Educational effectiveness research has provided evidence about the importance of teacher beliefs and attitudes for teaching and learning. This study builds on the concept of academic optimism, which combines 3 aspects of a teacher's professional creed: self-efficacy, trust, and academic emphasis. The study explores the functioning of the…

Background: This paper is a qualitative evaluation of a small-scale pilot study that attempted to generate parental involvement in children's learning. It used problem-solving mathematics homework in order to raise the children's self-efficacy, or, put another way, the child's belief that success lies in their own hands. Purpose: Homework is often…

Preparation is an effective and necessary activity; however, most students do not prepare for future lessons. The present study addressed this problem and examined how learners' motives, beliefs, and perceptions affected their strategy use during preparation for future lessons. Participants were 219 Japanese junior high school students who…

This study investigated the effects of student and classroom characteristics on math self-confidence, perceived usefulness, and enjoyment of mathematics as multiple outcomes. A sample of 7th-grade students from 78 classes of 49 schools was studied. The data were collected using, among other instruments, an attitude questionnaire. The results of…

This paper focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of an online game for elementary and middle school mathematics. Its aim is twofold: (a) the development of the prototype of a flexible and adaptable computer game, and (b) the evaluation of this prototype, as to its usability and technical aspects. The particular computer game was…

This paper discusses the results of a pilot study that explored how prospective secondary school teachers are shaped by learning experiences during their undergraduate mathematics education. The collaborative study, which was conducted by a mathematician and a mathematics educator, drew from the experiences of prospective teachers in a…

Partial fraction decomposition is a useful technique often taught at senior secondary or undergraduate levels to handle integrations, inverse Laplace transforms or linear ordinary differential equations, etc. In recent years, an improved Heaviside's approach to partial fraction decomposition was introduced and developed by the author. An important…

In spring 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) began planning a pilot of an application for the Apple iPad, "HMH Fuse: Algebra 1," which was then in development. The application was to be piloted in four California school districts during the 2010-2011 school year. HMH contracted with Empirical Education Inc. to conduct a one-year…

Given the strong relationship between number line estimation accuracy and math achievement, might a computer-based number line game help improve math achievement? In one study by Rittle-Johnson, Siegler and Alibali (2001), a simple digital game called "Catch the Monster" provided practice in estimating the location of decimals on a…

In spring 2010, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) began planning a pilot of an application for the Apple iPad, "HMH Fuse: Algebra 1," which was then in development. The application was to be piloted in four California school districts during the 2010-2011 school year. HMH contracted with Empirical Education Inc. to conduct a one-year…

This project provided access to telecommunication networks and research databases at 13 sites in the Mid-Atlantic region from May 1 to June 4, 1993. The project objectives were to pilot a regionally-developed education database; to provide access to this database and the Internet; to train participants to use telecommunications technology; to…

In an attempt to explore alternatives to the use of standardized tests, the Maryland Alternative Accountability Pilot Project (MAAPP) was launched to allow each participating school to design and implement an accountability plan which would satisfy the requirements of the Maryland Educational Accountability Act. The MAAPP was evaluated using data…

The newly constituted further education sector in Ireland was developed by the National Council for Vocational Awards. The mathematics for this sector was introduced as Mathematical Methods Level 2 on a pilot basis. The standard module's level proved to be too high, based on high failure rates. A review of the mathematics provision initiated these…

A pilot study is reported of a generic method for tutoring in mathematics, intended to be suitable for use by peers, parents and volunteers in a wide range of applications. Thirty children aged 9-10 years of below average mathematical ability were randomly allocated to experimental or control conditions. Experimental tutees (n=17) were tutored in…