Increased use of cooperative learning methods is a visible change in mathematics education in the last decade. Research questions on cooperative learning concerning different models employed, their effectiveness compared to traditional methods of instruction, their effects on student achievement, and cognitive and affective benefits gained during…

An educated citizenry is essential to China's modernization and has led to the national goal of nine years of compulsory education for all students by the year 2000. Identified and discussed are four critical areas of concern in mathematics education: educational theory, technology, instruction, and assessment of teaching. (Author/MDH)

In polar coordinates, the intersection of the graphs of two functions, f(x) and g(x), does not always correspond to the solutions of the equation f(x) = g(x). Presented are examples to illustrate this concept, proofs demonstrating why this is true, and a computer program to simultaneously plot polar coordinate graphs. (MDH)

Reported are the results of the Second International Mathematics Study describing U.S. eighth (n=235) and twelfth grade (n=156) teachers' reasons for deciding what teaching methods to employ and topics to cover in the classroom. Teacher knowledge and textbook inclusion or exclusion are the most frequently cited reasons. Implications for curricular…

Outlines lesson plans for teaching economics in the primary grades, designed to complement the video series, "Econ and Me." Suggests activities incorporate mathematics, language arts, geography, and science. Targets the following specific economic concepts in individual lesson plans: scarcity, choice, production, goods, opportunity cost,…

Normally achieving students (n=119) and students with mild handicaps (n=83) in grades 3-6 were instructed to create and answer computation items similar to samples given. Students with mild handicaps understood item characteristics enough to create like items, though averaging three years behind normal achievers. A sample instructional activity is…

Describes the design of a prototypical computer-mediated communication (CMC) system at the Open University of the Netherlands called StudieNet which focuses on a single mathematics course. The concept of the integrated study environment used in StudieNet is explained, StudieNet functions are compared with the nonautomated course, and how the…

Reports on the mathematics teacher preparation program at Simferopol State University, the largest institution of higher education in the Crimea. The article notes the value of investigating what other countries consider essential in mathematics teacher education to improve the mathematical competence of students in the United States. (SM)

Defines the mathematical concept of proportionality. Uses graphs of linear relationships to explore and make generalizations about the characteristics of proportional situations to help students critically evaluate problems involving proportions. (MDH)

Proposes helping students understand fractions by establishing connections between students' informal knowledge of fractions and the mathematical symbols used to represent fractions. Sample dialogues demonstrate how these connections can be made. (MDH)

Discusses prerequisites that help students develop multiple strategies for solving problems as recommended in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics'"Curriculum and Evaluation Standards." Presents two examples of activities involving addition, subtraction, and permutations that promote multiple strategies. Suggests ways to…

Reports results of interviews in which students were asked to illustrate three interpretations of fractions: a unit subdivided into equal-sized parts; a set subdivided into equal-sized parts; and a ratio. Two areas of difficulty in giving reasonable representations are discussed. Proposes teaching suggestions to overcome these difficulties. (MDH)

Discusses "connectionism," an alternative learning model wherein meaning resides in the function of the whole state of a network, rather than being localizable in certain symbols or areas. Topics discussed include integration with other learning models; the culture of the mathematics classroom; and characteristics of alternative…

Interviewed six students from each of four secondary mathematics teachers to investigate the influence of teachers' views concerning error making in mathematics on the children's image of mathematics. Results indicated strong links between teachers' images and the images of their students. (15 references) (MDH)

Discusses the use of the computer software MINITAB in teaching statistics to explore concepts, simulate games of chance, transform the normal variable into a z-score, and stimulate small and large group discussions. (MDH)