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We investigated whether child temperament (negative emotionality, 5 months) moderated the association between maternal stimulation (5 months–2½ years) and academic readiness and achievement (vocabulary, mathematics, and reading). We applied structural equation modeling to the data from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (N = 1121–1448; mostly Whites; 47% girls). Compared to children with low negative emotionality, those with high negative emotionality had higher levels of academic readiness (6 years) and mathematics achievement (7 years) when exposed to high levels of maternal stimulation (β = 3.17, p <.01 and β = 2.91, p <.01, respectively). The results support the differential susceptibility model whereby highly emotionally negative children were more susceptible to the influences of low and high levels of maternal stimulation in academic readiness and mathematics achievement's developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the fourth issue of the journal Educação Matemática Pesquisa published in 2023. Topics include the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Postgraduate Program in Mathematics Education at PUC-SP and the achievement of the Qualis A1 award in the Quadrennial 2017-2020 evaluation. The thematic issue, proposed by the GT13 - Difference, Inclusion, and Mathematics Education Working Group of the Brazilian Society of Mathematics Education.

This study explores readiness in using blended approach in teaching and learning of mathematics in colleges of education in the Northern Region of Ghana. 15 participants were purposively selected made up of College Vice Principals, Quality Assurance Officers, Head of Mathematics Departments, and ICT heads from the three colleges of education. Structured interview was used to collect information regarding policy on the blended approach, supportive environment for effective implementation, availability of ICT equipment and internet connectivity among others. Data were analyzed using coding, theme, and content analysis. It revealed that, colleges of education integrate the blended approach in teaching and learning. There is availability of computer labs, internet connectivity, tutors were assisted in acquiring data, and there was provision of smart phones to trainees, as well as a well-structured timetable. Tutors have ideas about the blended approach but lack the necessary skills and knowledge to use it effectively. It is recommended that college management should collaborate with stakeholders to improve upon the computer laboratories, the Internet connectivity, and up-date the skills of mathematics tutors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of readiness in Mathematics of First Year High School students of Cluster 6 Tugbok Secondary Schools, Division of Davao City, Philippines. The test contained Mathematics learning competencies namely: Whole Numbers, Fractions, Decimals, Percentage, Geometry, Measurement and Graphs. It used descriptive quantitative method of research where means and standard deviations were computed to determine the level of mathematical readiness. Respondents were chosen through random sampling technique. Mean ratings based on the three achievement tests administered were very low for Grade 6, moderate for Grade 5 and high for Grade 4. Results showed that the respondents are prepared for Grade 5 level. Based on the t-test results on the significant difference in terms of mathematical readiness when analyzed by sex, it was established that female students were more prepared than male students. The results suggest an intervention program to be formulated in order to improve the level of Mathematical readiness of freshman students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our exploration of the order of operations we focus on the following claim: “In the conventional order of operations, division should be performed before multiplication.” This initially surprising claim is based on the acronym BEDMAS, a popular mnemonic used in Canada to assist students in remembering the order of operations. The claim was voiced by a teacher and then presented for consideration to a class of prospective elementary school teachers. We investigate the participants’ understanding of the order of operations, focusing on the operations of multiplication and division. We report on participants’ ways of resolving a cognitive conflict faced as a result of relying on memorized mnemonics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classroom data modeling involves posing questions, identifying attributes of phenomena, measuring and structuring these attributes, and then composing, revising, and communicating the outcomes. Selecting attributes is a fundamental component of data modeling, and the considerations made when selecting attributes is the focus of this paper. A teaching experiment involving 2 teacher educators and 25 pre-service teachers (PSTs) was carried out with 24 young children (5–6-year-olds) as part of a 4-day data modeling investigation. Although perceptual features of the data influenced initial approaches to attribute selection, considerations of the problem situation influenced a shift from the perceptual and towards consideration of attributes such as taxonomy, habitat, behavior, and diet. Expertise in the data context (animal kingdom) and ability to collaborate and negotiate within groups supported children in their ability to switch attributes, attend to multiple situations presented by the problem, and modify and extend their categorizations of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the existence and impact of theoretical