Compared was the mathematical performance of secondary school students for whom a graphic calculator was a standard mathematical tool, with that of students of similar background without regular access to graphing technology. Increased achievement on symbolization tasks, especially for females, was shown for students who used the graphing…

Investigation of the relationship between short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) with 75 children and adults with learning disabilities and 86 children without learning disabilities concluded that STM and WM reflect different processes, both of which seem to separate the 2 ability groups. Both STM and WM were related to reading…

Reports results of an international study showing the United States ranking behind other countries in science and math. Compares differences in teaching methods and teacher preparation that may explain differences in the math performance of U.S. students. (SK)

Focuses on the effects of the application of two problem-solving techniques--metacognitive and heuristic--on the achievement of students in the computation of creative mathematics problems. Results indicate that there was a significant difference in the achievement of experimental and control groups. Contains 24 references. (Author/ASK)

Examined the effects of traditional versus learning-style-responsive study strategies on eighth graders' mathematics achievement, frequency of studying, and attitudes. Found that students applying learning-style-responsive strategies had significantly higher mathematics achievement and attitude scores than students using traditional strategies. No…

Investigated gender differences in problem-solving and computational strategies used by 44 boys and 38 girls as they progressed from grades 1 to 3. Found no gender differences in solving number fact, addition/subtraction, or nonroutine problems but strong gender differences in strategies used to solve problems. Discusses the use of invented…

British math teachers' accounts of their classroom life show how their daily work builds classroom culture and how they have been limited by the imposition of the National Curriculum. Because of it, teachers construct a position of neutrality about student achievement despite the way they shape the learning conditions that influence it. (SK)

Presents three types of information derived from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment: (1) what students know and can do in mathematics; (2) course-taking patterns and current classroom practices in mathematics; and (3) student attitudes about mathematics. Student mathematics performance in the United…

Studied racial and sex differences in mathematics performance among elementary school students using data from the 1996 California Achievement Test in Louisiana for 4,670 fourth graders and 2,542 sixth graders. Results show some superiority in computation for African Americans, with the highest performance by black girls. Whites performed better…

Discusses possible reasons for U.S. gifted students' underachievement on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Homework, class time, and television viewing are similar elsewhere. Previous learning, negative reform effects, middle-school practices, nonrigorous coursework, curriculum deficiencies, and stress on potential over…

Examined the relationship between primary teachers' implementation of developmentally appropriate and traditional teaching methods and the mathematics achievement of general and special education students. Found that mathematics achievement was associated with a reported measure of instruction that emphasized mathematical processing and strategy…

Describes and evaluates the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative, a six-state consortium for academic improvement supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), that focuses on low-income rural schools. The 1-day, one-school site visits that constitute program reviews in this initiative are unlikely to enhance achievement in either science…

This rebuttal provides a more complete description of the Appalachian Rural Systemic Initiative than the previous article, describes the Program Improvement Review process in more detail and outlines its role in the overall project, and provides data that supports the program's overall effectiveness. (Author/SLD)

This theme issue deals with internal and external factors that influence student achievement in the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Internal factors are those related to the test material; external factors include socioeconomic level and educational background, school climate, language background, and students' attitudes…

Analyzes results from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for Australia and discusses variations found across the country. Considers curriculum issues related to TIMSS results and notes that the importance of student attitudes toward mathematics is reinforced by TIMSS findings. (SLD)