Eight recommendations for school mathematics in the 1980s are given. These are based partially on results from mathematical assessments and other studies, and are intended to launch a decade of action in mathematics education. For each of the following recommendations, the document includes a short commentary and a series of recommended actions to…

The purpose of this study was to examine rural and non-rural students in order to understand similarities and differences between their learning styles and the ease with which they learned Algebra with a graphic calculator. Two samples of students, one from a rural high school and one from a non-rural one, answered a survey asking about their…

In 1995, the American College Testing (ACT) Program conducted a study of the effects of using a calculator in its ACT Assessment and PLAN mathematics tests taken by approximately 38,000 students. Whether there would be changes in the PLAN and ACT score scales as a result of permitting calculator use on the mathematics tests was explored with…

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards puts great stress on the mathematical processes of problem solving, communication, reasoning, and making connections. NCTM standards also emphasize new and emerging content areas for middle school students such as algebra, data analysis, and probability.…

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the Western Australian Calculus Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) papers for 1996-99, two years before and two years after the introduction of graphics calculators on the examination. Changes in the questions that asked students to graph rational functions and students' answers to the corresponding…

Presents practical, teacher-tested tools and techniques based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards for teaching mathematics. Covers Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) technique; story problems across the curriculum; advantages of using calculators in instruction; and manipulatives for plane geometry. Includes a chart…

Describes the method to solve problems called T-E-M-T-T: trial, error, and modified trial through technology. The method integrates students' skills of estimation, mental computation, and appropriate choice of calculator use. Includes 2 activities for each of grades K-4 and 5-8 that illustrate the method. (MDH)

Described are activities that use a hundred chart to improve student abilities to recognize and describe number patterns, to use variables, to make and informally prove conjectures, and to communicate mathematical ideas to classmates. Included are the directions, four reproducible student sheets, the answers, and extensions. (KR)

This 2-year study involved 580 seventh- and eighth-grade students to determine the effects of a long-term professional development plan to integrate the Texas Instruments' Math Explorer calculators into mathematics teaching and learning and students', teachers', and parents' attitudes toward calculator use. Includes recommendations for practice…

This article addresses some important issues in mathematics instruction at the middle and secondary levels, including the structuring of a district's mathematics program; the choice of textbooks and use of calculators in the classroom; the need for more rigorous lesson planning practices; and the dangers of teaching to standardized tests rather…

This book contains descriptions of the 122 Summer Science Camps (SSC) funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) from 1992 to 1996. This program is employed as an early intervention strategy that reaches out to a large number of disadvantaged children who are underrepresented in scientific and technical careers. The main goal of the SSC is to…

Technology can be an effective educational device if it is part of a well-conceived plan blending together other factors that also positively influence achievement. The body of research documenting the benefits of integrating technology into academic programs grows each day, particularly concerning the use of calculators and computers in the…

The information in this supplementary notebook is intended to provide teachers with additional materials, ideas and suggestions, and activities to help in implementing the first 21 units of the Applied Mathematics modules that help develop and refine job-related mathematics skills. An introduction lists the 36 units of the complete Applied…

As momentum for change in U.S. education continues to grow, questions about the nature and goals of mathematics education take on increasing urgency. This report proposes a framework for reform of school mathematics mainly through reshaping of the mathematics curriculum. Chapters included are: (1) "A Rationale for Change," describing changing…

This document asserts that mathematics is becoming essential to many more disciplines. The paper is an attempt to describe the sorts of curricular changes which many mathematics educators are now recommending. The paper discusses: (1) mathematical power; (2) mathematics instruction; (3) new research directions; (4) mathematical thinking and…