The sport of Ultimate has grown from parking lot fun to international competition in its 35 year existence. As in many sports, the team that scores is subsequently on defense. Thus the probability that a team will score next is dependent on which team has scored most recently. Unlike in many other sports, teams switch ends after each score. Thus…

The practice of students going to the boards to work problems has been a tradition in undergraduate education for over two hundred years. A study was conducted to determine what instructional techniques enabled students to better learn fundamental concepts in mathematics. This study identifies board work as a highly effective instructional…

Interest in educating individuals, rather than classes, began in the time of the Greeks, but has escalated in the last century. As more and more students stay in school longer and longer, teachers have had to adjust their teaching to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. One method of attending to the needs of individuals is to…

For several years, the University of Massachusetts has been developing a series of introductory-level mathematics courses which place primary emphasis on the development of problem solving and conceptual skills. As the need arose for more instructors for this course, an instructor-training program was developed. This report describes the…

Because of the widespread use of microcomputers in Bulgaria, informatics education for all college students is considered both possible and necessary. Uses of microcomputers in various disciplines are described, including those in mathematics/mechanics, the experimental sciences, and humanities. Brief comments on computer-assisted-learning and…

This study focuses on one narrow segment of the electronic technology revolution--the utilization of the Internet in community college mathematics courses. The study's primary interest is in community college mathematics programs in New Jersey. Thus, it considers the general use of the Internet by the mathematics departments in New Jersey's…

Presents a program for the Apple II computer that teachers can use for exam questions and homework assignments. Prints out all cubic polynomials whose roots, maximum and minimum points, and points of inflection are all integers. (MVL)

"Gedankensimulation" is a term adapted from Einstein's "thought experiments" to indicate mentally created simulations that can help conceptualize ideas. Presents seven examples of simulations that can be utilized to solve problems or illustrate concepts in probability and statistics. Problem contexts include games of chance,…

Discussed is the importance of students being able to read and understand mathematics. The need for students to practice reading mathematics is emphasized. Discussions and homework are presented as examples of this needed practice. (KR)

A postal survey was conducted regarding statistical techniques, research methods and software used in the workplace by 913 graduates with PhD and Masters degrees in the biological sciences, psychology, business, economics, and statistics. The study identified gaps between topics and techniques learned at university and those used in the workplace,…

In the past 5 years, the Mathematics Department at Saint Louis Community College (SLCC) in Meramec, Missouri, has made major curricular modifications and changed the role of faculty members in helping students succeed. These changes have been made in an effort to bring the curriculum in line with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics'…

This project identified over 500 critical incidents of successful and unsuccessful instruction in science and mathematics courses reported through interviews of 105 blind college students. The principal categories of effective teacher behavior included planned concrete learning experiences, creative use of learning materials, and detailed…

Problem solving is viewed as an increasing area of interest that focuses on the theory, research, and teaching of general cognitive skills which are applicable to broad problem classes. This document gives an overview of some important aspects of the theory and research in order to identify what general cognitive skills ought to be taught. Modern…

This document points out the numbers of students who have difficulty in their required college mathematics courses. The four common syndromes identified with pupils who were experiencing a lack of success in mathematics were: (1) a lack of an adequate college or high school background in mathematics; (2) the tendency to feel that because they…

Reports on a seminar conducted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which was designed to help teachers develop their understanding of learning and teaching arithmetic. Describes some of the sessions and the activities and includes some of the dialogue exchanged within the group during the sessions. (TW)