We investigated how the updating function supports the integration process in solving arithmetic word problems. In Experiment 1, we measured reading time, that is, translation and integration times, when undergraduate and graduate students (n = 78) were asked to solve 2 types of problems: those containing only necessary information and those…

Problem posing, by which learners create new problems by themselves, is an important activity in mathematics education. However, novice learners have difficulty in posing problems, particularly when formulating appropriate solution structures of problems. Although they are provided with example problems that can serve as hints for composing novel…

Watch one of the Japan videos from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)--more specifically, mathematics video 3 on solving inequalities1--and you'll see that after giving his students a word problem to solve, the 8th grade math teacher strolls among the students' desks for almost 15 minutes, leaning over to see what…

This study investigated factors promoting the use of self-constructed diagrams by examining students' perceptions and daily class activities, and comparing Japanese (n = 291) and New Zealand (n = 323) students. Algebra word problems and a questionnaire were administered. The results revealed that the New Zealand students used diagrams more often…

Numerous research studies over the past five years indicate that a high percentage of college students have severe deficiencies in their ability to use mathematics as a language for representing simple quantitative relationships. In the United States these problems are nearly as common among students with strong computational skills in algebra and…

Compares the practice of using drawings in story problems in Japan and the United States and includes recommendations for teachers in the United States. (Contains 14 references.) (MKR)

It is generally considered that diagram use aids efficacy of math word problem solving. While understanding diagrams is considered important in both New Zealand and Japanese secondary schools, there is an additional emphasis in New Zealand schools for students to appreciate their use as tools for problem solving and communication. This study…

Pragmatic and semantic problem solving are examined as processes that enhance acquisition of mathematical knowledge. It is suggested that development of mathematical cognition involves restructuring and that math teachers can help restructure children's knowledge systems by providing them with situations in which semantic and pragmatic problem…

The activation of real-world knowledge displayed by 91 Japanese fifth graders in solving school mathematics problems was compared to that of 75 previously studied Belgian students. Children in both cultures had a similar tendency to neglect common sense knowledge and realistic considerations as they attempted to solve word problems. (SLD)

This paper reports on five related studies on upper elementary school students' beliefs about the role of real-world knowledge in solving mathematical word problems, and on possibilities of overcoming their unrealistic mathematical modeling. Findings from the first study of 75 Belgian fifth-grade students showed that as a consequence of current…

For comparison with tests and curriculum in the United States, excerpts from mathematics sections of university entrance examinations in Japan are presented. The impact of tests tightly tied to curriculum is discussed, and test results are summarized. Sample student responses to the examinations are also reviewed. (SLD)

In 1986 the United States (U.S.)-Japan Seminar on Mathematical Problem Solving convened to compare the state of problem solving in the classroom and in research in the two countries. The data and results given in this paper are the results of research conducted in the United States in response to the 1986 seminar. The U.S. and Japanese research…

This study compared the results of group tests of computational skills and tests of knowledge and skills in mathematics between three groups of first and fifth grade students from the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The battery of tests were constructed after reviewing the mathematics textbooks used in each location and discussing the major…

This document contains the fifth volume of the proceedings of the 30th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Conference presentations are centered around the theme "Mathematics at the Centre." This volume features 59 research reports by presenters with last names beginning between Sac and Zaz:…

The first volume of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education contains plenary lecture and research forum papers as listed below. Short oral communications papers, poster presentations, brief summaries of discussion groups, and working sessions are also included in the volume. The plenary…