began to influence each other's learning.…

Investigated middle school mathematics teachers' reports of the effectiveness of various professional development activities influencing their attention to students' thinking. Teacher surveys indicated that teachers' years of experience, views of learning, and mathematics background correlated with their ratings of various activities. (SM)

Focuses on how student problem solving skills can be improved by teaching them a problem solving model. Includes a technique for developing student inquiry thinking using the game, Twenty Questions, or by examining conflicting statements. Includes the article, "Using Problem Solving Skills in a Fifth-Grade Classroom" (Alan Rock and Nicole…

Investigates the arithmetic and algebra word problem-solving skills and strategies of future primary and secondary school teachers. Describes the evolution of these skills and strategies from the beginning to the end of teacher education. Indicates that, in the education of preservice primary and secondary school teachers, there is need for an…

This study evaluated the SOAR-High (Science, Observing, and Reporting-High School) Project, a Web-based earth systems science course involving collaborating teachers and deaf students. Findings indicated students became more proficient in using science process skills stressed by the curriculum, better able to work independently, and more…

Discusses the California History/Social Science Standards that organize historical and social science skills into three different categories: (1) chronological thinking; (2) research, evidence, and point of view; and (3) historical interpretation. Addresses the year-long planning guide and includes two worksheets, one for year-long planning and…

Demonstrated in this article are some of the capabilities of a spreadsheet program using data obtained in gas law experiments and a computer interface system. The ability to organize and analyze data which a computer can provide for the student is emphasized. (KR)

Described is a team assignment where groups of students work on stoichiometry problems that apply to the real world. Teams of students act as chemical companies that have orders to fill for a customer. Included are the details of the customer order, student participation, and the evaluation procedure. (KR)

This approach to motivating at-risk students in elementary, middle, and secondary grades calls for direct involvement of students by relating quality literature to their frequently chaotic lives. The approach applies cognitive, affective, and psychomotoric higher order skills to reading and writing instruction. (Author/JDD)