We examine an experimental apparatus that is used to motivate the connections between the basic properties of vectors, potential functions, systems of nonlinear equations, and Newton's method for nonlinear systems of equations. The apparatus is an adaptation of a force table where we remove the center-pin and allow the center-ring to move freely.…

We describe and analyze a situation involving symbolic representation and graphical visualization of the solution of a system of two linear differential equations, using a computer algebra system. Symbolic solution and graphical representation complement each other. Graphical representation helps to understand the behavior of the symbolic…

The study of linear relationships is foundational for mathematics teaching and learning. However, students' abilities to connect different representations of linear relationships have proven to be challenging. In response, a computer-based instructional sequence was designed to support students' understanding of the connections among…

Less than half of the students in the United States graduate from high school and are ready to take college-level math courses. Many years and varieties of remedial math programs have failed to dramatically improve outcomes, especially at scale. The question we face is whether technology in general, and open educational resources in particular,…

The purpose of this study was to examine how the one-to-one laptop initiative affected student achievement gaps for students at a single high school in Mooresville, NC. The variable in this study was the preexisting End of Course exams for Algebra I and English I for the two school years prior to the one-to-one laptop implementation year…

Algebra is the gatekeeper of access to higher-level math and science courses, higher education and future earning opportunities. Unequal numbers of African-American males drop out of Algebra and mathematics courses and underperform on tests of mathematical competency and are thus denied both essential skills and a particularly important pathway to…

Teachers can use culturally relevant pedagogical strategies and technologies as emerging tools to improve students' problem-solving skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate and assess the effectiveness of culturally specific computer-based instructional tasks on ninth-grade African American mathematics students. This study tried to…

Great leaders make great schools. The most successful school leaders create a school climate of high achievement and continuous improvement, give teachers a voice in decision-making, use data to drive curriculum and instruction, and assure students and parents that everyone at the school is focusing on student success. They know what is going on…

This Information Capsule answers the most frequently asked questions about M-DCPS' academic performance during the 2011-2012 school year. Over the past year, the Florida Department of Education made over 28 changes to the school grading formula, including the transition to new, more rigorous assessments, new accountability components, and…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' knowledge and professional opinions concerning state policy changes for college and workplace preparation, state curricula requirements and standards, student tracking, graduation rates, and the implication these elements have in the mathematics classroom. A qualitative…

The implementation of online texts, videos, homework, and tests has changed the process of instruction in introductory college mathematics courses. With this change, more of the students' learning takes place outside of the traditional college classroom and in places such as tutoring centers and dorm rooms. A combination of chi-square tests--for…

This First Look presents findings from the base-year survey of the newly launched High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), the first round of a study that will follow a ninth-grade cohort through high school and into their postsecondary years. HSLS:09 is the fifth in a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) high school…

Large numbers of students arrive at colleges and universities unprepared, specifically in the area of mathematics. In Texas, approximately 47% of entering freshman students enroll in developmental mathematics. Mathematics is cited in the literature as cornerstone for success in science, and advanced technology. In this study, the extent to which…

The Mathematics Performance Expectations (MPE) define the content and level of achievement students must reach to be academically prepared for success in entry-level, credit-bearing mathematics courses in college or career training. They were developed through a process that involved faculty from Virginia's two- and four-year colleges and…

A central goal of secondary mathematics is for students to learn to use powerful algebraic strategies appropriately. Research has demonstrated student difficulties in the transition to using such strategies. We examined strategies used by several thousand 8th-, 9th-, and 10th-grade students in five different school systems over three consecutive…