In the United States, fractions are an important part of the middle school curriculum, yet many middle school students struggle with fraction concepts. Teachers also have difficulty with the conceptual understanding needed to teach fractions and rely on textbooks when making instructional decisions. This reliance on textbooks, the idea that…

In recent years, national organizations, mathematics educators, and policy makers have called for the development of elementary school mathematics coaches to improve mathematics teaching and learning in elementary schools. The literacy field has found success and promise in the work of instructional coaches, and the mathematics education community…

This review of literature covers attribution studies in mathematics from 1974 through 2008. Thus far, mathematics education research in this area has been rather limited over the past few years. Attribution is discussed as it is defined by researchers, as being internal or external and its relation to mathematics achievement. In order for teachers…

Previous research (e.g., Woodward & Baxter, 1997) found that Standards-based mathematics teaching provides marginal or no benefits for low achievers, in contrast with positive effects for middle and high ability students. A randomized quasi-experiment in 52 Canadian schools found that low achieving grade 7 and 8 students who received support…

School curriculum and its impact on teaching and learning have received more and more research attention both in the United States and in the international context. For example, the Third International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS) took curriculum and its different forms in the process of curriculum transformation as a guideline to…

This case study describes a professor's evolution from geoscience researcher to effective teacher to education researcher. The article details his initial beliefs about teaching, looks at the factors that prompted him to seek a different teaching approach, and enumerates the supports and challenges that he had on his journey. Factors essential to…

Focuses on and discusses the common knowledge concerning research design and the statistical analysis of data. (Author/ASK)

Reviews various studies on integrating mathematics and science in the 1990s and discusses some implications for further research. Identifies areas such as the comparison of the nature of mathematics and science, epistemological debates in mathematics and science education, the bases used to emphasize science over mathematics or vice versa, and…

Discusses the advantages of action research and concludes that action research can and should be a significant component of both preservice and inservice programs. (ASK)

Eighty tenth-graders studied a two-day unit on quadratic inequalities presented in one of four programmed-booklet forms: analytic treatment with advance organizer, analytic treatment plus introductory overview, graphical treatment with advance organizer and graphical treatment with introductory overview. No differences were found between groups on…

Describes a study in which groups of high school students of differing ability were presented different introductory "organizers" to test effectiveness of this learning aid in incorporating new material. Results from performance tests and three-week retention tests are reported. Suggested are modes of application for use of organizers in…

Describes a study that was designed to determine effects of microteaching on the attitudes of inservice elementary teachers toward teaching science as a process. Immediate microteaching experience rather than curricular activities was determined to have a positive effect on attitude toward teaching process skills. (CS)

Results of a questionnaire given to junior high students for evaluating ISCS science courses and teachers are reported. Findings showed that opinions tended to be generally positive. (DT)

Sixty-three high school geometry teachers and college mathematics educators rated each of 35 geometry objectives on a scale from very important to unimportant. Results of these ratings are reported and discussed. (DT)

Determines effects of sequencing in junior high science on the success of students in high school biology. In comparing standardized test scores of 1,143 students taking tenth grade biology, the half enrolled in a generalized general science curriculum in grades 7, 8 and 9 scored as well as or better than the half that had a specialized life…