This article discusses an empirical study on the use of history as a goal. A historical module is designed and implemented in a Danish upper secondary class in order to study the students' capabilities at engaging in meta-issue discussions and reflections on mathematics and its history. Based on videos of the implementation, students' hand-in…

We examine teachers' classroom activities with the spreadsheet, focusing especially on episodes marked by improvisation and uncertainty. The framework is based on Saxe's cultural approach to cognitive development. The study considers two teachers, one positively disposed towards classroom use of technology, and the other not, both of them…

The secondary-tertiary transition has been studied in a great amount of research in mathematics education, adopting different focuses and theoretical approaches. I present here how these focuses led the authors to identify and study different students' difficulties and to develop different means of didactical action. Individual, social, but also…

Methods of teaching students to solve equations and inequalities containing parameters are suggested. (DT)

Discusses the role of context problems as they are used in the Dutch approach known as realistic mathematics education (RME). Uses an RME design for a calculus course to illustrate that theory based on the design heuristic using context problems and modeling, which was developed for primary school mathematics, also fits advanced topics such as…

Develops a model to examine teachers' instructional practice in secondary school mathematics in relationship to their underlying cognitions. Indicates that the value of the model lies in its usefulness as a guide for enabling teachers to reflect on their practice and underlying cognitions in a structured, comprehensive manner. (Contains 54…

Examines discourse, not strictly mathematical, that teachers might adopt in a mathematics class and presents three major functions of such discourse: communication; structuring and labeling; and reflection. Develops lines for further inquiry, notably on the third function, the most likely focus for specific preparation by the teacher. (13…

The author describes by examples the type of coordination between mathematics and physics instruction that he feels must take place to enhance the learning of both subjects. (JP)

Discussed are difficulties which occur while the student is using mathematical induction as a tool to prove theorems. An appropriate approach is suggested. (MP)

Distinguishes two conceptions of sample and sampling that emerged in the context of a teaching experiment conducted in a high school statistics class. Suggests that the conception of a sample as a quasi- proportional, small-scale version of the population is a powerful one to target for instruction. (Author/KHR)

Recent research suggests that the examination of students' work may lead to changes in teaching practice that are more effective in terms of students' mathematical learning. However, the link between the examination of students' work and the teachers' actions in the classroom is largely unexamined, particularly at the secondary level. In this…

Presents a characterization of instructional practices in terms of cultural beliefs pertaining to mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning in Chinese and Western cultures. Results show striking differences in practice related to differences in attitudes and beliefs. Three appendixes of data are included. Contains 35 references.…

Typical classroom conversation of teachers and pupils during examples of mathematics instruction are analyzed. The importance of references as essential parts of speech acts in conversation is emphasized. (MP)

Investigates students' abilities to draw inferences. Introduces cognitive conflict in the form of video clips of reasoning expressed by students. Documents change with regard to the levels of observed response for the protocol and the use of displayed variation in the graphs. Analyzes change associated with the presentation of cognitive conflict.…

Two approaches to teaching number concepts and operations are discussed. Their relationships to the foundations of mathematics as well as to the characteristics of the learner are explored. On the basis of this discussion the implicit approach is advocated over the definitial approach. (SD)