This unit is designed to acquaint middle school students with Pascal's Triangle. The unit is intended to be completed in small groups with a minimum of teacher direction. Students complete the activities by using manipulatives, calculators and computers and then report the results to the teacher and the class. The activities include: (1) patterns…

This report: (1) describes the mathematics test given to Year 8 students in the Mt. Druitt Longitudinal Study in 1986; (2) describes and discusses the results; (3) analyzes errors made by the students; and (4) suggests some possible interventions to address the errors made by students. The study dates from 1975 when funds were obtained to provide…

This report: (1) describes the mathematics test given to Year 9 students in the Mt. Druitt Longitudinal Study in 1987; (2) describes and discusses the results; (3) analyzes errors made by students; (4) analyzes the responses to items common to the 1986 and 1987 tests; and (5) suggests some interventions to address the errors made by students. The…

Newspapers are valuable educational resources because they contain material that is varied, up-to-date, and interesting to students. This document is a guide for elementary and middle school teachers who want to incorporate newspapers into daily classroom instruction. There are ten lessons for each of the five subject areas covered. Each lesson…

In response to the urgent national need to revitalize mathematics and science education, the National Research Council (NRC) has undertaken an examination of mathematics education from kindergarten through graduate study. Major studies are being conducted for the NRC, and this book, as a public preface to the work, outlines the seriousness of the…

This study of patterns of microcomputer-based instruction in elementary and secondary schools had three objectives: (1) to describe how teachers who were nominated by their peers as "unusually successful" in their microcomputer-based mathematics and science teaching use technology for instruction; (2) to describe how these uses vary as a…

This document is the third of three related volumes. They present the rationale, background, and framework for a comprehensive monitoring system being developed for the National Science Foundation. The system is being designed to gather information about the effects of national, state, and local policy actions designed to change the teaching and…

The usage and availability of calculators, computers, and related instructional materials are presented. This publication is a Know-Pak, a summary of materials and articles that is part of a series of information packets developed by the Oregon Department of Education. Topics covered include: (1) a forecast of a computer literacy crisis in…

Studies concerning the curriculum, the child, the learning environment, and teaching methods are covered in the four parts of this guide to current research in the elementary school mathematics. Subjects of the first part include the sources of the curriculum, the relationship of Piaget's work in child development to achievement in mathematics,…

Contends that the state of mathematics education is a crucial predictor of future national strength in science and technology and economic competitiveness. Compares the level of mathematics achievement of the United States with other countries. Advocates a national commitment for improvement and includes specific recommendations. (ML)

Suggests that a solution to the problem of expensive educational software may be found in public domain software. Included are a definition of public domain software, a discussion of the kinds of software that are in the public domain, ways to obtain such software, and a list of some examples. (PK)

Provides a rationale and overview of the content of the working draft of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, developed by the National Council of Teachers of Matematics. (PK)

Presents reviews of the four software packages "Blockers and Finders,""Decimal Squares Computer Programs: Decimal Concepts, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, and a Data Disk,""Number Stumper," and "Object Logo, Version 1.5." The software packages include problem-solving activities and drill and practice programs. (PK)

Presented are abstracts from volume two of the World Conference on Computers in Education, 1985. Four topics are: (1) cognitive and visual style; (2) computer graphics and descriptive geometry; (3) LOGO and educational research; and (4) algorithms, programing, and computer literacy. (JM)

In child-centered education programs, children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational partnership developed a…