The first volume of the proceedings of the 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following 13 full papers: (1) "Some Psychological Issues in the Assessment of Mathematical Performance" (O. Bjorkqvist); (2) "Neuromagnetic Approach in Cognitive Neuroscience" (S.…

Mathematics departments rarely require students to study very much logic before working with proofs. Normally, the most they will offer is contained in a small portion of a "bridge" course designed to help students move from more procedurally-based lower-division courses (e.g., abstract algebra and real analysis). What accounts for this seeming…

The fourth volume of the proceedings of 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following papers: (1) "A Model for Discriminating amongst Student Teachers of Mathematics" (P. Perks); (2) "A Study of Teachers' Conceptions about Mathematics" (G.N. Philippou and C.…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) provides data about what children know and can do with the goal of using this information to improve education. This book contains interpretive reports based on results from the mathematics assessments conducted by the NAEP regarding: (1) the cognitive performance of students at grades 4, 8,…

This document consists of the two numbers of "The AMATYC Review" issued during publication year 1991-1992. The following articles are featured: (1) "Educational Reflections" (D. A. Crocker); (2) "Mathematics: An International View" (I. Malyshev, J. R. Becker, editors); (3) "Pandora's Rectangular Parallelepiped" (L. R. Tanner, editor); (4) "The…

Women and mathematics have been thought of as two totally separate subjects for decades. In July, 1994 a group of mathematicians from around the country gathered in Berkeley, CA for three days to discuss ways to increase the representation of women in Ph.D. programs in the mathematical sciences. The primary goal of this conference was to broaden…

The third volume of the proceedings of 21st annual meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains the following papers: (1) "Graphics Calculators Use in Precalculus and Achievement in Calculus" (P. Gomez and F. Femandez); (2) "Tapping into Algebraic Variables through the Graphic…

The second volume of this proceedings contains full research articles. Papers include: (1) "Lave and Wenger's social practice theory and teaching and learning school mathematics" (J. Adler); (2) "Being a researcher and being a teacher" (J. Ainley); (3) "Procedural and conceptual aspects of standard algorithms in…

Investigates secondary mathematics teachers' concept definitions, mathematical understanding, and pedagogical content knowledge of slope. Indicates that geometric ratios dominated teachers' concept definitions of slope, and teachers' descriptions of classroom instruction included physical situations more often than functional situations. (Contains…

Attempts to describe a notion parallel to number sense, called symbol sense, incorporating the following components: making friends with symbols, reading through symbols, engineering symbolic expressions, equivalent expressions for non-equivalent meanings, choice of symbols, flexible manipulation skills, symbols in retrospect, and symbols in…

Suggests use of the quadratic formula to build understanding that connections between factors and solutions to equations work both ways. Making use of natural connections among concepts allows students to work more efficiently. Presents four sample problems showing the roots of equations. Messy quadratic equations with rational roots can be solved…

Relates, in story form, how to make geometric and algebraic concepts more accessible to children by using one-dimensional grids. (MKR)

Describes an approach to algebraic thinking based on an extension of the problem-solving tasks typically investigated by elementary and middle school students. Demonstrates how elements of algebraic thinking may be developed in a systematic and coherent way through problem-solving experiences. States that students' pattern-building capabilities…

Interviews students majoring in mathematics who had passed a required introductory course on algebraic structures on students' difficulties with basic concepts in group theory as part of a research project. Reports data concerning cyclic groups. (ASK)

Presents problems from the Mathematics in Context (MiC) project with a central theme concerning the construction of a variety of formulas by students. (AIM)