The Level-11 vocabulary subtest of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was analyzed using a two-stage latent trait approach and data set of 2,356 examinees, approximately 11 years of age. It is concluded that the nonparametric approach leads to efficient estimation of the latent trait. (SLD)

Reports on a study of 6,718 college students enrolled in an introductory economics course to determine factors associated with successful achievement. Finds high overall academic achievement in high school and a strong mathematics background, especially calculus, were the two most important factors. (CFR)

Two research courses where teachers explore how scientific enterprise generates new knowledge are described. Teachers are paired with mathematics and science researchers in the public and private sectors so that they experience the culture of the research community and apply research techniques in varied research settings. Concept maps, specific…

How different frames of reference affect the formation of mathematics and English self-concepts was studied for 14,825 high school sophomores from the High School and Beyond Study. Results are discussed in terms of the internal/external frame of reference model and the big-fish-little-pond effect. (SLD)

Teachers of 76 preservice courses responded to a survey concerning the effectiveness of a British Department of Education and Science grant program in attracting and retaining quality teacher trainees in the three areas of mathematics, physics, and craft/design/technology. Results are reported and analyzed. The dropout rate was found to be about 7…

Describes the first two years of a long-term project to improve precollege mathematics instruction through computer use. Inservice teacher training and summer workshops encouraged teachers to integrate computers into mathematics instruction. Key success factors included faculty collaboration, ongoing teacher support services, and collaborative…

Forty-six mildly handicapped junior high school students were paired and assigned to cooperative, competitive, individualistic, and no goal control conditions in a computer-assisted computational setting. Findings indicated students improved rates of correct responding regardless of goal condition. (Author/DB)

Presents an account of how mathematics and science educators at a Australian university combined to produce a Mathematics/Science Learning Cycle (MS Learning Cycle) to provide a consistent approach to teaching in these two subject areas. Discusses background information, outcomes of using the MS Learning Cycle in teacher preparation and in the…

D. Freedman and others and W. Clark and P. Morrison misunderstand case law in the voting rights area and have unrealistic standards of precision that, if adopted, would make it virtually impossible for minority plaintiffs to succeed. Ecological regression, when used with care, is a reliable tool. (SLD)

The computer has a role in the feminist reform of curriculum and instruction in science and mathematics instruction if technology is used to move away from didactic linear presentations of mere facts. Computers have the potential to open science and mathematics to more women and to more ideas. (SLD)

Learning activities to develop skills in various curriculum areas including language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science are presented, focusing on the theme of education in centuries past. Sample activities include contrasting the Spartan and Athenian educational systems and using Pestalozzi's charts for math functions. (DB)

The consistency of several item bias detection methods was studied across different test administrations of the same items using data from a mathematics test given to approximately 6,600 eighth grade students in all. The Mantel Haenszel and item-response-theory-based sum-of-squares methods were the most consistent. (SLD)

A mathematical model is proposed to describe how group differences in distributions of abilities, which are distinct from the target ability, influence the probability of a correct item response. In the multidimensional approach, differential item functioning is considered a function of the educational histories of the examinees. (SLD)

Suggests imaginary and currently possible uses of computers to keep children's curiosity alive and improve teaching. A sixth-grade dinosaur project involving a schoolwide network, compact discs, and e-mail is described as a fantasy. Real examples include using KIDSPHERE on the Internet and electronic networks for language, geography and science.…

Among 1,453 male and 1,133 female academically talented 7- to 11-year-old students, boys performed better overall than girls on mathematical reasoning. Gender differences appeared as early as second grade, varying according to mathematics subskills. Male performance was better on tasks requiring application of algebraic rules and understanding of…