This document offers instructional materials for a 60-hour course on math operations involving decimals, fractions, proportions, statistics, probability, measurement, geometry, and linear algebra as applied in the workplace. The course was part of a workplace literacy project developed by Mercer County Community College (New Jersey) and its…

The 13 leading mathematics educators who made up the task force that prepared this report were thoroughly acquainted with every major report on math education produced within the last decade. They were also thoroughly acquainted with the realities of instruction in the K-12 classrooms. Their aim, therefore, was to make appropriate compromises…

This collection of four papers deals with problem solving and the measurement of problem solving. "Climbing Up the Competence Ladder: Some Thoughts on Meaningful Assessment of Problem-Solving Tasks in the Classroom" by K. C. Cheung uses the metaphor of a competence ladder to represent the problem-solving continuum with progressive…

This report offers details of the results of basic skills testing of the entering freshman class in New Jersey's public colleges. Levels of proficiency in verbal skills, computation, and elementary algebra are estimated from performance on the New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test. For the 48,568 students tested in the fall of 1990, 24%…

The strategies examinees employ when making item difficulty level choices in self-adapted computerized testing were investigated. Subjects were 148 college students (88 females and 60 males) in an introductory statistics course. The primary instrument was a self-adapted computerized algebra test used to measure student readiness for the statistics…

In this article, the authors seek to re-conceptualize the perspective regarding students' difficulties with algebra. While acknowledging that students "do" have difficulties when learning algebra, they also argue that the generally espoused criteria for algebra as the ability to work with the syntactical rules for solving equations is…

The limits inherent in field experiences are significant challenges to teacher educators in preservice teachers' preparation. One key challenge is having preservice teachers understand the complexities of what happens in the classroom. This article describes lessons we have learned through the creation of a multimedia case study that have given us…

An evaluation is presented of the remedial programs in each of New Jersey's 32 public colleges and universities. The academic outcome of full-time students entering in fall 1984 is tracked over four semesters. This analysis combines measures of the colleges' administrative efficiency in testing and enrolling students in needed remedial courses,…

This report offers details of the results of basic skills testing of the entering freshman class in New Jersey's public colleges. Levels of proficiency in verbal skills, computation, and elementary algebra are estimated from performance on the New Jersey College Basic Skills Placement Test. For the 48,791 students tested in the fall of 1989, 24%…

This report presents findings from a study of the cognitive processes and learning difficulties of ninth-grade students in Algebra I. A clinical interview approach was used with 14 students. A group of six Hispanic students and a group of five Anglo students were enrolled in the same algebra class; three Hispanic students were enrolled in an…

This document reports in detail an investigation of the cognitive processes and learning difficulties of ninth-grade students in Algebra I. A clinical interview approach was used with 14 students. A group of six Hispanic students and a group of five Anglo students were enrolled in the same algebra class; a group of three Hispanic students who had…

Since 1982, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has published a student periodical five times a year. Each four-page issue focuses on a single theme, developing it from a simple opening-page activity through more challenging extensions at a higher level of understanding. In this document each four-page issue published from September,…

This document is designed to assist administrators and teachers in planning, developing, and implementing grades K-9 mathematics programs and to provide some guidelines for grades 10-12 instruction. It is intended to provide a philosophical foundation and curricular framework from which educators may construct a comprehensive local program to meet…

This paper presents results from a study of 19 teacher education students' knowledge of mathematics and discusses an analytic framework for examing and appraising teachers' and prospective teachers' subject matter knowledge. Participants in the study were 10 elementary education majors and 9 mathematics majors or minors who were preparing to teach…

This document has been written to relate to the "Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve" published in 1985. Part 1 of the document provides a brief summary of important characteristics of a strong elementary mathematics program. Part 2 of the document presents a portrait of a desired…