Considers the circumstances surrounding instances where help is sought and/or provided in a collaborative problem-solving situation. Analyzed videotaped observations of nine groups of three grade 5-6 students working over three 45-minute periods on an open-ended task. Defines hierarchical levels for questions, answers, and outcomes. Indicates some…

Sex-related differences in mathematical problem solving performances and intellectual abilities were investigated. A battery of 19 "reference" tests for intellectual abilities and a mathematical problem solving test were administered to 82 fourth-grade females and 97 fourth-grade males. Sex-related differences were found for only two of the…

The relationship between the development of reversible thought and performance in arithmetic equations among children was investigated. Subjects were 86 second grade boys and girls. Two reversibility tasks and 20 addition and subtraction equations were administered. Results indicated significant correlations between the two variables only among…

An action research project, the aim of which was to bring powerful mathematics to females to help them develop a clear conceptual understanding and passion for the subject, and to nurture independent learning skills that will translate into all aspects of their lives, is discussed. This book investigated one strategy for providing girls with…

A significant multivariate difference was found between the oral language performance of 44 children labeled reading disabled in the second, fourth, and sixth grades and 59 normally reading children in the same grade. (Author/PHR)

Single- or mixed-gender pairs of elementary children were told either to work cooperatively on a computer-based language task or be assessed individually. Performance measures indicated a disadvantage for mixed pairs, improved performance for cooperative pairs. Girls tended to cooperate regardless of being told to or not; mixed pairs cooperated…

Suggestions for writing nonsexist textbooks are discussed. An analysis of problems in textbooks for grades 3-6 is then presented, indicating that the books are nonsexist but not antisexist. (MNS)

Compares the relative difficulty of four types of word problems. Other variables considered are grade level, sex, order of testing, and performance on a computational skills test. (MK)

Investigated the effect of computer programs that require the use of spatial skills on third and fourth graders' spatial ability. Students who used a software program that required rotation of objects scored better than other students on a measure of figural classification, but not on a measure of object rotation. (BC)

Investigated was how girls and boys who were discrepant in their spatial and verbal performance used spatial visualization skills in solving word problems and fraction problems. It was concluded that low spatial visualization skill may be more debilitating to girls' mathematical problem solving than to boys'. (MNS)

This study reports on cultural and gender differences in the spatial abilities of children based on the Water Level Task. The Piagetian theory of age-related developmental differences in performance on the Water Level Task was explored with Chinese and Malay children living in Singapore. Results indicate that children in this study did not perform…

Investigates gender-related effects of a problem-solving plan for sixth graders (n=155). Analysis indicates a significant interaction effect of occasion of testing, test sequence, and gender. Concludes that females benefited from free exploration, of problem situations followed by an organized exploration whereas males appeared to function equally…

Children ages 9-10 (n=30) were given social skills training and their scores on computer tasks were compared with 30 controls. Males scored highest on the pre and posttest. Females in mixed-sex groups scored better than females in girls-only groups. Girls who received social skills training had the highest rate of improvement. (SK)

The two major objectives of this study were: (1) to develop techniques for quantifying and evaluating properties of a "learning context" (i.e., a sequence of observations generated by subjects in solving a problem), and (2) to determine whether or not there is a relationship between properties of observational sequences generated in solving a…