Discusses the results of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Emphasizes the differences in students' everyday lives in different nations and describes how these differences can affect mathematics achievement. (ASK)

Discusses the progress and challenges of a new reformed calculus sequence for science, engineering, and mathematics students developed by the Institute of Technology Centre for Educational Programs and School of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota. Compares achievement and retention of Initiative students with a control group from a…

Ontario third-grade mathematics assessment results were analyzed on three knowledge/skill dimensions and five content strands. Seventy percent of students had the same subscores on the dimensions (flat profile); 30 percent differed on only one dimension (contoured profile); 69 percent had flat or contoured content profiles. Profiles were used to…

Report on the current trends and issues in American public education involving personal views of state-mandated testing, the 2000 NAEP reading and math assessments, President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" initiative, TIMSS-R Benchmarking Studies, education vouchers, charter schools, and education management organizations. (Contains 52…

This study investigated the extent to which mothers' psychological control predicts their children's mathematical performance during the children's transition from preschool to primary school over and above the impact of maternal affection and behavioral control. Also investigated was the extent to which maternal affection and behavioral control…

Two experiments examined kindergartners', first graders', and second graders' numerical estimation, the internal representations that gave rise to the estimates, and the general hypothesis that developmental sequences within a domain tend to repeat themselves in new contexts. Development of estimation in this age range on 0-to-100 number lines…

A decline of gender-specific underachievement among gifted girls can be observed. So, is this topic becoming gradually obsolete or do certain kinds of underachievement still exist? We investigated achievement and related factors among 10th-grade gifted girls in comparison to gifted boys in two separate settings: in a regular German secondary…

This study examined the relationship between the implementation of comprehensive school reform (CSR) and changes in reading and math achievement from 1999 until 2003. Survey data about CSR implementation and school-level achievement data were collected for multiple years from a sample of CSR schools and compared with a sample of matched comparison…

The intention of the research reported here was to seek explanations for low achievement in school mathematics, as conventionally assessed, that derive from broad understandings of mathematics as social. Such a broad social perspective can provide explanations for low achievement, which could lead to different understandings and hence to different…

The authors evaluated self-efficacy and motivational orientation across Hispanic and Caucasian students to predict variables related to mathematics achievement, including mathematics performance and students' plans to take additional mathematics courses. Path models were analyzed for 358 students in Grades 9 and 10 who attended a West Texas high…

The research reported in this paper took place at an Hispanic-serving, public community college and examined the effects of alternative institutional placement policies on student academic success. Results showed that when placement methods considered multiple measures of academic preparedness, students were initially placed into higher level…

Historically, mathematics has been stereotyped as a male domain, and there is considerable evidence to support this belief. In the last 30 years, mathematics education researchers have uncovered a range of factors contributing to the documented achievement and participation differences that favored males and sought to redress them. Mathematics as…

This article explores the potential of cross-national achievement studies through a critical reflection upon the experience of South Africa's participation in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). There are a growing number of multi-country and international achievement studies. While recognizing the limitations of…

Self-concept ratings of children with mathematics disabilities (MD), average mathematics achievement (AA), and high mathematics achievement (HA) who attended regular classes in grades 4 through 6 were compared. Twenty-four children in each group, who were selected from an original pool of 811 children, and who were matched one-to-one by grade,…

The authors attempted to determine the effects of a high-stakes standardized testing-driven instructional approach on mathematical performance. The authors developed a multiple-choice mathematics performance test for 1,006 Grade 4 students in 28 North Cyprus schools. Analysis revealed that students who spent more time on test-taking skills…