Discusses a methods course for preservice mathematics teachers that addresses the affective side of learning mathematics. Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences in relation to themselves as learners, teachers, and mathematicians. (MDH)

The Basic Achievement Skills Individual Screener is described as a quick screening tool for assessing basic skills of students functioning at grade 1-8 levels. The tool uses norm-referenced and criterion-referenced measures to assess achievement in reading, mathematics, spelling, and writing. This paper discusses test administration, scoring,…

Describes a study that compared academic achievement indices of summer birth date seventh-ninth graders (n=45) who entered kindergarten at age five with indices of similar summer birth date children who entered at age six (n=45). All statistically significant differences favored older males and females, especially in reading for older males. (SM)

The work of J. Eccles and others (1983) in proposing an integrative theoretical model of achievement behaviors was extended using data from the Second International Mathematics Study. Strong support was found for the constructs identified by the model as determinants of the intention to take more mathematics courses. (SLD)

Findings from a study of more than 600 technical college students revealed significant differences when global and simultaneous students were matched and mismatched with their hemisphericity. Significant relationships emerged between students' diagnosed hemisphericity (successive/simultaneous) and their learning-style preferences. (Author/IAH)

A class of 32 fourth graders, who studied inverse operations in grades 1-3, was given 3 written tests, each followed by an interview, to see how well they could simplify computations using inverse operations. Most could not evaluate 28 + 75 - 75, for example, without performing all operations. (GW)

Examines how gender proportions of faculty and undergraduate majors in the mathematical sciences vary across institutional groups and how these proportions have changed over time. Explores the relationship between the proportion of women faculty and women majors across institutional types as a test of the role-model hypothesis. Contains 36…

Describes the results of a teaching experiment conducted to investigate the effect of journal writing on achievement in and attitudes toward mathematics. The results of ANCOVA suggest that journal writing has a positive impact on middle school students' (n=104) conceptual understanding, procedural knowledge, and mathematical communication, but not…

Analyzes the influence of calculus performance on choosing a mathematics, science, or engineering (MSE) major, noting the role of diverse students' participation in the Emerging Scholars Program (ESP), which helps strengthen calculus performance and encourage persistence in MSE. Findings suggest that ESP students earn higher calculus grades than…

This literature review pays particular attention to research that: (1) focuses on gender differences in mathematics and science achievement; and (2) offers implications for middle school educators addressing young adolescents' gender-specific needs. The review offers a list of recommendations for middle school educators based on the research. (EV)

Investigated the effects of student working-memory capacity, preference for amount of instruction, spatial problem-solving ability, and school mathematics grades on eighth graders' recall of factual information and conceptual understanding. Pairs of students worked through 16 activities using a dynamic, computer-based geometry program. Presents…

Reports initial findings from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study--Repeat (TIMSS-R). Includes the performance of U.S. eighth-grade students relative to students in other nations in 1999, as well as changes in achievement in participating nations between 1995 and 1999. (Author)

Reviewing the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) shows that U.S. eighth graders are about average in mathematics and science when compared to students in other countries. The primary lesson from the TIMSS-R is that children learn what they are taught. (SLD)

Using structural equation modeling and data on 10th-grade students from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, a model was developed to show the relationship to career aspiration of eight indicators of "educational productivity": mathematics achievement; motivation; instructional quantity and quality; home, class, and peer environment; and mass…

An eight-year cross-sectional study analyzed the self-esteem and both mathematics and reading attainments of eight cohorts of Year 2 and Year 6 children from five randomly selected primary schools within one Local Education Authority. Presents the results. Addresses the possible link between national testing and self-esteem. (CMK)