Contemporary reforms lobby for deep changes in mathematics teaching and learning, yet classroom practice continues, in many places, to be as conventional as ever. This study examines how one mid-sized urban school district marshaled resources for change in mathematics instruction. The study involved a 3-year observation of a small group of…

This study was conducted to determine if an integrated content-methods, two-course sequence for preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) affects the mathematical beliefs of these students in three main areas: (1) beliefs about mathematics as a discipline; (2) beliefs about how mathematics is learned and should be taught; and (3) beliefs about…

Using Walberg's educational productivity model, this study estimated the influences of home environment, motivation, ability, classroom environment, quality of instruction, and instructional time on mathematics outcomes using longitudinal data from the Second International Mathematics Study (SIMS). SIMS was a comprehensive survey of the teaching…

The controversy about ability grouping in education boils down to a conflict between the educational goals of excellence and of equity. There is considerable evidence that ability grouping is effective in producing learning, but not for all students. This study addresses substantive issues raised in previous research, exploring whether ability…

The 5-14 Development Programme was a major reform encompassing the whole of the curriculum, assessment, national testing and reporting for pupils of age 5 to 14 in Scotland. Between 1989 and 1993, national guidelines were developed for five curricular areas: English language, mathematics, environmental studies, expressive arts, and religious/moral…

This paper examines what teacher educators, policymakers, and teachers think they know about the current mathematics reforms and what it takes to help teachers engage with these reforms. The analysis is organized around three issues: (1) the "it" envisioned by the reforms; (2) what teachers (and others) bring to learning "it"; (3) what is known…

This document describes literacy models for urban and rural populations in Mexico. It contains four sections. The first two sections (generalizations about the population and considerations about the teaching of adults) discuss the environment that creates illiterate adults and also describe some of the conditions under which learning takes place…

This monograph presents seven papers on the research, and pedagogical aspects of developmental education and implications for a definition of developmental education. After an introductory paper by the editors, the papers are: (1) "The New Science: Connections with Developmental Education" (Dana D. Darby); (2) "Issues Affecting the Definition of…

TEAMS Distance Learning is an Educational Telecommunications Network service of the Los Angeles County Office of Education (California). It provides live, interactive instructional telecasts for students in grades two through six and their teachers and parents across the United States and in Canada. This evaluation summary consists of an overview…

Most children do not come home from school empty-handed, but laden with one or more assignments to be completed at home and returned to school the next day. Research suggests that parental involvement with homework can enable and enhance its positive effect. This study investigated middle-grades students' perceptions about parental involvement…

This paper describes how a target group of seven students in a combined fourth and fifth grade mathematics class used structured representations to solve fraction problems situated within various realistic contexts. Emphasis is given to the ways in which students' thinking about rational number concepts influences and is influenced by the…

This study aims to contribute to the existing research exploring differences in mathematics achievement at the postsecondary level between males and females and minorities and non-minorities. This report explores and expands upon research that documents both cognitive and non-cognitive factors which facilitate or hinder mathematics achievement.…

This brief discusses some of the results and conclusions from the Professional Development Project of the National Institute for Science Education (NISE). The project was intended to explore whether the science, mathematics, and professional development communities share a common understanding of what professional learning experiences look like…

This booklet provides information to parents, students, teachers, and community members about the new mathematics curriculum in western Canada that was developed as a result of the Common Curriculum Framework for K-12 Mathematics. The curriculum represents a dynamic approach to mathematics with problem solving as the main focus for all grade…

This study examines Asian American middle school students' classroom behaviors in mathematics using systematic classroom observation techniques. The study explores questions related to classroom behaviors in terms of interactions with teachers, classroom settings, activities, and manners; differences in classroom behaviors between boys and girls…