Several lines of needed research on teaching are discussed, including process-outcome research, structuring the content for clarity, teaching cognitive skills and problem-solving strategies, recitation and boardwork, seatwork and homework, conceptual change teaching, classroom organization and grouping, cooperative learning methods, sex equity,…

A dialogue between Socrates and a researcher who claims to know what constitutes effective teaching is used to critique the implicit assumptions held by researchers. Teacher effectiveness research is criticized, and potential bridges for communication suggested. (MNS)

Confrey's article is criticized on the basis of unbalanced content coverage, distortions in the treatment of the content that is covered, and the lack of readiness to come to grips with the realities of classroom teaching. (MNS)

Fifth graders performed better than third graders on discovering the function rule relating two number pairs. Task difficulty and mode of presentation (graphic or symbolic) varied by function. The children seemed ready to relinquish a hypothesis in the face of disconfirming evidence. (MNS)

Eleven retarded children with mental ages (MA) less than 4.5 years were examined to evaluate whether there is a critical MA for learning basic counting principles and how an understanding of counting develops. Results are discussed in terms of individual needs. (MNS)

Secondary geometry students were tested for van Hiele level of thinking, geometry knowledge and achievement, and proof-writing achievement. Proof-writing achievement correlated significantly with van Hiele level entering geometry knowledge and geometry achievement. The predictive validity of the van Hiele model was supported. (Author/DC)

This eighteenth annual listing of mathematics education research contains research summaries, articles, and dissertations listed alphabetically by author within each category. For each reference, the grade or age level is indicated. An index is included at the end to help readers locate studies on specified topics. (PK)

Article discusses two questions--what is the research base for the recommendations made by the NCTM Standards for School Mathematics Committee and what is the agenda for new research implied by the standards. (PK)

Exploratory study aimed to investigate elements of geometrical concepts that children learn through Logo programing. A test designed to assess three components of length and angle was administered to 84 children who had learned Logo for one year and 92 who had not. Data indicated a positive effect of Logo work on some items, but not all.…

Argues that, though ethnography is a powerful methodology, it has rarely been used by educational researchers. Describes the research tradition of ethnography, compares ethnography with more common educational research practices, and discusses advantages of improved commuication for both mathematics education and educational anthrpology. (PK)

Investigates whether elementary school students can construct operations of thought for integers and integer addition crucial for understanding elementary algebra. Two sixth graders were taught using a computer. Results included both students being able to construct mental operations for negating arbitrary integers and determining sign and…

Mandler's theory of emotion is suggested as a framework for investigating affective issues in problem solving. Several dimensions of the emotional states of problem solvers are specified. Implications of this framework for research on affective issues in problem solving are also discussed. (PK)

Mathematical problem-solving processes used by 27 eighth graders who had studied programming were compared to those of 27 who had not. Programmers used more systematic approaches and reviewed solutions more often than nonprogrammers but did not make more use of equations or do more planning. (PK)

Twenty secondary mathematics teachers described their thinking as they solved four proportion problems, explained how they would teach two of the problems, and solved four similar problems after having been asked to use proportional strategies. Findings indicate that less formal strategies were not often used by these teachers. (PK)

Investigated the behavior of college mathematics professors as they taught a basic course. It was found that all of the teachers typically taught the class as a unit using a teacher centered approach. Compared to less effective teachers, the more effective teachers asked more product questions and covered more content. (PK)