Recent research in problem solving has shifted its focus to actual classroom implementation and what is really going on during problem solving when it is used regularly in classroom. This book seeks to stay on top of that trend by approaching diverse aspects of current problem solving research, covering three broad themes. Firstly, it explores the…

Over the past decade, research on the use of technology in the mathematics classroom has focused primarily on issues of student learning and engagement. In this article, we focus on middle grades mathematics teachers' use of The Geometer's Sketchpad, and study both the decisions they make about when to use technology, and their motivations for…

This paper reviews the presentation of problem solving and process aspects of mathematics in curriculum documents from Australia, UK, USA and Singapore. The place of problem solving in the documents is reviewed and contrasted, and illustrative problems from teachers' support materials are used to demonstrate how problem solving is now more often…

This case study examined an experienced secondary school mathematics teacher's knowledge and teaching of problem solving, using interviews, classroom observations, teaching documents, and experimental tasks. The informant revealed a broad interpretation of problem solving, integrated with mathematics but widely applicable. This interpretation…

This document contains the appendices to a study of problem-solving instruction. In Appendix A are sample instruments for the teacher problem-solving interview and instructional planning interview, the teacher post-study interview, coversheet for narrative notes and narrative notepad page, rating form for the lesson rating instrument, lesson…

Seventeen research reports are arranged under several broad topics of mathematics education. Section 1 concerns language and mathematics learning, with one paper on word problems and one on concept formation. Papers on university level mathematics in Section 2 explore problem solving, characteristics of school leavers, some mathematical aspects of…

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)

Investigates the relationship between the strategies used by preservice elementary teachers in geometric problem solving and two primary mental abilities--spatial visualization and formal reasoning. Reports that the two abilities were related to problem-solving performance, and the strategies used were related to achievement in the geometry…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two types of teacher inservice education programs upon fourth-grade students' achievement in solving mathematics story problems. Participating teachers attended two types of teacher inservice education programs; a traditional program, and a brief, narrowly focused special program (2.5 hours…

In spite of the continued focus on problem solving, American elementary and middle grades schoolchildren are perceived to be ineffective problem solvers. This paper reports the results of a survey of (n=744) kindergarten through eighth grade teachers and interviews and observations of a primary and an intermediate master teacher designed to answer…

Reports a study to test the hypothesis that intermediate grade teachers (n=96) will reflect an expectation of male success in the scores they assign to students' work in mathematical problem solving. MANOVA involving the variables of student gender, teacher grade level, and teacher gender indicated no gender bias on the part of teachers. (MDH)

Discussed is the question of teachers' knowledge about mathematical topics. The building of an analytic framework of subject matter knowledge for teaching the topic of functions in mathematics is demonstrated. Discussed is the construction of mathematics courses prospective mathematics teachers take. (KR)

This study examined student growth in mathematical problem solving and relationships between teachers and changes in class problem-solving performance over a school year. The sample for the study involved 24 junior high school mathematics teachers, 119 mathematics classes, and more than 2,500 students. Classes were tested using a 10 item…

Highlights the major areas of research in mathematics education in 1983 (including problem-solving, sex and minority-group differences related to mathematics, and the school mathematics curriculum). Indicates that additional emphasis needs to be placed on technology, problem-solving, teachers' conceptions, and the teaching of algebra. (JN)

The realization that the areas of second language and mathematics education share some common features and that educators in these fields may profit by an exposure to research and practice in both fields motivated the production of this paper. From an introduction to the literature, parallels in the history of the two disciplines were recognized:…