When students make the transition from elementary school to junior high school, they experience abrupt organizational changes in their school environment. The hypothesis that social comparison processes mediate the relation between ability grouping practices in mathematics and students' achievement expectancies was tested in a longitudinal sample…

Two student populations of 13-year-olds in Ontario (Canada) were assessed as part of the 1988 International Assessment of Educational Progress (IAEP): French- and English-language students. Results confirm findings of differences in mathematics achievement seen earlier in the Second International Mathematics Study. Ontario French-language students…

The emphasis on writing in the teaching of mathematics and science can empower teachers to reach all sectors of the pupil population. The use of ordinary language can help break the cultural barriers that have prevented minorities and women from achieving well in proportionate numbers in these fields. This volume focuses on pedagogical issues of…

Since 1985, Congress has provided the U.S. Department of Education with funds for a program to improve the availability and quality of math and science teachers at the elementary and secondary level. This effort was initiated in response to concern that the math and science skills of elementary and secondary school students were insufficient to…

One of the strengths of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (PCTM) is that it gives mathematicians and mathematics educators the opportunity to exchange and contribute to each other's professional growth. The topic for this 1985 yearbook, the first of a proposed ongoing series, has been chosen to coincide with the annual PCTM…

Given the high importance to this Nation's future of strengthening the quality of instruction, and access to that instruction, in the critical subjects supported by Title II of the Education for Economic Security Act, every effort should be made to widely and effectively share program successes. This Special Program of Exemplary Projects is one…

This publication is an abstracted compilation of 11 investigations. The information includes purpose, rationale, research design and procedures, findings, interpretations, abstractor's comments, previous research, procedure and statistical methods, and further research. Contained within are: (1) "Gender-Based Differential Item Performance in…

In the past 15 years, educators and education researchers have increasingly emphasized the importance of cognitive processes for effective education in mathematics and science. This may be characterized as a shift away from the epistemology which treats knowledge as a compilation and categorization of facts toward the notion that knowledge is the…

Secondary level mathematics programs of England, Finland, France, Israel, Japan and Swaziland are compared using data from the Second International Mathematics Study and United Nations sources. Within a clearly defined school structure, the number of mathematics course options, age cohort enrollments and male/female ratios are considered with an…

This learning module provides students with practice in applying mathematical operations to vocational agriculture. The module consists of unit objectives, definitions, information, problems to solve, worksheets suitable for various levels of vocational agriculture instruction, and answer keys for the problems and worksheets. This module, which…

The revised Iowa Developed Energy Activity Sampler (IDEAS) was compiled using the original IDEAS program and the Energy Conservation Activity Packets (ECAPS). This document is one of the series of revised IDEAS booklets, and provides activities for teaching mathematics. The activities are intended to present energy principles in an interesting…

This document defines what are considered to be the essentials in a strong mathematics program for the state of Oregon for grades K-12. The common curriculum goals are organized into nine content strands: (1) number and numeration; (2) appropriate computational skills; (3) problem solving; (4) geometry and visualization skills; (5) measurement;…

In June 1984, the State Board of Education adopted the Oregon Action Plan for Excellence which established the direction for school improvement in the state for the next decade. A central concept of the Action Plan is that while the state will determine what must be taught in public schools, the schools will determine how it will be taught. This…

The theme of the meeting reported in this document was "Research in Mathematics Education from an Epistemological Perspective." In addition to the plenary session and reaction papers the conference proceedings contain papers grouped under the headings: (1) algebra; (2) computers and mathematics education; (3) early arithmetic (K-3); (4)…

This document is one of three related volumes. They present the rationale, background, and framework for a comprehensive monitoring system being developed for the National Science Foundation. The system is being designed to gather information about the effects of national, state, and local policy actions designed to change the teaching and…