The basic tenet of Programed Instruction (PI), that learning occurs best when knowledge is imparted in small increments, appears to apply to associative rather than deductive process. One may best learn definitions via association, and best learn inference via unified understandings. This hypothesis was tested by structuring two modes of…

An action research project, the aim of which was to bring powerful mathematics to females to help them develop a clear conceptual understanding and passion for the subject, and to nurture independent learning skills that will translate into all aspects of their lives, is discussed. This book investigated one strategy for providing girls with…

Investigates the effect of explicit problem-solving instruction on high school students' (N=145) conceptual understanding of physics. Findings indicate that the explicit strategy improved the quality and completeness of students' physics representations more than the textbook strategy. No difference was found between the strategies on match of…

Math anxiety affects both sexes, and is not the cause of imbalance in mathematical professions. Attempts to broaden perceptions of mathematics deal only with the symptoms of math anxiety. The principal cause is the methodology used to teach mathematics. Problem-solving processes must be employed. (MNS)

To learn more about the specific nature of the teaching and learning problems involved, researchers conducted a clinical study of 20 high school students enrolled a BASIC course. Investigators presented each student with a sequence of eight programming problems, ranging from easy to difficult. They asked questions to track student thinking and…

Describes a group work approach to the teaching of ethical issues in biotechnology and evaluates its impact on the acquisition of the key skills of working together, communication, and problem solving. Uses the Key Skills Confidence Scale (KSCS) to evaluate post-16 students' self confidence. (Contains 30 references.) (Author/YDS)

Investigates the effects of web-based instructional materials on students' understanding of chemical concepts. Uses interviews with students, concept mapping, and a free-response survey for the study. (YDS)

This study investigated whether instruction with or without simultaneous conversion to English measures is more effective in improving the ability of students to perform tasks in the metric system. Also investigated was the relationship of mathematical problem solving ability and sex to the ability of students to perform such tasks. Six seventh…

The findings of this study support the positive effect of constructivist learning practices, specifically on emphasis on problem solving strategies and their effect on student mathematics achievement. The results also suggest that setting, certification, teaching experience, gender, and minority status are factors related to the use of…

This book provides teachers with effective strategies to help encourage all students but particularly young women who are apprehensive about science. Sections include: (1) Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Success; (2) Specific Tactics for Classroom Success; and (3) Classroom Activities. This monograph features creative activities in life…

This study investigated how fathers and mothers modulated the specificity of their tutoring strategies as a function of their children's moment-to-moment behavior during a problem-solving activity. A total of 63 seven-year-old children and their parents participated in the study. Mothers and fathers worked separately with their children on a…

This volume presents different issues and views on research in mathematics education in Australia. Chapters include: (1) "An Introduction to This Review" (Kay Owens); (2) "Recent Research Monographs" (Kay Owens and editors of the monographs); (3) "Language Factors in Mathematics Education" (Nerida Ellerton, Ken…

Mathematics education research from fourteen studies is abstracted and critiqued in this publication. Six cover aspects of instructional practice, four deal with points in learning theory, two with problem solving, and one each with calculators and sex differences. Research in mathematics education as reported in CIJE and RIE from October to…

Twelve research reports related to mathematics education are abstracted and analyzed. Three of the reports deal with aspects of learning theory, two with student characteristics, and one each with calculators, problem solving, secondary mathematics curriculum changes in Australia, sex differences, teaching methods, and tutoring strategies. The…

Variation in syntactic difficulty in arithmetic problems is studied to determine its influence on students' ability to solve problems correctly. Findings in a study of elementary school students indicated syntactic difficulty affects problem solving ability, regardless of sex (f=fiche number). (MH)