Although research and policy documents provide recommendations to inform secondary mathematics teacher preparation, no single study has addressed the "big ideas" of courses in multiple programs and how those big ideas may be interpreted through the lens of recent research and policy documents. To answer this need, we focused on big ideas…

This paper presents 'expert opinions' on what should be taught in a first-year linear algebra course at university; the aim is to gain a generic picture and general guiding principles for such a course. Drawing on a Delphi method, 14 university professors--called 'experts' in this study--addressed the following questions: What should be on a…

One desired outcome of introductory physics instruction is that students will develop facility with reasoning quantitatively about physical phenomena. Little research has been done regarding how students develop the algebraic concepts and skills involved in reasoning productively about physics quantities, which is different from either…

If students are going to develop reasoning and thinking skills, use their mathematical knowledge, and recognize the relevance of mathematics in their lives, they need to experience mathematics in meaningful ways. Only then will their mathematical skills be transferrable to all other parts of their lives. To promote such flexible mathematical…

This paper examines the effect of content coverage on mathematics achievement and studies its relationship to eighth grade tracking. Previous analyses have shown tracking to be quite prevalent at eighth grade unlike much of the rest of the world. The U.S. practices both between- and within-school tracking, leading to very different content…

These instructional objectives, written by Harvey Reynolds, have been selected from materials used at Golden West College (California). These objectives are offered simply as samples that may be used where they correspond to the skills, abilities, and attitudes instructors want their students to acquire. These objectives may also serve as models…

This curriculum project in general mathematics was planned with two specific objectives--(1) to study the existing curricula, textbooks, and teaching methods in mathematics in higher secondary schools of various states, and (2) to develop a new curriculum in mathematics in light of the objectives of teaching the subject and to try out the…

Enclosed is a number of booklets containing lesson outlines of materials in mathematics and science. These outlines are designed to give teachers and students an idea of what to expect when a telecast is schedules for their classes. The tele-lessons are given for the purpose of providing enrichment activities and giving coherence to the entire…

Analysis of data on this algebra course, gathered by the Comprehensive Achievement Monitoring (CAM) system, indicated that equivalent scores were yielded by either random or chronological arrangement of the test items on the monitor forms. Chronological arrangement may be permissible, therefore, for normal data processing; random arrangement…

A complete set of behavioral objectives for first-year algebra taught in any of grades 8 through 12 is presented. Three to six sample test items and answers are provided for each objective. Objectives were determined by surveying the most used secondary school algebra textbooks. Fourteen major categories are included: (1) whole numbers--operations…

In 1982 the Dade County Public Schools (Florida) began developing test item banks for secondary subject areas, because other testing programs have limited utility for assessing the quality of curriculum, instruction, or learning in specific content areas. In May l984, the approximately 17,000 seventh graders enrolled in Life Science and the…

This course, offered in the Option Y sequence of the high school mathematics program described in the Department of Education's Mathematics Program Guide, is designed to be less theoretical and more applications oriented than Algebra IA and IB. There are ten learner objectives for this course, which is designed along with Core Algebra to fulfill…

Developed to provide assistance and support to local schools that want to improve their secondary mathematics programs, this guide provides an updated view of what North Dakota educators feel is necessary in a secondary mathematics curriculum. An overview of perceived statewide mathematics objectives and a review of national perspectives on…

This document includes statements of philosophy and a rationale for the Alberta (Canada) junior high school mathematics program, goals and objectives, a discussion of appropriate content and methods, and a delineation of content using six strands. These include: (1) problem solving; (2) number systems and operations; (3) ratio and proportion; (4)…

This guide was prepared as an instructional aid for teachers of a second-year course in algebra. It was designed to be applicable to a wide range of Algebra II programs offered in senior high schools. The content of the Algebra II program has been divided into 13 major units and a preliminary unit designed to review selected Algebra I skills. Each…