Improving teacher quality in P-12 mathematics is a national need, and many universities and schools are working to address it. With the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF), twelve math and science institutes across the country are helping P-12 teachers strengthen their capacity to support students' learning. These NSF Institutes…

The purpose of this study was to develop general outcome measures (GOM) in mathematics so that teachers could focus their instruction on needed prerequisite skills. We describe in detail, the manner in which content-related evidence was established and then present a number of statistical analyses conducted to evaluate the technical adequacy of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the current usage and acceptance of classroom technologies by secondary math/science education teachers in one community. Design/methodology/approach: Forty-seven secondary education math and science teachers in one American city responded to a survey about their use and perceptions of technology in…

In this paper, we describe a design experiment aimed at helping students to explore and develop concepts of infinite processes and objects. Our approach is based on the design and development of a computational microworld, which afforded students the means to construct a range of representational models (symbolic, visual and numeric) of…

This article demonstrates how within an educational context, supported by the notion of hidden mathematics curriculum and enhanced by the use of technology, new mathematical knowledge can be discovered. More specifically, proceeding from the well-known representation of Fibonacci numbers through a second-order difference equation, this article…

Much has been written on the subject of linking math and literature. However, the focus is usually on the incorporation of reading into a math class--how a teacher might use picture books, problems, or stories, in general, to bring enthusiasm and engagement into the math classroom. In this article, the authors propose that teachers think about…

The abstract nature of mathematics requires the communication of mathematical ideas through multiple representations, such as words, symbols, pictures, objects, or actions. Building representational fluency involves using mathematical representations flexibly and being able to interpret and translate among these different models and mathematical…

Disagreements exist among textbook authors, curriculum developers, and even among science and mathematics educators/researchers regarding the meanings and roles of several key nature-of-science (NOS) and nature-of-mathematics (NOM) terms such as proof, disproof, hypotheses, predictions, theories, laws, conjectures, axioms, theorems, and…

The current mantra in education is "technology, technology, technology." Many teachers and prospective teachers become frustrated with their lack of knowledge regarding the "appropriate" use of technology in the classroom. Prospective teachers need training in their education to understand how technology can be used "appropriately" in the…

A project has been developed for KS3 maths, funded by the Bowland Trust (www.bowlandmaths.org.uk) with additional support from the DCSF. It consists of a teaching resource of about 20 case-study problems aimed at developing thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills and has been distributed to all UK secondary schools. Each case study includes…

This paper describes the evolution of assignments in a course for students preparing to teach secondary science, mathematics, and agriculture science. We describe and analyze work done by preservice students in two different years to look for developing teacher knowledge, explicate how we have come to understand teacher knowledge as it was enacted…

Developing a software environment to enhance 3D geometric proficiency demands the consideration of theoretical views of the learning process. Simultaneously, this effort requires taking into account the range of tools that technology offers, as well as their limitations. In this paper, we report on the design of Virtual Spaces 1.0 software, a…

In the summer of 2009, a professional development partnership was established between the Peoria Public School District (PPSD), a local education agency (LEA), and Illinois State University (ISU) to improve geometric and trigonometric knowledge and skill for high school mathematics teachers as part of the Illinois Mathematics and Science…

This article offers an introductory activity for the limit concept with a geometrical and historical foundation. A connection among Geometry, Measurement and Calculus is highlighted with the help of technology. The geometrical drawing, measurement and graphing capabilities of both TI-89 and Geometer's Sketchpad make it possible for students to…

Sorting networks, used in graph theory, have instructional value as a skill- building tool as well as an interesting exploration in discrete mathematics. Students can practice mathematics facts and develop reasoning and logic skills with this topic. (Contains 4 figures.)