mathematical foundations on the teaching and learning of whole numbers in elementary school in France. It shows that the study of the New Math reform –which was eventually itself replaced in the longer term – provides some keys to understanding the influence of mathematical theories on teaching and learning. The paper studies changes related to place value, a notion that was deeply impacted by the introduction of numeration bases other than ten in 1970, and their subsequent removal in the 1980s. What the author terms ‘numeration units’ (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.) and ‘powers-of-ten written in figures’ (1, 10, 100, 1000, etc.) are key tools for describing and understanding changes. The author identifies two theories that have formed the basis for place value teaching in the twentieth century, and examines some aspects of their influence. The paper also addresses epistemological issues in the relation between academic mathematics and school mathematics, and highlights the role of units in the teaching of basic arithmetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving fluency in important mathematical procedures is fundamental to students’ mathematical development. The usual way to develop procedural fluency is to practise repetitive exercises, but is this the only effective way? This paper reports three quasi-experimental studies carried out in a total of 11 secondary schools involving altogether 528 students aged 12–15. In each study, parallel classes were taught the same mathematical procedure before one class undertook traditional exercises while the other worked on a “mathematical etude” (Foster International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(5), 765–774, 2013b), designed to be a richer task involving extensive opportunities for practice of the relevant procedure. Bayesian t tests on the gain scores between pre- and post-tests in each study provided evidence of no difference between the two conditions. A Bayesian meta-analysis of the three studies gave a combined Bayes factor of 5.83, constituting “substantial” evidence (Jeffreys, 1961) in favour of the null hypothesis that etudes and exercises were equally effective, relative to the alternative hypothesis that they were not. These data support the conclusion that the mathematical etudes trialled are comparable to traditional exercises in their effects on procedural fluency. This could make etudes a viable alternative to exercises, since they offer the possibility of richer, more creative problem-solving activity, with comparable effectiveness in developing procedural fluency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal in this study was to examine maternal support of numerical concepts at 36 months as predictors of math achievement at 4½ and 6-7 years. Observational measures of mother-child interactions (n = 140) were used to examine type of support for numerical concepts. Maternal support that involved labeling the quantities of sets of objects was predictive of later child math achievement. This association was significant for preschool (d = .45) and first-grade math (d = .49), controlling for other forms of numerical support (identifying numerals, one-to-one counting) as well as potential confounding factors. The importance of maternal support of labeling set sizes at 36 months is discussed as a precursor to children's eventual understanding of the cardinal principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To provide a brief overview of literature studying the relationship between mathematical competences in childhood and adult life success measured in academic achievements, socioeconomic status, and health measures. Results: Mathematical competences are determined by the ability to process mathematical symbols and quantity determination which is partially inborn. We can stimulate mathematical abilities by preschool stimulation, which leads to a less difficult behavioural pattern. Better mathematical competences correlate with positive socio-emotional control and positive attitudes towards learning and school which contribute to a more engaged academic life-style. Higher mathematical achievements correlate with better paid positions and also increased gross domestic product (GDP) on the national level. The Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth showed that their adult careers, accomplishments, and psychological well-being far exceeded base-rate expectations. On the other hand, children who are born preterm or near term experience mathematical learning difficulties which, despite the absence of overt health problems, present an obstacle into leading an otherwise fulfilling life. Conclusions: We can conclude from the findings, that mathematical precocity early in life predicts later creative contributions and leadership in critical occupational roles. Mathematical abilities are partially inborn. However, mathematical literacy can be further nurtured in preschool and school programmes. Since it is connected to a higher prosperity on individual as well as on national level, mathematical intervention should be offered especially to those who are underprivileged. When stimulating mathematical competences, a greater prosperity for all can be anticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the two principles applied by the author which helps promote equitable learning of mathematics in a community college. Topics discussed include persistence in studying as a predictor of college readiness, three snapshots which shows the application of principles through numerical expressions, the Math Buffet, and systems of linear functions, and the emphasis on feedback and success.

