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Eric.ed.gov – Who Counts in Adult Literacy Programs? A National Survey of Numeracy Education. NCAL Brief.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: A national survey examined the following: the extent of math-related activities in adult literacy programs, staff training in math, assessment frameworks being used, and the use of computers for teaching math. Of the 605 programs that received the questionnaire, 350 (57.9%) completed questionnaires. The 350 programs served more than 750,000 adult students in 1992-1993. Among the key findings of the study were the following: (1) although more than 80% of adult literacy students receive math-related instruction, less than 5% of their teachers are certified to teach math; (2) the math skills of adult literacy students are usually assessed by standardized tests that do not adequately cover many of the math skills required in new curricular frameworks or high-performance workplaces; and (3) although more than 75% of adult… Continue Reading

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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 – The Influence of Testing on Teaching Math and Science in Grades 4-12.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This booklet reports the results of a recent National Science Foundation study of the impact of mandated testing programs on curriculum and instruction in elementary and secondary mathematics and science education, especially the impact on teachers with large percentages of minority students. The study included three strands: (1) an item-by-item analysis of the most widely-used standardized tests and textbook tests in mathematics and science for grades 4, 8, and selected high school subjects; (2) a nationwide questionnaire survey responded to by 2,229 mathematics and science teachers in grades 4-12; and (3) interviews with 200 teachers and 100 administrators in 6 urban districts in 6 states nationwide. Included is a figure titled “Percent of items testing types and levels of thinking” and two tables titled “Percent of teachers… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – State Teacher Policy Yearbook: Progress on Teacher Quality, 2007. National Summary

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Countless reports have analyzed the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 on teacher quality and student achievement. What many of these reports truly leave behind, however, is the reality that state governments–not the federal government–have the strongest impact on the work of America’s 3.1 million teachers. With that in mind, three years ago the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) began the process of analyzing states’ teacher policies. NCTQ analysts sifted through tens of thousands of pages of state codes, regulations and rules, regularly corresponding with state officials who graciously provided their important knowledge and perspectives. The “State Teacher Policy Yearbook” is the first project of its kind to provide a 360-degree detailed analysis of any and every policy that states have that… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Parent Involvement, Academic Achievement and the Role of Student Attitudes and Behaviors as Mediators

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Previous research shows inconsistent relationships between parent involvement and academic achievement and often asks why such inconsistencies occur. The research proposes a theoretical model that separates parent involvement into those practices linking parents to children and those practices linking parents to other adults in the school environment. The researcher hypothesizes that parent-child (i.e. discussion and monitoring) and parent-school (i.e. educational support strategies and Parent Teacher Organization involvement) practices will differentially affect student attitudes (educational expectations), behaviors (absenteeism, homework, truancy), and achievement (math and science). Using a national survey conducted in the United States of schools and students, the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), The research estimates a series of hierarchical models to test the direct and indirect effects of parent involvement on student attitudinal, behavioral and academic… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – What Parents Talk about When They Talk about Learning: A National Survey about Young Children and Science

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report presents the results of a first-of-its-kind national survey of parents, who were asked about the types of early science educational activities they do with their young children. It also includes a follow-up qualitative study, focused on low-income families, which sought to illuminate parents’ survey responses. The purpose of the study was to provide new insights on the ways in which parents help their young children learn, as well as new information on parents’ beliefs and practices related to early science learning and the use of learning media. Selected key findings: (1) Nearly all parents, regardless of income or education level, think it is important to help their young children learn, especially social skills, literacy, and mathematics; (2) Most parents say they are confident about their… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Science & Math Events: Connecting and Competing.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This book lists and describes opportunities for teenagers to participate in organized science and math activities within and without the classroom. Students may participate at the local or school level by joining clubs and interest groups and by entering fairs; at the national level, by entering competitions of various sorts; and at the international level, by competing in olympiads and other kinds of contests. The experiences of teachers and students involved in these types of activities, information about the organization and functions of activities, and survey results are described. Lists of national and international science and mathematics activities are provided. (CW) Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – No Common Denominator: The Preparation of Elementary Teachers in Mathematics by America’s Education Schools

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The nation’s higher goals for student learning in mathematics cannot be reached without improved teacher capacity. To accomplish these goals an analysis of current teacher preparation in mathematics is necessary, along with the development of an agenda for improvement. Based on groundwork laid during a meeting in Washington, D.C. in March 2007, the eight members of this study’s Mathematics Advisory Group guided the National Council on Teacher Quality’s evaluation of the mathematics preparation of elementary teachers. The Mathematics Advisory Group consists of mathematicians and distinguished teachers with a long history of involvement in K-12 education. The study sample included 77 institutions representing programs of all types and in 49 states and the District of Columbia (excluding Alaska), constituting more than 5 percent of those institutions offering undergraduate… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – What Parents Want: Education Preferences and Trade-Offs. A National Survey of K-12 Parents

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This groundbreaking study finds that nearly all parents seek schools with a solid core curriculum in reading and math, an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, and the development in students of good study habits, strong critical thinking skills, and excellent verbal and written communication skills. But some parents also prefer specializations and emphases that are only possible in a system of school choice. “Pragmatists” (36 percent of K-12 parents) assign high value to schools that, “offer vocational classes or job-related programs.” Compared to the total parent population, Pragmatists have lower household incomes, are less likely themselves to have graduated from college, and are more likely to be parents of boys. “Jeffersonians” (24 percent) prefer a school that “emphasizes instruction in citizenship, democracy, and… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Mathematics Attitudes and Achievement of U.S. High School Sophomores Based on Race

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: What are high school students thinking? The purpose of this study was to examine the degree that psychosocial attitudes affect academic achievement in mathematics for students of different races during secondary schooling. Based on a quantitative methodology, data was gathered from a nationally distributed survey involving over 16,000 student participants under the auspices of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Transcript information was incorporated into the analysis, so student math attitudes and student racial profiles could be correlated to courses taken and grades. Significant differences were found when comparing Latina/o to non-Latina/o students with regard to student self-evaluations of mathematics affinity, appreciation and capacity. Subsequent analyses revealed that Latina/os are significantly less prepared than their non-Latina/o peers in terms of the highest level of math course… Continue Reading