An alternative model, the Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS), provides specialized educational services to local public schools. PREPS is funded directly by member school districts with additional funds from Mississippi State University. This sponsorship allows each member school to select, design, and conduct research…

Field tested with students in grades 10-12, this manual is designed to teach students in marketing courses basic mathematical concepts. The instructional booklet contains seven student assignments covering the following topics: why basic mathematics is so important, whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, weights and measures, and dollars…

This book is dedicated to George Polya, who focused on problem solving as the means for teaching and learning mathematics. The first chapter is a reprint of his article "On Learning, Teaching, and Learning Teaching." Then, G. L. Alexanderson paints a portrait of "George Polya, Teacher," including some anecdotes that exemplify…

This booklet provides activities to enrich the core of basic mathematics instruction in the intermediate grades. Several learning center ideas are presented throughout the book, with general suggestions for the teacher in planning for and managing learning centers. The use of contracts with students is also discussed. Bulletin board ideas are…

Background information on the testing program, administration details, and a description of the test are provided. The test, intended for administration in June 1986 to third-grade students in Alberta, Canada, consists of two sections. Section 1 is divided into two parts. Part A contains 25 questions covering numeration, geometry, and graphing; 12…

This two-year project demonstrated a model for preventing the removal of children from their homes, with the aim of reducing both the number of children entering foster care and the number of families recycled through the child protective services system. The project was a joint effort by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) Region 11…

In 1985 the Urban League of Rochester organized an Education Initiative and held a series of Speak Out Forums and conferences for students, parents, educators, and the community to arrive at an answer to the question: What can be done to improve the academic performance of Rochester's students? This document contains the following papers pertinent…

Implementing computers and other elements of high tech into the classroom involves sound visionary planning, a comprehensive, diverse group of educators, and on-going staff development. The computer should be used as a problem-solving tool in a variety of settings and applications, the ramifications of which demand that educators in all subject…

This brief leaflet for parents states that "the most important thing you can do is to reinforce the mathematics lessons your child receives in school." The helping strategies are designed for use with children in grades one through three, but may also be useful for older children having difficulty in mathematics. Four types of skills children have…

The purpose of this paper is to review the relevant evidence concerning the relationship between knowledge and its effect on learning, with an end to answering the questions: (1) How important is knowledge to learning? and (2) How does the relative importance of knowledge change with development? The paper is divided into three main sections:…

A study determined whether students with an average interest in reading would become more interested in reading if they used interactive fiction computer games involving a quest or solving a problem in conjunction with required reading. Eight students in grades five through eight participated in a workshop that met 3 hours a day, 4 days a week,…

A study examined developmental differences in students' recognition of the types of explanations that help most in mathematics peer-group interactions. Scripted interactions of eight male and eight female dyads working on math problems were videotaped. In each interaction one actor in the dyad would request non-specific assistance and the other…

Many teachers feel that the primary goal of language education is the development of communicative rather than linguistic competence. This shift in focus has affected syllabus design. However, no single syllabus appears satisfactory by itself. The grammatical syllabus is effective to instill in learners automatic production of accurate structural…

This collection of activities resulted from a visit by the Polish author to the Teachers' Center Project at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1980. The set of 30 activity sheets involve blocks with various types of patterns depicted. Directions for using each sheet and questions to be answered are then given. Elementary school…

The Mathematics Pentathlon is a tournament of mathematics games held each spring since 1979 to promote the development of mathematical concepts and skills while fostering interaction among the educational community. There are five games in each of four divisions, for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7. The focus is on active problem solving and…