An equating study was carried out in autumn 2006 by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) on behalf of Renaissance Learning, to provide validation evidence for the use of the Renaissance Star Reading and Star Mathematics tests in English schools. The study investigated the correlation between the Star tests and established tests.…

This paper describes the analysis of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program's January 2008 Learning Network Conference (LNC). This study focuses on the methodologies used by the MSP community to generate evidence and seeks to understand topics of interest to the 320 LNC participants. The data set for this…

The theory of action upon which high-stakes accountability policies are based calls for systemic reforms in educational systems that will emerge by pairing incentives for improvement with extensive and targeted technical assistance (TA) to build the capacity of low-performing schools and districts. To this end, a little discussed and often…

This third volume of the 31st annual proceedings of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education conference presents research reports for author surnames beginning Han- through Miy-. Reports include: (1) Elementary Education Students' Memories of Mathematics in Family Context (Markku S. Hannula, Raimo Kaasila, Erkki…

School improvement initiatives have been the focus of recent political agendas, professional conferences, and publications. A recent educational change initiative in Indiana has been Project Lead The Way (PLTW). According to Rogers (2005) the state's technology education teachers have embraced PLTW and its infusion into the high school curriculum.…

Teaching teachers to become observers and inquirers into mathematics will help change how they teach math to students. Essential to all professional development in mathematics is the idea that making sense of mathematics is key to learning. Just as learning to read calls for bringing meaning to the printed page, learning math calls for bringing…

This volume of the 27th International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Conference includes the following research reports: (1) The Affective Views of Primary School Children (Peter Grootenboer); (2) Theoretical Model of Analysis of Rate Problems in Algebra (Jose Guzman, Nadine Bednarz and Fernando Hitt); (3) Locating Fractions on…

This article presents the dialogue from a roundtable discussion on the principles of science education in today's school held by "Pedagogika" in March 2004. Participants were as follows: from the Russian Academy of Education: V.P. Borisenkov, doctor of pedagogical sciences, professor, vice president of the Russian Academy of Education, and editor…

The third volume of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains full research report papers. Papers include: (1) Students' Use of ICT Tools: Choices and Reasons (Anne Berit Fuglestad); (2) Interaction of Modalities in Cabri: A Case Study (Fulvia Furinghetti, Francesca Morselli, and…

Literature is viewed as a natural "thinking" medium to help children experience learning in a contextual setting (Ward 2005). Though, as Draper (2002) contended, mathematics is a subject that children are often unable to recognize as useful in their lives, literature with mathematical components may be able to address this concern. Combining…

Education bureaucrats in 45 states have approved the Common Core State Standards ([CCSS], 2010) as the de facto national curriculum. The implementation of the CCSS will be monitored by a national standardized test in language arts and mathematics. The confluence of a standardized curriculum enforced with a standardized test will entrench a…

Secretary of Education Duncan (2010) lamented the state of U.S. education in 2010 after the release of the results from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). He wrote: "Unfortunately, the 2009 PISA results show that American students are poorly prepared to compete in today's knowledge economy. President Obama…

In this article, the author shares his thoughts about who he is as a teacher and what his goals as a teacher turn out to be. The author describes his role as researcher, teacher, and educator. He begins with his take on mathematics teaching and learning, because the question of which mathematics educators teach and how they teach it is really…

The United States Department of Education (USED) granted 11 states waivers (eight full waivers and three conditional waivers) to provide what the USED termed "flexibility" from meeting some of the requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Much of the flexibility relieves schools from the Adequate Yearly Progress mandate that requires…

The author of this article argues that, just as Americans were shocked into action, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, by strengthening STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in the educational curriculum, Americans must be shocked again. The nation must address the failure of its leaders to provide adequate funding…