This profile is designed as a recording sheet for monitoring an individual student's progress throughout the school year. Eighth grade assessment materials and the "Strategies for Instruction in Mathematics" suggests tasks and questions that can be used for on-going and summative assessment. Directions for use and descriptions of levels of…

Described is a three-phase model for teaching problem solving to the middle school student. Phases include cue attendance, thinking aloud, and developing diagrams of steps to solutions. Because middle school students are in a transitional period in their cognitive processes, implementation of problem solving skills seems appropriate. (Author/DS)

Presents a series of lessons that extend the concrete experiences many elementary students have had with attribute blocks to provide middle school students with informal opportunities to explore the concepts and properties of relations and functions. (DDR)

The focus of this study was on the effects of relevance in instructional context and reasoning complexity on mathematics problem solving achievement, transfer, and attitude for fifth graders. Results suggest that rich mathematical instructional contexts best support mathematics problem-solving, but simple, decontextualized instruction yields the…

Examined effects of self-regulatory teaching approach in a computer context on mathematics learning of at-risk preschoolers. Found that computer-based contexts provided at-risk children with an effective context for learning mathematics and that enhancing that context with a self-regulatory teaching emphasis resulted in significantly increased…

Fourteen word problems, half of which were problematic from a realistic point of view, were administered to 332 Belgian preservice elementary school teachers who also saw answers given by 4 students. Results revealed a strong tendency to exclude real-world knowledge from spontaneous solutions and appreciations of student-supplied answers. (SLD)

A growing body of empirical and theoretical work indicates that young children (grades K-3) have difficulties solving word problems because of deficient language and text comprehension strategies. Describes a computer simulation designed to model working memory demands in "bottom-up" comprehension of arithmetic word problems, offering a…

Mills College Children's School uses math journals, conferences, and a "congress" to promote mathematical reflections and problem solving among primary students. The program enhances the ability to explain math problem strategies and solutions orally and the ability to record solution methods and answers and use records for later…

A computer-delivered problem-solving task based on cognitive research literature was developed and its validity for graduate admissions assessment was studied with 107 undergraduates. Use of the test, which asked examinees to sort word-problem stems by prototypes, was supported by the findings. (SLD)

Examined the mathematical beliefs and achievement of 62 elementary school students from a school at which teachers were participating in a project to improve mathematics teaching. Found that students who enjoyed mathematics were also confident of their math abilities and that there was little correlation between parental support and student…

Presents an integrated math/science activity that shows students the differences among the three types of volcanoes using observation, classification, graphing, sorting, problem solving, measurement, averages, pattern relationships, calculators, computers, and research skills. Includes reproducible student worksheet. Lists 13 teacher resources.…

Describes teaching methods employed in German elementary school classrooms that develop discovery, creativity, and a spirit of cooperation in students learning mathematics. Methods included free choice of learning activities by students and small group cooperative activities. Students' motivation, self-confidence, social and communications skills,…

Presents a lesson using chocolate chip cookies to involve children in scientific investigation and mathematical reasoning. (Author/MKR)

This article gives a comprehensive description of a theory for efficient assessment of knowledge. The essential concept is that the knowledge state of a subject, with regard to a specified field of information, can be represented by a particular subset of problems that the subject is capable of solving. (SLD)

Among 32 ESL students who received training in metacognitive strategies for mathematics problem solving, those students who were the highest achievers in mathematics and whose teachers were involved extensively in project activities were better problem solvers than less able math students or students in low implementation classrooms. Includes…