Describes a study of Liberian schools in which students of the Vai tribe are instructed in Western mathematical practices which differ from those of the students' home culture. Reports that the Vai children employed syncretic arithmetic practices, combining two distinct systems of arithmetic in a classroom environment that tacitly facilitated the…

The teaching and learning of introductory statistics in the behavioral sciences continues to generate much debate on content and pedagogy amidst on-going reform. Facilitating change where appropriate also necessitates an understanding of instructors' motivation for their approach. This pilot study explored approaches to teaching introductory…

Describes typical student strategies for counting cubes in cube buildings and explains why these problems are difficult for students. Suggests instructional tasks that can help students develop more powerful ways of thinking about such problems. Lists two action research ideas related to this issue. (ASK)

Presented are four activities which allow students to work with rhombus patterns. These activities encourage students to search for, test, and verify patterns and to also practice computation and work with ratios. Diagrams needed for each activity are included. (KR)

The problem of innumeracy in general and at the primary school level in particular is attributed to a structuralist design of instruction emphasizing an algorithmic approach to arithmetic. Offered is an alternative learning approach developing arithmetic as an informal context-bound activity tied to mental arithmetic and estimation. (MDH)

This study compared the effectiveness of teaching multidigit addition of whole numbers without regrouping prior to teaching it with regrouping to teaching multidigit addition with and without regrouping simultaneously. Pretest/posttest-delayed posttest results of second grade students (n=151) from seven randomly assigned classrooms indicated no…

This report summarizes the data from a comparative study of grades 2 and 5 mathematics instruction and the use of Developing Mathematical Processes (DMP) in IGE and non-IGE settings. These results are part of a five-phase evaluation of the IGE system of elementary schooling. Use of DMP and reported adoption of IGE were not found to be good…

The card games in this publication are an alternative activity to help students master computational skills. Games for operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, integers, and square roots are included. They can be used to introduce math topics and for practice and review, with either the whole class or in small groups with 2 to…

In light of recent international studies regarding children's mathematics achievement, this review examines United Kingdom research and literature into early numeracy. The review is designed to provide information about a range of teaching strategies as well as to stimulate discussion and challenge current practices. The review addresses the…

Notes the computer has progressed from being a fast calculating machine to becoming an important tool for the whole academic spectrum. Discusses the development of new courses being offered to develop skills and knowledge in computational physics. (Author/MVL)

Maintains that the large number of Holocaust victims can be difficult to comprehend. Presents a classroom exercise involving rapid counting that can give meaning to such large numbers. Contends that, along with the rapid counting procedure, there is a need to present the relationship of humanity to the numbers. (CFR)

A method was developed using a deck of cards to teach Japanese fifth graders to calculate the area of a parallelogram. Investigations with 59 male and 45 female students demonstrate the superiority of the method to that previously used in terms of recall at one week. (SLD)

The process of choosing strategies within mathematization is described in a multi-method study on solving additions and subtractions. The sample consisted of 40 dyads of 3rd-graders and their teacher from ten mainstream primary schools. From each classroom the two students rated as highest and the two rated as lowest were selected to take part in…

Guidelines that were prepared for use in curriculum development efforts by schools and districts throughout the state of Washington are presented in this document. The philosophy of mathematics education reflected in these guidelines is presented, as are a discussion of areas to be addressed if needed improvements in the K-8 mathematics program…

The dissertation abstracts in this compilation all appeared in "Dissertation Abstracts International" in 1983. The 300 dissertations cited in the annual listing of research in the July 1984 issue of the "Journal for Research in Mathematics Education" are included, as well as 55 dissertations which were located but could not be…