In this paper we study the readiness of higher education students for linear algebra learning, emphasizing the theoretical nature of this area of knowledge. Higher education students participated in the study, a class of 1st year of a Polytechnic Institute from the north of Portugal. Students answered a diagnostic test, whose questions incorporated content taught during the previous school years to entry into higher education, considered as a prerequisite for learning linear algebra in a more theoretical approach. From the results of the study, we highlight the great difficulties of the students in all evaluated contents, verifying that more than half had incorrect answers or did not respond to the questions. So we conclude that students do not have an appropriate degree of readiness to learning linear algebra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of high school students, particularly underrepresented minorities (URMs) from low socioeconomic backgrounds are graduating from high school less prepared academically for advanced-level college mathematics. Using 2009 and 2010 course enrollment data, several statistical analyses (multiple linear regression, Cochran Mantel Haenszel [CMH] Chi-square test, and independent t-test) were conducted to examine students' readiness in select college mathematics courses in a four-year public university in the United States. A multiple regression analysis shows that SAT-Math scores marginally contribute to students' performance in college-level mathematics. The CMHχ²MH test shows a statistically significant difference in the row means score between male and female students and regular and special admitted students. The results of the independent t-test shows significant difference between majority White and URMs' performance in select math courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the second half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century the discipline of secondary mathematics was gradually built in Portugal and certified teachers, textbooks, programs, special teaching techniques emerge. This consolidation process ends with the emergency of school subjects that develop some kind of autonomy as Chervel puts it. This article discusses how the school discipline of mathematics in secondary education in Portugal was set. This process is inseparable from teacher training and so we will observe professional legitimation processes paying special attention to ways in which autonomy has been building and modifying over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is central in school curricula around the world, yet outcomes are mixed at best. This is true both in relation to attitudes expressed towards mathematics, and in relation to observed assessment outcomes, showing how poorly individuals are prepared to use mathematics in a world in which the ability to do so is of increasing importance. Why? This essay uses some mathematics outcomes from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 to seek explanations and possible ways forward. The main message is that negative outcomes of school mathematics arise for a variety of reasons, and they can be reversed through deliberate and concerted action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is part of a wider study focused on divisibility. Participants were prospective elementary teachers. One of the aims of the research is to characterize the meanings of multiple shown by prospective teachers. In this paper, we present the results concerning this aim. We analyse the productions of 37 prospective elementary teachers collected in a practice session, designed and developed in the context of a teaching experiment. We characterize the meanings through the following elements of the didactic analysis: conceptual structure, representation systems and phenomenology. Prospective teachers showed mostly three meanings of multiple: product, relationship and dividend in an exact division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the University of Louisville, a large, urban institution in the south-east United States, undergraduate engineering students take their mathematics courses from the school of engineering. In the fall of their freshman year, engineering students take Engineering Analysis I, a calculus-based engineering analysis course. After the first two weeks of the semester, many students end up leaving Engineering Analysis I and moving to a mathematics intervention course. In an effort to retain more students in Engineering Analysis I, the department collaborated with university academic support services to create a summer intervention programme. Students were targeted for the summer programme based on their score on an algebra readiness exam (ARE). In a previous study, the ARE scores were found to be a significant predictor of retention and performance in Engineering Analysis I. This study continues that work, analysing data from students who entered the engineering school in the fall of 2012. The predictive validity of the ARE was verified, and a hierarchical linear regression model was created using math American College Testing (ACT) scores, ARE scores, summer intervention participation, and several metacognitive and motivational factors as measured by subscales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. In the regression model, ARE score explained an additional 5.1% of the variation in exam performance in Engineering Analysis I beyond math ACT score. Students took the ARE before and after the summer interventions and scores were significantly higher following the intervention. However, intervention participants nonetheless had lower exam scores in Engineering Analysis I. The following factors related to motivation and learning strategies were found to significantly predict exam scores in Engineering Analysis I: time and study environment management, internal goal orientation, and test anxiety. The adjusted R2 for the full model was 0.42, meaning that the model could explain 42% of the variation in Engineering Analysis I exam scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve student success within developmental programs, we conducted a study of 1st year students taking required, developmental mathematics courses at a large, urbanpublic university. Findings suggest that merely the number of years of mathematics that students take in high school is not a precise indicator of student readiness and that passing courses in high school does not necessarily imply that students are prepared for the level of rigor expected in postsecondary institutions. Furthermore, results advocate for the re-evaluation of developmental mathematics courses to include student outcomes that focus on attitudes about mathematics in addition to content and skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine whether differences in strategy selection and/or strategy efficiency can explain the modulation of the problem-size effect by arithmetic skill. More specifically, we wondered whether arithmetic skill increases the use of retrieval strategy in large problems, and/or enhances the efficiency of either retrieval or procedural strategies. The performance of highly-skilled (HS) and less highly-skilled (LS) individuals on a subtraction verification task was analyzed according to problem size and to the strategy reported on a trial-by-trial basis after each problem. The problem size effect was larger for LS individuals than for their HS peers, both in response time and in hit rate. Nevertheless, groups did not differ regarding the strategy reported for each subtraction size. As expected, problems in which retrieval strategy was reported were solved more quickly and more accurately than problems solved by procedural strategies. Responses using retrieval strategy were equally fast in the two