During the 1992-93 school year, the leadership of Benjamin Russell High School, located in Alexander City, Alabama, decided to experiment with blocked class periods. Under this option, sometimes referred to as the Copernican System, subjects are taught in double periods rather than in the conventional 50-minute periods normally used in most…

This paper is the report of a year-long study of a mathematics teacher's attempts to document her observations of students. One goal of the project is to determine whether it is feasible for a teacher to keep a record of informal assessments such as observations and interviews. Another goal is to determine how useful such information could be to…

The National Education Goals Report serves as a barometer of the nation's progress toward the national education goals defined in early 1990. This year's report, sixth in a series of annual reports planned through the year 2000, focuses on standards and assessments, two areas of educational reform which are currently of interest to state and local…

This executive summary of the National Educational Goals Report 1996 serves as a barometer of the U.S.'s progress toward the National Education Goals defined in early 1990. This year's report, sixth in a series of annual reports planned through the year 2000, focuses on standards and assessments, two areas of educational reform which are currently…

Three lesson plans to adapt mathematics education for middle school students, including deaf students, are presented. The first lesson, "How Do I Identify Myself," teaches students to participate in a survey, conduct a survey, weigh results, convert results to ratios, convert ratios to percentages, construct a circle graph, and write a paragraph…

This book contains a collection of articles from "Home Education Magazine" for the years 1984-94. The articles offer views and information on socialization, the selection of curriculum materials, networking, evaluation and accountability, legal considerations, political involvement, higher education, and the location of resources. The book's six…

Based on research and the work of groups engaged in mathematics and science education reform, this document describes the teaching, assessment, and professional development necessary for practitioners in the Pacific region to bring about mathematical and scientific literacy by improving the interaction among students, teachers, and content. The…

It is argued that mastery learning is one explanation for the documented differences in mathematics achievement between Japanese and American students. Given its emphasis on mastery at one stage before moving on to the next stage, and the potential accumulated benefits of this approach over time, mastery learning appears to be very similar to what…

This book helps middle school teachers and curriculum planners organize integrated units of study on the world and weather, for grades 5-9. Intended to generate interest in science, build scientific knowledge, and help students make the transition from fiction to expository text, the book offers a variety of projects that connect popular fiction…

This paper addresses dilemmas in the practices of six teachers from the perspective of alternate paradigms of knowledge growth, particularly constructivism. The dilemmas focus on the relationships between theory and practice in the growth of knowledge in learning and teaching mathematics. The data for this study are drawn from a four-year…

This collection of activities demonstrates how the study of elementary mathematics can be extended beyond the school and involve teachers and students in investigative, problem-based experiences. The activities include topics in geometry, concept of number, algebra, measurement, graphing, statistics, and probability, and are organized into five…

As part of an effort to improve community college algebra students' ability to solve word problems, a study was undertaken at Florida's Manatee Community College to determine the effects of using heuristic instruction (i.e., providing general rules for solving different types of math problems) in combination with the TI-92 calculator. The TI-92…

Differences among students can yield rich benefits as well as pose difficult problems during collaborative learning. Students can draw on diverse individual experiences to exchange information, to understand different expressions of shared commonalities, and to construct new possibilities jointly. However, they also face the potential pitfalls of…

Teachers today are faced not only with oversized classes, but with students of varying abilities who differ in the ways they process information. The fostering of diverse styles of learning has been neglected in the teaching of mathematics. The use of journal writing as a vehicle for assessing students' understanding of material provides an…

Presenting 12 data tables, this report documents fall 1996 success rates for 11 developmental and developmental-type advanced and professional courses at Florida's Pensacola Junior College. Following an introductory table showing success rates for each course and defining success rate as the percentage of enrolled students who earned a grade of C…