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Eric.ed.gov – The State of Basic Math at T-VI: A Report from the Faculty.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: As part of an effort to improve basic math instruction at Vocational-Technical Institute (T-VI) in New Mexico, a survey was conducted asking teachers, tutors, and instructional technicians to assess the importance of and student performance on 35 basic math competencies. Survey responses were then related to two national standards of mathematical literacy: the vocational standards of the Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Achieving the Necessary Skills (SCANS) and the academic standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Study highlights included the following: (1) several skills seen as important by SCANS and NCTM were viewed as unimportant by teachers of math and math-related subjects, including “working together in groups to solve problems,””using calculators,””ability to estimate,””ability to use measuring tools and systems,” and “ability to use… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Learner-Centered Professional Development Environments in Mathematics: The InterMath Experience.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The purpose of this paper is to examine two InterMath pilot workshops and how they were able to meet the goals of learner-centered professional development. The paper focuses on the experiences of the learners, offers insights from each case as well as across cases, and provides suggestions to improve the experience for later learners. The data reported in this paper came only from the workshops and interviews with the teachers and the instructors. Several findings emerged that spanned across both cases. Support and interaction became very intertwined in the cross-case analysis. Another support/interaction issue that appeared was the overwhelming number of procedural questions that were asked by the participants. Finally, while the researchers provided every opportunity for collaborative learning, few teachers chose to engage in it. There… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Dimensions of Math Avoidance among American Indian Elementary School Students. Final Report.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Using a cross-cultural perspective, researchers studied the “math avoidance syndrome,” which has reached crisis proportions among American Indians, at two elementary schools on Utah’s Northern Ute Reservation and Wisconsin’s Oneida Indian Reservation in 1980. Researchers gathered data by observing math instruction at the schools and by interviewing parents, teachers, tribal officials, and a group of students from third and fourth grade classrooms. They also discussed with tribal elders each tribe’s style of computation and problem solving. Results showed that, contrary to widely held beliefs, neither degree of traditionality nor sex of student served as an accurate predictor of student math attainment or interest in math. Perceived conflicts between school and home regarding function and purpose of education, social organization of math lessons, incompatibility of classroom management styles,… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – GED 21st Century Learning Pathways Pilots. Final Report

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: For the nearly 39 million U.S. adults who do not have a high school diploma, the General Educational Development (GED) programs and exam have served as the main avenue for improving individuals’ skills and helping them earn a high school credential. However, few students who start these programs ever get this credential, and even fewer advance to the postsecondary education and higher-level training programs that could increase their earning potential. In response to this challenge, the American Council on Education (ACE) partnered with Pearson Inc. to release a new more rigorous GED test in 2014 that assessed the crucial thinking, writing, and analytical skills considered essential for success in today’s labor market. In addition, ACE partnered with the New York City Department of Education’s District 79 (D79),… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Title I Elementary Math Program of Minneapolis: 1972-74. No. C-74-34.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The aim of the Title I math program was to improve the teaching of mathematics at the primary level in Title I schools. School staff and Parent Advisory Committee members had suggested and helped plan the focus of the project. It was expected that improved teaching would raise the level of understanding of basic mathematics skills and concepts of primary pupils. Testing of the children, however, was incomplete and inconclusive. All Title I primary teachers were eligible for the project. Most of the teachers from 25 public and 9 nonpublic schools availed themselves of the services offered by the project during the two years, 1972-74, covered by this report. This evaluation concentrated on the activities of the project and teachers’ responses to those activities. Teachers received over… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Mathematics, Science, and Technology Teachers’ Perceptions of Technology Education.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: A survey of 154 exemplary technology teachers, 154 math teachers, and 154 science teachers (52% return) showed that math/science teachers do not perceive technology education as a discipline for developing cognitive strategies and did not recognize characteristics of technology education methods, curriculum content, and potential for integration with academic subjects. (SK) Link til kilde

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Eric.ed.gov – Experts’ Opinions on National Math Standards for Students with Disabilities. Technical Report 3.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: Eleven experts in mathematics education, special education, and assessment completed an open-ended survey on current math instruction in relation to the “Curriculum and Evaluation Standards” of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the perceived appropriateness and feasibility of the standards for students with disabilities. In general, the experts agreed that adoption of the Standards has been minimal and that math education in practice continues to emphasize basic skills. Two opposing viewpoints were evident in the experts’ responses. One viewpoint was that the Standards did not recognize the importance of individual differences and were not better than current practice in math education. The opposing viewpoint was that the Standards reflected a vision of what mathematics should be and that minimal, nonsubstantial modifications were needed for students… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – Experts’ Opinions about the Appropriateness and Feasibility of National Math Standards. Technical Report 4.

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: The appropriateness and feasibility of the “Curriculum and Evaluation Standards” published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics were examined with respect to the mathematics education of students with disabilities. Eleven experts from the areas of mathematics education, special education, and assessment were surveyed using a five-point forced rating scale. To investigate the response patterns among the experts, their responses were clustered using a hierarchical agglomerative technique. Most of the experts reached consensus that the Standards should be addressed through curriculum and evaluation in elementary level math education. All respondents perceived that the basic skills were adequately and feasibly addressed in the elementary curriculum. Some experts who believed in the visions provided by the Standards also approved the feasibility of the Standards in evaluation. In contrast,… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – School Improvement Grants: Progress Report from America’s Great City Schools

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This report measures trends in performance among urban schools receiving federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) awards as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Council of the Great City Schools aims to document how member districts of the Council of the Great City Schools implemented SIG and specifically what effects the program had on student test scores and school “holding power”–the ability of high schools to move students through the system on a timely basis. Finally, based on interviews with district and school-based staff in several case study districts, common characteristics of successful and unsuccessful implementation of the SIG program in Council schools and districts are identified and described. Results of the analysis across states for grades three through eight in both… Continue Reading

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Eric.ed.gov – The State’s Prime Numbers

eric.ed.gov har udgivet: This standards review is the first in a series of annual reviews of the Colorado Model Content Standards. Its purpose is to identify student performance over time on measures of exiting mathematics standards, identify ways to affirm and strengthen standards and more clearly articulate the practices used by Colorado schools to promote student achievement to those standards. Discussion areas include: (1) national overview of K-12 mathematics; (2) math standards and achievement in Colorado; (3) input from educators; (4) research and financial resources; and (5) characteristics of “math-successful” elementary and secondary schools. Ten recommendations are presented for improving mathematics teaching and performance: (1) Be clear about the math topics students are expected to know at each grade level; (2) Be clear about what specific proficient student work looks… Continue Reading