Simple graphing activity helps primary students make the jump from counting concrete objects to understanding abstract symbols. As part of the activity, students vote for their favorite season, then stand up and become a graph of the data they collect. The activity requires the Graph Club Classroom Kit software program. (SM)

A method is presented for estimating the item characteristic curve (ICC) using polynomial regression splines. Estimation of spline ICCs is described by maximizing the marginal likelihood formed by integrating ability over a beta prior distribution. Simulation results compare this approach with the joint estimation of ability and item parameters.…

A model of category effects found in reports of episodic memory is proposed. The model holds that stimuli are presented at a fine-grain level of detail and a category. Four experiments involving a total of 131 University of Chicago (Illinois) students and faculty are reported in support of the model. (SLD)

A testlet is an integrated group of test items presented as a unit. The concept of testlet differential item functioning (testlet DIF) is defined, and a statistical method is presented to detect testlet DIF. Data from a testlet-based experimental version of the Scholastic Aptitude Test illustrate the methodology. (SLD)

An activity in which students use a rubber band and flexible straws to pull a dynamics cart so that the cart has a consistent angle and, therefore, a consistent horizontal component of force is described. A copy of the handout for the activity is included. (KR)

After discussing the role of supercalculators within the business calculus curriculum, several examples are presented which allow the reader to examine the capabilities and codes of calculators specific to different major manufacturers. The topics examined include annuities, Newton's method, fixed point iteration, graphing, solvers, and…

Activities in which students can learn to determine the history of a tree from the growth pattern recorded in the rings of a cross-section of a tree are described. Activities include background information, objectives, a list of needed materials per group, and procedures. Cross-sections of four different tree types are included if real tree…

Uses statistics from the Federal-State Cooperative System for Public Library Data to describe the distribution of librarians with master's degrees from graduate library education programs accredited by the American Library Association by size of population served and by state. Implications of these data are suggested, and discussion questions are…

Provides a history from 1926 to the present of interlibrary lending services for scientific and technical literature in Great Britain. The British Library Document Supply Centre's development, current state, and future plans are described, including the availability of its services in North America. (Contains 14 references.) (EAM)

Fifty-six teachers of students with moderate/profound disabilities viewed task analytic data in one of three forms: graphed, ungraphed, or both. The data's form did not produce different teacher judgments of student progress or different program recommendations. Three factors (trend, variability, and frequency of data collection) had significant…

Presented is a simple method which may be used to determine points of intersection in graphs of functions if they do exist. Several examples are given with illustrations of the functions. (CW)

Argues that the only reason to ask students to plot graphs manually should be to have them learn the skill of plotting graphs manually. For data-analysis purposes, the use of computer-generated graphs has several advantages and few disadvantages over manual plotting. (Author/WRM)

Used a phenomenographic approach to reveal the qualitatively different ways in which 40 students in Hong Kong (China) primary and secondary schools experience and understand the phenomenon of graphic representations of quantitative data. Describes an outcome space depicting four variations of children's understanding. (Author/SLD)

Describes a process of data collection with young children using the outdoors as a mathematical context. The process of data collection and processing introduces children to more abstract mathematics as they sort and classify data, create graphs, compare datasets, examine patterns, and interpret graphical representations. (ASK)

Presents simple experiments using the flow of water from bell jars that can provide an easily visualized introduction to exponential decay. (Author)