Both industrialized and Third World countries see the need to "multi-culturalize" their mathematics curricula. Following a brief description of the drawing tradition of the Tchokwe people (Angola), some possible uses of their pictograms in the mathematics classroom are suggested. Examples given in this paper include the study of arithmetical…

Describes a sequence of activities for experimenting with scaling and includes a method for revising any turtle graphic procedure so that it can be drawn to a variety of scales. (PK)

Student talk about mathematics will improve understanding. Ways that teachers can facilitate more student talk in their classrooms are presented. (PK)

Sets forth the history of the Fibonacci Sequence and details its occurrence in nature and its potential for project work in schools. Ideas and activities include the rabbit problem, investigations of the sequence itself, its relationship to plants, music, snail shells, and the golden section. Computer generation of spirals is also discussed. (PK)

Takes issue with those who advocate the use of calculators in mathematics education. Rebutts four specific ideas relative to the use of calculators in school mathematics and argues that calculators may not be appropriate in teaching mathematics. (PK)

Describes three pieces of practical work (hands-on activities) which have been successful in Scottish secondary schools. Activities involve geotiles, working with percentages, and activities for higher mathematics. (PK)

Reports on the results of a survey done in 1985 about chemical engineering undergraduate curricula. Compares the findings with similar surveys done in previous years, particuluarly 1981. Reveals that only minor changes have occurred since the 1981 survey, but projects greater changes by 1989. (TW)

Discusses problems associated with reform of secondary school curricula in Kenya in the period immediately after independence. Follows the course of two innovations--School Mathematics of East Africa (SMEA) and the Africanization of the literature curriculum--and discusses various reasons for their failure and for Kenya's continued dependence on…

To investigate performance patterns on strands of the mathematics curriculum, locally developed criterion-referenced benchmark tests were administered to all kindergarten through fourth graders in the Minneapolis public schools. Total test scores and strand scores were analyzed by ethnic group, gender, and socioeconomic status. (Author/BS)

Discussed are Chinese research studies and experiments dealing with the following topics: programed instruction; teaching methods in mathematics; teaching reading using the concentrated character recognition method; the three-in-one method for teaching arithmetic; the ease of learning to read Chinese characters; and the teaching of languages. (RM)

The purpose of this report is to provide technical information about the 1996 State Assessment in Mathematics. It provides a description of the design for the State Assessment and gives an overview of the steps involved in the implementation of the program from the planning stages through to the analysis and reporting of the data. The report…

This research examines students' ability to work with algebraic variables and their notations as a result of the type of instruction they received, and places their work on scales that illustrate its location on the continuum from arithmetic thinking to algebraic reasoning. It presents data from pre- and post-instruction clinical interviews…

Mastering mathematics has become more important than ever in the United States. Students with a strong grasp of mathematics have an advantage in academics and in the job market. The eighth grade is a critical point in mathematics education. Achievement at that stage clears the way for students to take rigorous high school mathematics and science…

Given the social importance of math, science and technology knowledge, the importance of establishing competence in a subject area early, and the link between early experience and subsequent achievement, it is puzzling that math, science, and technology do not have greater prominence in the preschool curriculum. This paper reviews some of the…

This handbook is designed to help readers understand the educational philosophy and practice of the PEACHES (Primary Explorations for Children and Educators in Science) and GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) programs, and to assist in using GEMS/PEACHES teachers' guides in schools and child care centers. The handbook outlines techniques…