Testing with personal probabilities eliminates guessing whether the subjects are well calibrated. A probability testing study with 47 Dutch elementary school children who used an interactive computer program shows that even 11-year-olds can estimate their personal probabilities correctly. (SLD)

Presents the problem of points and the development of the binomial triangle, or Pascal's triangle. Examines various attempts to solve this problem to give students insight into the nature of mathematical discovery. (KHR)

Proposes lotto games as a source of problems and exercises for classroom activities as well as applications of basic probability concepts in a practical setting which leads to a greater understanding of the remote chance anyone has of winning a lottery game. (KHR)

Outlines several recommendations for teaching probability in the secondary school. Offers an activity that employs simulation by hand and using a programmable calculator in which geometry, analytical geometry, and discrete mathematics are explored. (KHR)

Presents a problem-solving activity, the birth order problem, and several solution-seeking strategies. Includes responses of current and prospective teachers and a comparison of various strategies. (YDS)

Discusses the use or misuse of statistics or probability in society. Presented are examples from opinion polling, sports, the 1970 draft lottery, and the law. Lists 18 references. (YP)

Educational assessment concerns inference about student knowledge, skills, and accomplishments. Test theory has evolved in part to address questions of weight, coverage, and import of data. Resulting concepts and techniques can be viewed as applications of more general principles for inference in the presence of uncertainty. (SLD)

This special issue demonstrates the symmetry and rigor of probabilistic conjoint measurement in practical applications in education and other human sciences. Following the opening chapter introducing the theory, other chapters focus on conjoint measurement in testing and student evaluation, standard setting, and the study of behavior and attitude.…

Examines people's behavior in the Monty Hall Dilemma (MHD), in which a person must make two decisions to win a prize. In a series of five studies, found that people misapprehend probabilities in the MHD. Discusses the MHD's relation to illusion of control, belief perseverance, and the status quo bias. (RJM)

Examined the effects of perceived control and close alternative outcomes on counterfactual generation (thoughts of what could have been). Subjects played a "wheel of fortune" game in which they controlled one of two wheels. Results supported the idea that people generate counterfactuals about events over which they have perceived…

Examined impact of outcome controllability on counterfactual thoughts (thoughts of what could have been). Two studies showed that outcome controllability affected counterfactual direction: thoughts on how things could have been better were more frequent following controllable outcomes, and thoughts on how things could have been worse followed…

Summarizes 19 papers presented at the Fourth International Conference on Teaching Statistics held in Morocco, July 1994. Papers presented were in five categories: (1) empirical studies on students' conceptions; (2) theoretical papers on teaching and learning; (3) assessment; (4) using computers in teaching probability and statistics; and (5) data…

The on-off settings of a series of eight switches determines the code to open garage doors. Presented are two problems asking the probability that two people would have the same garage door opener code or whether a specific person would have the same code as another person in the neighborhood. (MDH)

The history of the journal "Esercitazioni Matematiche" (1921-43) edited by the "Circolo Matematico di Catania" for university students is described. A selection of proposed problems with some of their solutions is reported. (Author)

The PARallELogram Analysis (PARELLA) model is a probabilistic parallelogram model that can be used for the measurement of latent attitudes or latent preferences. A method is presented for testing for differential item functioning (DIF) for the PARELLA model using the approach of D. Thissen and others (1988). (SLD)