Uses panel estimation techniques to estimate econometric models of mathematics achievement determinants for a nationally representative sample of high-school students. Extra time spent on math homework increases test scores; an extra hour of TV viewing negatively affects scores. Longer math periods also help. (Contains 56 references.) (MLH)

Describes a teacher's experiences developing and implementing a three-week interdisciplinary unit for fourth grade students that revolves around the Alaskan Iditarod sled dog race. Students read about the race history, figure out a racing budget, learn about animal breeding and care, and follow the actual progress of the racing teams via Internet…

A study of 543 South African university freshmen examined testing issues in relation to use of English as a first or second language. Results suggest multiple-choice tests yield higher grades than essay tests for both native and nonnative speakers, performance on essay questions varies depending on type of question, and open-ended tutorial…

Presents a diagnostic teaching unit in general science designed to identify effective learning strategies for seventh-grade students with learning disabilities or behavior disorders. The unit is intended to identify effective strategies for students in reading comprehension, mathematics problem solving, and memory. Detailed instructions for four…

To examine how performance-based assessment changed mathematics teaching under conditions of moderate and low-stake assessment, middle school teachers were studied in five districts in Maryland and Maine, with interviews of 82 teachers and administrators. Findings suggest that effects of state testing on teaching may be overrated by both advocates…

Interviews and observations of a first-grade mathematics class to determine the influence of Proposition 227 on limited-English-speaking students found that many initial fears about Proposition 227 were unfounded; student ability to cope was underestimated; teacher knowledge of Spanish and Latino culture was critical; and students' limited English…

A survey of 42 Irish and Belgian blind and partially sighted students (ages 12 to 18) and interviews with 6 Irish and Belgian mathematics teachers found that few of the students took higher-level mathematics examinations, due primarily to mathematical-access difficulties. A computer-based system providing both menu and command (keyboard and voice)…

This article presents results of an interpretive study of the educational and career paths of seven women who have left the mathematics/science pipeline to research scientist in order to pursue a doctorate in education. Their narratives portray conflicts between their self-concepts and the nature of their chosen disciplines. (SLD)

Discusses changes in classroom dynamics when computer technology is incorporated into the curriculum, based on experiences in elementary and secondary school science and math classes. Topics include student motivation; cooperation and collaboration; increased persistence in problem solving; different methods of assessment; increased and improved…

California schools are ranked near the bottom in student achievement. The University of California can improve public schools through outreach programs; by improving its own curricula, particularly in mathematics and science, to become more interdisciplinary and inquiry-based; and by focusing on teacher education. Discusses obstacles to, and…

Discusses integrating mathematics/science with measurement for grades 6-12. Provides Web addresses for companies manufacturing data grabbers (instruments for gathering data in electronic form for graphing and analysis by graphing calculators and computers) and for sites offering instructional materials. Describes projects in architecture,…

The annual report on the state of education notes that after the shock of September 11, came a renewed sense of patriotism among young people. Charts and graphs display test results of the civic knowledge of U.S. 9th graders, scores from 4th-grade reading tests, 4th-, 8th-, and 12th grade math tests, and SAT scores Other items include…

This paper is an account of one aspect of a self-study--the "roundtable reflections"--conducted over two semesters with two cohorts of Bachelor of Education preservice teachers at the University of Ballarat. An innovative approach to learning and teaching mathematics based on negotiation, "commuting" teaching experience, and…

Kansas, Montana, and New York are the states currently under orders from their highest courts to fix their school finance systems. In Kansas, House and Senate leaders have agreed to a plan that would increase per-pupil funding for at-risk, bilingual, and special education students. It would also create a $20 million program to help districts…

The National Education Association has strongly supported the Elementary and Secondary Education Act since its inception in 1965. But the law's most recent reauthorization, the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act, is fundamentally flawed, writes NEA President Reg Weaver. Weaver offers NEA's recommendations for revising the law and addressing these…