The paper describes the use of a spreadsheet in a mathematics teacher education course. It shows how the tool can serve as a link between seemingly disconnected mathematical concepts. The didactical triad of using a spreadsheet as an agent, consumer, and amplifier of mathematical activities allows for an extended investigation of simple yet…

"How can this Abstract Algebra course help me to teach Algebra in high school?" To professors of prospective mathematics teachers, this type of question has a resounding familiarity. Because students are unclear as to the relationship between upper division mathematics courses and the high school curriculum, answering the opening question to the…

"Houghton Mifflin Mathematics" is a core curriculum for kindergarten through grade 6 students at all ability levels. According to its developer, "Houghton Mifflin Mathematics" emphasizes the five content strands and processes recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards. At each grade level the…

This book presents extensive sampling of a "whole math" curriculum for preschool and kindergarten children ages 3 and older. An introductory chapter is followed by seven curriculum chapters that discuss math manipulatives, collections, grid games, path games, graphing, math and gross-motor play, and the "math suitcase." Each chapter is divided…

Students who are anxious about mathematics elect to take fewer mathematics courses in high school and college. This math avoidance is also typical for many first-year elementary school teachers who show high levels of mathematics anxiety. These teachers schedule less time for mathematics instruction than their less anxious colleagues. This paper…

Eleven experts in mathematics education, special education, and assessment completed an open-ended survey on current math instruction in relation to the "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards" of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the perceived appropriateness and feasibility of the standards for students with…

This study is based on data from a state-wide assessment that included both multiple-choice and constructed-response items. The intent of the study was to see whether item types make a difference in gender results. The items on both tests were categorized according to whether they assessed procedural knowledge, concepts, problem solving, or…

Children begin school with the ability to use their informal and implicit conceptual knowledge to guide their problem solving, but shift to the use of superficial strategies in their attempts to solve word problems as they progress through school. This paper describes a study designed to investigate the effects of an instructional sequence that…

These conference proceedings include two invited lectures, four working group reports, five topic group reports, a list of participants, and a list of previous proceedings. The invited lectures were: "Teaching Mathematical Proof: Relevance and Complexity of a Social Approach" (Nicolas Balacheff) and "Geometry Is Alive and…

This guide describes 20 learning activities that can be used with elementary school students on the topic of probability and statistics. These activities have been developed using the mathematics laboratory approach. This publication is designed to serve as a stimulant to encourage teachers to open their minds and employ their imagination in…

The seven units developed for the Math Network Curriculum Project (MNCP) incorporate an active approach to the study of mathematics using microcomputers. The intent is to have students explore new concepts by experimenting with different situations. Most teachers of mathematics have not learned mathematics in an active way, and thus need to…

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) significantly improved the math skills of elementary school children, according to the results of an experiment conducted by the Pasco (Washington) School District. The experiment was designed to determine whether CAI would improve student math performance and whether CAI would improve math performance more than…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports on the status and progress of educational achievement in the United States. Based on its surveys, "The Nation's Report Card" provides comprehensive information about what students in the United States can do in various subject areas. The framework for the 1990 mathematics…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…

This unit is 1 of 12 developed for the university classroom portion of the Mathematics-Methods Program (MMP), created by the Indiana University Mathematics Education Development Center (MEDC) as an innovative program for the mathematics training of prospective elementary school teachers (PSTs). Each unit is written in an activity format that…