Uses air temperature profiles--a topic taught in beginning meteorology courses--to illustrate the ease of restructuring the teaching/learning environment as a problem-solving mode. Students access real-time information through Accu-Weather's interactive database. Students use the data to answer the question, "What happens to air temperatures…

Reports a study to test the hypothesis that intermediate grade teachers (n=96) will reflect an expectation of male success in the scores they assign to students' work in mathematical problem solving. MANOVA involving the variables of student gender, teacher grade level, and teacher gender indicated no gender bias on the part of teachers. (MDH)

Presents examples of questions and answers arising from a hands-on and exploratory approach to discrete mathematics using cuisenaire rods. Combinatorial questions about trains formed of cuisenaire rods provide the setting for discovering numerical patterns by experimentation and organizing the results using induction and successive differences.…

Offers calculus students and teachers the opportunity to motivate and discover the first Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC) in an experimental, experiential, inductive, intuitive, vernacular-based manner. Starting from the observation that a distance traveled at a constant speed corresponds to the area inside a rectangle, the FTC is discovered,…

Presents two teaching ideas for mathematics instruction. The first employs "mind maps" as a method to help students learn, record, and recall mathematical information. Provides examples for solving quadratic equations and complex numbers. The second discusses two ways to find the average speed during a trip employing differing constant…

Discusses problem-solving evaluation methods and describes the development of an instrument to evaluate an individual's problem-solving processes. Provides an example of the instrument. (MDH)

In 2 experiments, 280 college students studied animations depicting a mechanical operation with concurrent oral narration of the process, successive animation and narration, animation alone, narration alone, or no instruction (the control group). Results are consistent with a dual coding model of retention and problem solving. (SLD)

Explores 40 urban principals' perceptions concerning obstacles to school effectiveness. Schools as organizational workplaces are plagued by stress, frustration, and alienation. There is a growing gap between school culture and the larger society. Kids who no longer buy into the American dream often fail to meet educator-imposed expectations.…

Reports on a study of the effects of computer-simulated experiments (CSE), problem solving, and conventional approaches on high school students' chemistry achievement, science process skills, and attitudes toward chemistry. Testing indicated CSE and problem solving produced greater achievement in chemistry and science process skills. CSE produced…

Nine articles discuss research on cooperative learning with computers and how student interactions at the computer facilitate learning. Current research on cooperative learning methods and computer-assisted learning; and microcomputer-based group problem solving, social-cognitive behaviors, higher order thinking, interdependence, autonomy,…

Discusses how students generate meanings for mathematical word problems, develops a generative predicational model to account for students' comprehension of word problems, and describes an empirical study of Israeli sixth graders that was designed to test the model. Talk aloud protocols of the students are analyzed, and hypotheses tested are…

This article, which is organized around a single, well-known algorithm for root extraction, presents a way of incorporating dynamical systems into the teaching of mathematics. Included are sample exercises using complex numbers and the computer where students have the opportunity to do some analysis on this algorithm. (KR)

Discussed is the question of teachers' knowledge about mathematical topics. The building of an analytic framework of subject matter knowledge for teaching the topic of functions in mathematics is demonstrated. Discussed is the construction of mathematics courses prospective mathematics teachers take. (KR)

Reported are the effects of a conceptually oriented unit on decimal fractions. The relationships between short-term changes in solving processes and the stability of these processes over time, performance of students, and entry achievement level and the long-term effects of conceptually based instruction are discussed. (KR)

Various ways in which computers can be used in the classroom depending on the subject, students' background, and individual teaching style are discussed. A way to evaluate professional software packages for use in the classroom is included. (KR)