Documents the findings of an experiment in which 12th-grade students taking a mathematics assessment were given monetary incentives to see whether such incentives would improve their performance. The study did not find that incentive increases performance. (Author/SLD)

Reports on the clarity rating of Chinese, English, and "Chinglish" (Chinese words translated into English) mathematical words. The inherent compound word structure of the Chinese language seems well suited to portray mathematical ideas. Examines the relations among the clarity of Chinese mathematical terms, U.S. urban junior high school students'…

This article reports on the consistency of the achievement-level classifications (below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced) established in 1999 for the South Carolina Palmetto Achievement Challenge Tests (PACT; Huynh, Meyer, & Barton, 2000) of English language arts and mathematics. It also utilizes the PACT longitudinal data files of…

The purpose of this study was to determine the causal ordering (predominance) between attitude toward mathematics and achievement in mathematics in secondary school (grades 7-12). Structural equation models were employed to analyze data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth. Results showed that achievement demonstrated causal predominance…

This article shows how multilevel modelling can be used to study institutional variations in the gender differences in achievement. The results presented are from analyses of the degree classifications of 22,433 individuals who graduated in mathematical sciences, from universities in the UK, between 1994/95 and 1999/2000. The analyses were…

Ever since the charter school movement became big news, Anne C. Lewis has refrained from writing about it very much because it seemed more like covering each hit in a Ping-Pong game. As study and counter-study rolled off the presses and into the press releases, the substance became less and less relevant. Each new study was always sure to be…

This study sought to determine the reasons why successful mathematics students have been able to thrive in schools labeled "academically unacceptable" and why they have chosen to stay in these "academically unacceptable" schools despite having the option to leave. Qualitative methods including group interviews, individual interviews, and…

The authors use Canadian data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study to examine six instructional methods that mathematics teachers use to introduce new topics in mathematics on performance of eighth-grade students in six mathematical areas (mathematics as a whole, algebra, data analysis, fraction, geometry, and measurement).…

Most people equate learning mathematics with intelligence, but it is very dependent on developing an attitude, one that includes perseverance, tenacity, and fearlessness. Too many students give up upon encountering difficulties in math, when just trying a few strategies could mean the difference between succeeding and failing. Of course, some…

President Bush continued his campaign to get schools to focus more on mathematics and science education with a visit to a middle school in Rockville, Maryland, where students study robotics and work with NASA scientists. President Bush toured the school with Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings as part of his initiative to emphasize math and…

Using PISA 2000 data, this article examines cross-national variation in rural mathematics achievement among 15-year olds in 24 industrialized nations. Rural mathematics scores were significantly lower than scores in urban and medium-size communities in 14 of 24 countries. However, patterns were complex. Most commonly, a linear relationship…

This article reviews school effectiveness theory, concentrating on the unidimensionality of the school effect concept, and focuses on differential school effectiveness, by which is meant the capacity of the school to be effective with different groups of pupils. It presents findings from research exploring the associations between sex, social…

The effect of a self-directed mathematics program on the math achievement of students who are gifted and talented (GT) was evaluated. An instructional management system, Accelerated Math (Advantage Learning Systems, 1998a), was used to assign instruction, monitor student progress, and provide teachers with the information they needed to…

This project evaluated the relationship between assessment practices and achievement and the mediating roles of student self-efficacy and effort. In part, this was based on a framework proposed by Brookhart (1997). The United States portion of the Third International Math and Science Study was used to estimate these relationships. Several student…

Between 5% and 8% of school-age children have some form of memory or cognitive deficit that interferes with their ability to learn concepts or procedures in one or more mathematical domains. A review of the arithmetical competencies of these children is provided, along with discussion of underlying memory and cognitive deficits and potential…