Examines the relationship between student self-perception/attitude variables and final grades in selected College of DuPage (IL) mathematics courses. Finds nearly 55 percent of the students with neutral or negative attitudes toward mathematics; over 70 percent rating their ability average or poor; and no statistically significant relationship…

To help students develop measurement skills using metric units, an activity on making a box is described, with a worksheet for students. A second article discusses graphing elementary functions with a real domain, while a third article describes computer-assisted practice in graphing sine and cosine functions. (MNS)

A study of approximately 600 University of Arkansas remedial algebra students divided into seven control and seven experimental group sections substantially confirms John Saxon's findings that mathematics achievement can be improved by using Saxon's incremental approach to mathematics instruction. (JBM)

Success in general education settings is an increasingly important goal for all students, including those identified as having mild disabilities (Cobb Morocco, 2001). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 introduces higher performance standards for all students in the general education curriculum. This situation has become especially…

This book is a teacher's resource guide designed to help students gain the range of math skills they need to succeed in life, work, and on standardized tests; overcome math anxiety; discover math as interesting and purposeful; and develop good number sense. Topics covered in this book include whole numbers; decimals and money; fractions, ratios,…

The various difficulties and cognitive obstacles that students face when they are introduced to algebra are well documented and described in the relevant bibliography. If it is possible, in order to avoid these difficulties, we have adopted the functional approach widening the meaning of algebraic thinking. In this paper, which is part of wider…

In this paper we report on some patterns of reasoning, which emerged during an activity of proving a mathematical statement performed by nine grade and university mathematics students. The statement in question involves drawing figures, working in arithmetic and in algebra. As for secondary students we detected fluency, flexibility and ability of…

The proceedings of the 24th annual meeting of the Psychology of Mathematics Education North American Chapter (PME-NA) contains research reports, plenaries, and poster presentations. Papers include: (1) "What Do We Believe about Teacher Learning and How Can We Learn With and From Our Beliefs?" (Deborah Loewenberg Ball); (2) "Toward Evidence for…

This teaching unit is designed to help students in grades 4-8 explore the concepts of algebra in the context of exploring the universe. The units in this series have been developed to enhance and enrich mathematics, science, and technology education and to accommodate different teaching and learning styles. Each unit consists of a storyline…

This paper presents the results of a pilot study conducted to examine Web-based instructional content for mathematics. Two research questions were posed during the study: (1) how is technology being used to represent mathematical concepts online? and (2) how do the representations work together as a system? A mixed method content analysis design…

This article addresses the question: "What are the implications for the preparation of prospective elementary teachers of 'early algebra' in the elementary grades curriculum?" Part of the answer involves language aspects of algebra: in particular, how a change in pre-service teachers' attitudes to algebra, from instrumental to relational, is…

We are studying two groups of preservice teachers' conceptions, progression and especially the concept of function in connection to y=x+5 when they are taking a course in algebra or one in calculus in their third and sixth term, respectively, in a teacher preparation program. There is a similar development in that they use to a higher degree a…

Research shows that introducing basic forms of algebraic reasoning in elementary school enhances children's learning of arithmetic. In this guide, a research and a professional development project are described that have taken a practical approach to introducing algebraic reasoning to elementary students in Massachusetts. (Author/SOE)

This document features the experiences of three science teachers who video and audiotaped classroom proceedings in order to go back over what was said in classroom events, to explore the intentions and ideas that were perhaps not fully understood at the time. Mary DiSchino, who teaches 3rd and 4th graders, teaches a science curriculum which she…

This paper reports on efforts to design a computer-based instructional unit for 7th grade students that would not only address state standards but would also provide some groundwork for the students' subsequent formal study of algebra. SimCalc Mathworlds software was used to explore the same motion from different perspectives. The overall…