This paper is a reflection of the preparation of the Psychology of Mathematics Education Panel (PME26) that discuss the issue of "learning from learners." What it implies to be a learner is formulated in order to reflect upon the way teachers and/or researchers learn from learners. The idea of conceptualizing the notion of "learning from learners"…

This paper discusses what the theory of abstraction is about, the need for a theory of abstraction in mathematics education, and the requirements that such a theory should meet. All three are reconsidered from a personal point of view. (KHR)

This paper outlines three key characteristics of mathematics and how they play out in mathematics education and mathematics education research: (1) the two faces of mathematics; (2) the developmental nature of mathematics; and (3) mathematics as cultural construction. (KHR)

Naive dichotomous representations of complex realities persist in part because there is unfilled political and conceptual space in which they can flourish. Dichotomous representations of pedagogy have been popular and linger even though more discerning educators have abandoned this kind of rhetoric. Comparative perspective might contribute to the…

This chapter covers assessment issues in classrooms and offers a possible assessment program. The purpose is three-fold: (1) to examine ways of documenting students' understanding using a domain-based approach to assessment; (2) to present examples of assessment items related to this approach; and (3) to discuss difficulties that have arisen as…

This chapter overviews trends and shifts in research methods in mathematics and science education. It summarizes shifts in some basic assumptions about the role of research in mathematics and science education, background factors that support the proclivities of the researchers represented in the book, foreground factors that the researchers in…

This study, involving selected Virginia urban high schools, examines the relationship between school facility condition and student achievement and behavior. The study determined student achievement by using the Test of Academic Proficiency for grade eleven during the 1992-93 school year; student behavior was determined by the ratio of the number…

This report describes how lesson study is being implemented in one Northern California school district, drawing on research conducted in the district over 3 years via interviews with project leaders and participants; videotapes/audiotapes of the lesson study work (e.g., planning, research lessons, and lesson colloquia); workshops designed to build…

Teaching about Turkey is currently a priority in world and global history courses. There has been a re-examination of this region, a re-emphasis on the contribution of the peoples of the area to history, and a re-evaluation of the role of the Turks not only in Turkish history but also in Central Asia, Western China, Eastern Europe, and Russia. The…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Validity Studies Panel undertook a systematic analysis to consider the domain of validity threats to NAEP and to identify the most urgent research priorities. A framework of six broad categories was developed: (1) the constructs measured within each of NAEP's subject domains; (2) the manner in…

The Achievement Gap is the single most critical issue in Illinois education. This study graphically illustrates the difference in academic performance between low-income children and their peers, between minority children and their classmates, and between those schools that serve a majority of children from low-income families and those that serve…

This historical case study explores the 34-year history of interdisciplinary curriculum development in one public school district. Interviews with nine veteran teachers and three administrators suggest that the role of curriculum specialists and the drive for accountability and consistency are the key influences on the curriculum development…

This article reflects the ongoing development of a principled and flexible methodological framework for English language teaching (ELT) that is free from traditional or dogmatic constraints, flexible enough to take into account new ideas and insights, and critical of current trends and the claims of authorities and experts. It begins by examining…

The core activity of the first year's in-depth study of the JASON Project impact on student learning centered on school site visits. The Center for Children and Technology (CCT) and JASON staff developed a set of criteria to select a diverse group of participating schools. One of the most important dimensions was based on the JASON Foundation for…

This collection of community mathematics modules, or "math trail", is appropriate for middle grades and high school students (grades 5-12). Collectively, the modules pay attention to all 10 of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards which include five content standards (Number and Operations, Algebra, Geometry,…