Designed to examine the effect of various factors on the mathematics achievement of African-American students attending urban schools, this study analyzed the importance of seven constructs that are believed to either directly or indirectly impact student success. Based on factors identified by research as essential to mathematics achievement, all…

This study examines how students solve problems that involve the concept of absolute value. One hundred seventeen students participated in the first (written) part of the study, 24 students participated in the second part (interview). Particular attention was paid to the actual process of problem solving and to the students' ability to establish…

Using sociocultural learning theories and feminist post structural theories of gender, we explore how a diverse group of parents (n = 28) construct their preschool sons and daughters as capable/not capable of doing mathematics. Our study examines the interactions between parents and children while playing an age appropriate board game. Following…

The purpose of this study was to examine the proportional reasoning skills of Turkish middle school students. It was also aimed at revealing the differences in students' performances in terms of their gender, grade level, and problem types--missing value and numerical comparison. The study was conducted with two sixth and seventh grade classes…

This study investigated the influence of regular structured writing about problem solving on college algebra students' locus of control, flexibility of articulation, and accuracy in responding to written problem tasks. The writing assignments, acronym PSOLVE, provided students a framework for expressing their thoughts about mathematical actions,…

Cognitive Restructuring offers mathematics teachers a foundation and working philosophy for helping underachieving students. The philosophy centers on helping students become aware of and break out of a failure syndrome. Inability is not considered the reason for underachieving. This philosophy, shared by the developmental mathematics teachers at…