Reports on a study to determine the development of children's understanding of seven properties of the arithmetic mean and to assess the effects of material used in the testing and the medium of presentation. Some differences were found in children's reasoning. No significant differences were found for materials or medium of presentation. (PK)

Described is a model for teaching improper fractions and mixed numbers and some activities for working with them at the precomputational level. (PK)

The Tactile Diagrams Research Project at Loughborough University of Technology (England) developed 164 tactile diagrams for teaching 22 biological themes to blind students. Evaluation of the diagrams found most to be effective when properly introduced to students, and used with supporting text or tapes. (CB)

Beginning with the description of computation using fingers, the role of manipulative materials in mathematics learning is discussed. Some research findings are summarized, and types of manipulatives are described. Use of manipulatives with textbooks and appropriate age levels are also considered. (MNS)

Describes activities which involve a four-step approach for using manipulative materials to develop some fundamental concepts in probability and statistics while using ideas about fractions, ratios, proportion, and percentages as an integral part of problem-solving investigations. Steps include introducing the model, establishing a recording…

Use of manipulatives in teaching mathematics to the learning handicapped and mathematically gifted students is discussed. Includes a six-step sequence which has proved helpful in work with most learning handicapped students and a list of mathematical concepts/terms that can be developed using manipulative aids with the gifted students. (JN)

Three different models with continuous materials, discontinuous materials, and number lines were used to study the operation concept in six investigations on multiplication with fractions with pupils aged 11-12 in a Penang International School. All approaches could be understood by pupils, but they preferred the area and fractional models. (MNS)

This paper continues a research agenda to investigate teachers' beliefs about mathematics, mathematics learning, and mathematics teaching. Focus is given to data collected in 1996 and 1997 investigating the views of more than 900 primary and secondary mathematics teachers in the southwestern suburbs of Sydney and the North Coast of New South Wales…

This step-by-step guide for children provides a collection of over 150 recipes for breakfasts, lunches, salads, dinners, snacks, and desserts, with an emphasis on safety and creativity. The first chapter gives information concerning kitchen safety, utensils, term definitions, measuring equivalents, cleanup tips and other useful instructions. The…

Inexpensive and readily available materials are suggested for a study of rigid geometric figures. Students build three-dimensional figures noting the number of exterior struts (sides) and the number of interior struts necessary to make it rigid. (LS)

The physical, social, emotional, and cognitive gains derived from block building are examined in relation to learning needs of the pre-school child. (CS)

Cuisenaire, Dienes and traditional methods of teaching mathematics were compared by pre- and posttesting pupils in British junior schools during a three year period (1961-63) on mechanical and problem arithmetic, concept knowledge and attitudes. Details of the varied experimental design are given in addition to data and interpretation. (JP)