Describes a novel assessment method used to examine Japanese and American teachers' ideas about what constitutes effective mathematics pedagogy. Evaluates American and Japanese mathematics lessons and classifies teachers' comments into over 1600 idea units. Suggests that U.S. teachers have culturally sanctioned options for teaching mathematics;…

Investigates the integration of technology into K-16 mathematics classes. Highlights include the Teacher Training with Teams, Themes and Technology (T5) Project; examples of classroom activities; and recommendations for student-controlled learning so they have input into how they use the technology. (LRW)

Results of a study found little difference in correct responding or on-task behavior of three children (ages 9-12) with emotional or behavioral disorders when a function was provided for written assignments, or arithmetic assignments were shortened, until a model for correct responding was added. (Contains references.) (CR)

To investigate collaborative learning with multimedia, four groups of three ninth-grade math students worked for one hour with a multimedia package presenting the relationships between distance, speed, and time. Interactions were videotaped and transcribed. Groups engaging in cycles of observation, reflection, discussion, and feedback were seen to…

Describes student historical research and student classroom presentation of the results of that research. Feedback from the student surveys verifies that active-learning mathematics history can motivate students to learn mathematics. (Author/DDR)

Discusses the development of informal mathematics in young children, the problems with formal mathematics instruction, how the traditional approach fails to address mathematics learning disabilities, and how a developmental perspective can assist in the identification and treatment of students with mathematics learning disabilities. (CR)

Deaf and hearing impaired students at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind participate in a bartering project in which they perform chores in exchange for food that is donated to charity. The project meets instructional objectives in social studies (learning how early settlers used bartering), mathematics (counting and classifying the…

Considers how the domains of mathematics education and history of mathematics may interact in the process of mathematics teaching. Focuses on the teachers' role and explores the relationship between research in mathematics education and the history of mathematics. Contains 24 references. (DDR)

Speculates on whether our knowledge of a mathematical topic is really the same as the knowledge of the topic held by our mathematical ancestors centuries ago. Provides specific examples of using the cultural context of mathematics as an instructional strategy. (DDR)

This study compared the curriculum, instructional strategies, and organizational formats used by 6 elementary mathematics teachers with multigrade classes and those used by 18 who used either whole-class teaching or ability grouping. Analysis of videotaped lessons found significant differences between groups, suggesting that multigrade classes…

Investigates students' conceptions and misconceptions relating to the construction of graphs. Qualitative analysis of students' responses identified three main alternative conceptions. Quantitative analyses of the data indicated that overall students did not enter the learning situation as a tabula rasa. Discusses the theoretical and practical…

Describes a study that determined whether combining cooperative learning strategies with instruction delivered using an integrated learning system (ILS) produced academic and attitudinal gains in fifth-grade students. Results revealed that students using an ILS in cooperative groups for mathematics instruction performed better and were more…

Tells stories of children in their first year of school (mostly age five) who were using calculators for the first time. Implications are that children's thinking moves from a rough to a more thorough and refined grasp of the whole. Learning mathematics with calculators is more like the learning of language than traditional classroom mathematics.…

Consideration of a definite integral in an advanced calculus class led to a great deal of mathematical thinking and to the joy of discovery. Graphing calculators allowed students to investigate quick solutions which should be regarded as stepping stones to additional investigation and rigorous proof. With slight modifications to their proofs,…

Describes an activity which allows students with a range of abilities to become involved in data analysis and informal inference while working in self-selected small group environments. Enables students to explore their own resources for asking questions. (DDR)