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Eric.ed.gov – Institute of Education Science Findings from Interviews with Education Policymakers.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This reports presents interview findings with education policymakers on various aspects of educational research. The sampling contained the following groups: superintendents and other local education officials; chief state school officers; state higher education executive officers; state legislators; governors’ educational policy advisors; congressional staff members; and education association executive directors. Altogether, 142 interviews were conducted. The interviews covered the following aspects of educational research: (1) research priority areas from policymakers’ perspectives; (2) access to and use of existing research; (3) assessment of existing research; and (4) suggestions for improving education research. Student achievement–especially achievement in reading, math, and science–and its relationship to effective instruction, curricula, programs, and policies was the highest priority for research shared by the policymakers interviewed across groups. Respondents also expressed the importance of research… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Partnerships, Policy, and Educational Change: The Role of Mathematics and Science in K-16 Reform

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Concerns about American competitiveness and innovation have led to increasing scrutiny of science, technical, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Leaders in the higher education, business, and legislative communities have all issued calls for expanded opportunities and training in STEM fields to improve the skills of the U.S. workforce. Older arguments for change, including stronger alignment of K-12 and higher education curriculum and the overall reform of teacher preparation, are incorporated within these recent calls, and share similar policy and implementation challenges. This analysis identifies the National Science Foundation Math Science Partnerships program as an emblem of the challenges of engaging K-12 and higher education in major reform efforts within a dynamic policy environment. Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Self-Confidence in Math: How and Why Do Men and Women Differ during the College Years? ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This study examined mathematical self-concept of college students and how it may develop differently between men and women. The study used data from a 1985 Cooperative Institutional Research Programs Survey and a follow-up survey in 1989 which included information from over 27,000 college freshmen and incorporates information acquired directly from institutions. The sample for the study was limited to 15,050 students attending 192 four-year colleges and universities. The data were analyzed in terms of characteristics at entry to college, intended choice of major, characteristics of the college environment, and college experiences. The dependent variable was students’ self-rating of their mathematical ability. Findings indicated that women are less confident than men about their mathematical abilities and that this disparity increases during the college years and is in large… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Making the Grade: Teacher Education’s Role in Achieving the National Education Goals. ERIC Digest.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The 1989 Charlottesville Education Summit of the nation’s governors resulted in the National Education Goals which describe six priorities (readiness for school; high school completion; student achievement; world leadership in science and math; adult literacy; and safe, disciplined, and drug free schools) for public schools to achieve by the year 2000. As originally written, the goals did not include a distinct role for higher education nor did they acknowledge the importance of teachers to their success. Policy makers have begun to address the omission and have proposed an additional goal that calls for teachers to “have access to programs for the continued improvement of professional skills.” This digest highlights initiatives taken by the teacher education community in support of achieving the goals. For example, the American Association… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Web-based Instructional Modules Designed to Support Fundamental Math Concepts in Entry Level College Mathematics: Their Effects, Characteristics of Successful Learners, and Effective Learning Strategies.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The first goal of this study was to examine the impact of nine World Wide Web-based learning modules on learning as measured on both online module quizzes and in-class exams. The modules were designed to support fundamental concepts in entry-level college mathematics courses. The second and third goals of this study were to determine the learner characteristics and strategies that affect student performance on the nine Web-based learning modules. Data sources included: a demographic survey; nine Web-based instructional module quizzes; three in-class quizzes; three in-class, paper-based quiz surveys; an in-class final exam; an exit survey; and face-to-face interviews. Findings indicated that students who scored above 80% on the module quizzes also did better on in-class exams. Those who were self-motivated, focused, and self-disciplined had greater success in… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Science and Math Education. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology of the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, Second Session.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: These hearings focused on topics and issues related to the status, quality, and improvement of K-12 science and mathematics in the Pittsburgh area. Science and mathematics teachers, school administrators, school board members, industry leaders, and college officials provided a firsthand description of the nature and direction of science and mathematics curricula as well as their perceptions of what improvements could be made in these areas. These individuals are Delores Augustine, Don McBride, William Merryman, Wayne Mikach, Albert Caretto, Jane Konrad, John DeBlasio, George Murphy, Allen Blacka, Paul LeMahieu, Shirley Joyner, and Hugh Lang. David Bergholz, James Colker, Milton Gottleib, Dan Swickline, Julius Brown, and John Sabol provided input from the perspectives of local industry and the Allegheny County Community college on what technical skills are presently needed… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Add It Up: Mathematics Education in the U.S. Does Not Compute.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report examines critical educational issues and takes a look at mathematics achievement and attainment in America in grades K-12 and higher education. Part One explores the extent to which students are provided with the opportunity to learn mathematics. Part Two focuses on the mathematics curriculum in American schools, what needs to be improved, and inequalities in college prep math enrollments. Part Three examines the distribution of math teachers. This section features analyses of new data from the National Schools and Staffing Survey (NSSS) and shows that there is still a great deal of work to do ensure that all students are taught by fully qualified math teachers. (Contains 48 references.) (KHR) Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Curriculum Developments: Teacher Education for Technological Literacy: A Scottish Perspective.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This paper aims to provide a reflective overview of the curriculum developments in teacher education for Scotland in the Division of Technology, Department of Maths, Science and Technology Education, University of Strathclyde. A course in technology must by its very nature be frequently updated and reviewed if it is to be considered to be pertinent and relevant. This paper aims to gauge the design and technological confidence and developing capability of students. Two cohorts have completed the first two years of the four-year degree course, B.Ed Design and Technology. As the third cohort begins, progress to date is considered. The question is asked: Does the course educate for technological literacy and provide students with the creativity to educate for technological literacy with perspective, sensitivity, creativity, and confidence?… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Teacher Education Methods Courses: Modelling Practice, Not Perfection.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Public schools are increasingly investigating portfolio assessment as a means of evaluating student performance. A project examined student participation in portfolio assessment and cooperative learning in a “Reading in the Content Areas” class for preservice teachers. Students were a diverse group which included preservice middle school and secondary teachers of English, science, music, and art–as well as preservice elementary teachers seeking to learn methods for teaching math, social studies, science, and art. Of the 30 students, 18 were traditional undergraduate students; 2 were returning students who had been classroom teachers; 5 held baccalaureate degrees but no teacher certification; and the remaining 5 were nontraditional undergraduate students. During the 15-week semester, 10 projects were completed, 8 in cooperative groups and 2 individually. The instructor assessed student knowledge of… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The Development of Mathematical Self-Concept during College: Unique Benefits for Women in Math-Intensive Majors? ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: While previous research has outlined factors that can be used to predict academic self-concept among college students, much of this research pays little attention to how self-concept develops differently for unique subgroups of students. This paper examines the development of mathematical self-concept during college for four groups of students who entered college with significantly different levels of math confidence: (1) men in math-intensive majors; (2) women in math-intensive majors; (3) men in non-math-intensive majors; and (4) women in non-math-intensive majors. Data are examined from surveys of over 14,000 college freshmen at 191 institutions who were followed up 4 years after college entry. Regression analyses describe how the factors contributing to the development of math self-concept differentiate among the four groups and suggest how women who persist in… Continue Reading