This book contains selected research papers presented at seminars held throughout the year 2000 in Finland by members of the Finnish Association for Research in Mathematics and Science Education (FARMSE) and students at the Finnish Graduate School of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Education. This volume also contains papers professor Laurence…

This book details the findings from a research team that used cognitive principles and a large range of experiments to devise a variety of instructional designs. Their recommendations are based on 20 years of objective, published research. Although the program focused on technical subjects, the findings can easily be applied to a range of…

No longer solely the domain of Mathematics, problem solving permeates every area of today's curricula. Ideally students are applying heuristics strategies in varied contexts and novel situations in every subject taught. The ability to solve problems is a basic life skill and is essential to understanding technical subjects. Problem-solving is a…

The derivation of a method to drive the general term of a sequence is presented. The difference sequences and binomial coefficents are used in the derivation. An application of this method is made to solve Polya's problems concerned with dividing space in regions by a given number of planes. (JP)

Examples of mathematical problems which arise outside the classroom situation are presented. The author suggests that the conceiving and solving of such problems by students would be a good way to provide the students with applications of the mathematics they learn. (JP)

A mathematical model of a soccer-league competition results is set up and investigated using simple randomization techniques. The hypothesis that winning the league championship was purely luck was statistically tested. (JP)

Explains how mathematics might be more efficiently used in educational administration. Reviews some recent developments reported in the social science literature on the uses of mathematics in political science, sociology, and economics. Provides some illustrations of how these developments could lead to similar applications in both the practice…

Article describes a math game for developing problem-solving skills and strategies in the classroom math lab. (Author/MM)

Discussed are generalizations and problem solving, unsound uses of generalizations, generalization as data, and student discovery of generalizations. (CT)