This report presents results of teacher and student surveys on how powerful Mathematics Design Collaborative practices are shifting how teachers teach. It also summarizes student achievement data from schools using the strategies in four states. In vignettes and testimonials, teachers who completed Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)…

"Math Expressions" is a curriculum for students in prekindergarten through sixth grade that aims to build students' conceptual understanding of mathematics and to develop fluency in mathematical problem solving and computation. The curriculum encourages student learning of mathematics through real-world situations, visual supports such…

Two studies examine how the time at which problem solving is suspended relative to an impasse affects the impact of incidental hints. An impasse is a point in problem solving at which a problem solver is not making progress and does not know how to proceed. In both studies, work on remote associates problems was suspended before an impasse was…

Compound Remote Associate (CRA) problems have been used to investigate insight problem solving using both behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. However, it is unclear to what extent CRA problems exhibit characteristics of insight such as impasses and restructuring. CRA problem-solving characteristics were examined in a study in which…

The purpose of this study was to examine the confidence levels that community college students have in transferring basic math skills to science classes, as well as any factors that influence their confidence levels. This study was conducted with 196 students at a community college in central Mississippi. The study was conducted during the month…

The Department of Education has been under attack by people motivated by the perceived failure of the system to improve educational achievement on the elementary and high school levels or the desire to dramatically reduce spending and waste during troubled economic times. A new program introduced in four states seems to address competency and…

Throughout the world, today's students are being characterized as digital natives, the "net generation." This twenty-first-century student cohort is adept at multi-tasking and at using a variety of tools and resources including electronic search engines, blogs, wikis, visual images, videos, gaming platforms, and social networking.…

A survey of 32 displaced agricultural workers and 19 prospective employers identified the education and training perceived necessary by both groups to gain employment in desired occupations. Results indicate that educational efforts should teach problem-solving and decision-making skills as well as technical skills. (CH)

"Saxon Math" curricula and materials are available for grades K through 12, with the content and skills designed to meet National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards and various state standards. This WWC report focuses on middle school math curricula, defined as all Saxon Math curricula for grades 6 through 9. The…

Describing the state of the art of delivering research and evaluation assistance to rural school districts, this article addresses the philosophy, organization, function and potential of Mississippi's PREPS (Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools) which helps districts identify their problems and utilize a task force approach. (DS)

Progress in mathematics was evaluated for Mississippi, using data from all 154 school districts in the state. Focus was on determining the demographic context for mathematics achievement in Mississippi. Data from the 1986-87 District Profile Sheets compiled by the State Department of Education were analyzed. The Basic Skills Assessment Program…

Four hypotheses pertaining to conflict and its resolution in the team sport experience among seven Choctaw communities were tested: Choctaws have a unique conception of conflict vis-a-vis Anglos; this conception has a limiting effect on the exercise or occurrence of more dramatic forms of violence; this notion is reflected in Choctaw team sport…

These training materials are designed to stress the importance of a close relationship between concepts and skills when teaching mathematics to young children, to present material on the important area of problem-solving, and to encourage adults to use a wide range of appropriate techniques in evaluating their work and children's work in…

This manual was designed for use in conducting staff development sessions for elementary teachers of mathematics in Mississippi in grades K-6. The four topical areas treated in the document are: (1) measurement and geometry; (2) fractions; (3) procedural errors in arithmetic; and (4) problem solving. The number of instructional hours necessary for…

The Mississippi State Department of Education is conducting statewide technological upgrading of schools to allow for extensive student involvement. Teachers need professional development in this area, since they must be proficient in teaching problem-solving techniques and assessing student achievement using computer technology. One of the…