groups, but HS individuals performed better than LS when using procedural strategies. The results therefore suggest that the differences in behavioral measures between groups might specifically be due to differences in the efficiency of procedural strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of eighth graders in United States public schools enrolled in algebra or a more advanced mathematics course doubled between 1990 and 2011. This article uses Early Childhood Longitudinal Study's Kindergarten Cohort data to consider the selection process into advanced middle school mathematics courses and estimate the effects of advanced courses on students' mathematics achievement ( n = 6,425; mean age at eighth grade = 13.7). Eighth-grade algebra and geometry course placements are academically selective, but considerable between-school variation exists in students' odds of taking these advanced courses. While analyses indicate that advanced middle school mathematics courses boost student achievement, these effects are most pronounced in content areas closely related to class content and may be contingent on student academic readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personnel readiness is an important factor to success implementation of Electronic Health Record (EHR). The aim of this study was to assess laboratory and imaging staff to implementation of EHR. This descriptive- cross sectional study was conducted in 2013. Through a cluster sampling, the computer skills, knowledge and attitude of 54 personnel were assessed using a self-structured questionnaire. The mean of computer skills, knowledge and attitude of participants was 42.4%, 46.4% and 66.0%, respectively. The mean of overall readiness was 56%. It is recommended that the job training and introduction to information systems concept in laboratory and imaging student syllabus should be considered. User's participation in the implementation of EHR can be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teacher should stimulate the student to think, make efforts of abstract inner personal reflection, undertake mental actions of research and truth discovery, elaborate new knowledge, thus overcoming the threshold of concrete-sensorial, intuitive actions in solving Arithmetic problems. This article aims at highlighting the relevance of using the graphic method in stimulating the students' creativity with a view to optimizing the instructive-educational process. The research undertaken relies on the following hypothesis: applying the graphic method in solving problems of Mathematics enables efficient learning of the taught contents, leading to the motivation of learning, educating attention and stimulating creativity, as well as enhancing school performance. Our paper highlights the inner harmony of Mathematics, which is able to raise awareness of the fact that there are attractive mathematical problems and efficient solving methods, for the understanding of which we need neither special talent nor training which exceeds the level of elementary grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to research the mathematical reasoning skills acquired by Mexican students who wish to enter public Mexican universities after graduating from high school. An analysis was made of the results of the examination of 45 mathematical skills on the Examen de Habilidades y Conocimientos Básicos ("Examination of Skills and Basic Knowledge"--EXHCOBA), used in the admissions processes of 2006 and 2007. The results confirm that the students have extremely low achievement, do not understand basic mathematical concepts, do not have the skills to solve numerical problems of medium complexity, and have knowledge related to the memorization of algorithms. The conclusion points to the importance of mathematical literacy for individuals and for the nation, and states that Mexico's educational system must make substantial improvement in mathematics education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological progress in Terahertz (THz) instrumentation in recent years has produced commercial THz systems with excellent performance, smaller footprint, easier to use operation and more reliable than their homemade laboratory predecessors. Form factor, weight, and data rate are, perhaps, the parameters that have shown the highest improvements in recent years. These parameters also have a major impact on practical application outside the laboratory environment. However, gaps still exists between proof of concepts demonstrated in the laboratory and application requirements in a real environment. The readiness of a technology can be assessed using the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) criterion, which considers nine readiness levels starting from basic concepts at TRL=1 up to full deployment at TRL=9. Applications of THz technology in spectroscopic characterization score high in TRL (7-9) because most of the progress of THz technology has been mainly focused in developing THz instrumentation for spectroscopy. Applications of THz for non-destructive evaluation applications score lower (TRL 5-6) due to higher requirements in terms of performance, especially data rate and form factor in imaging applications. Applications in the medical field have been studied with promising results but they are still in early stages of development, thus, TRL is low (1-4). The progress in THz technology is generating systems with better performance (faster acquisition rates, higher signal-to-noise ratio, bandwidth), broader availability of form factors and configurations, and tighter integration with particular applications. This progress will reduce the gap between the capabilities of the technology and the high-demanding requirements of applications in environments such as quality control and in-line production control in the manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of math readiness and student course behavior (e.g., attendance, participation, homework completion) on knowledge gain and course success using two samples of students enrolled in foundational skills (noncredit-bearing) mathematics courses. As hypothesized, entering student mathematics readiness and course behavior predicted posttest mathematics knowledge. Posttest knowledge and course behavior predicted course success (i.e., passing the course). Results highlight the importance of mathematics readiness and student behavior for understanding mathematics knowledge gains and course success. Implications for institutional policy and practice using effective diagnostic testing and behavioral monitoring are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The National Mathematics Advisory Panel () asserts that a foundational knowledge of fractions is crucial for students’ success in algebra; however, empirical evidence for this claim is relatively nonexistent. In the present study, we examine the impact of middle school students’ fraction and whole number magnitude knowledge on various components of their algebra readiness. Results suggest that fraction knowledge is related to algebra readiness, more so than number magnitude knowledge in general; students’ magnitude knowledge of unit fractions (i.e., those with a numerator of 1) appears particularly important. Findings confirm the intuition of the and support the recommendation of the Common Core Standards () that students’ fraction knowledge should be cultivated using number lines. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on differences in the results a task given to the students on bases of the way in which the task is presented. It discusses the difference in results obtained for a same task given to eighth class students by the teacher Lori Knox in which he asked the students to draw rectangles. The article further reflects on the difference in interpretations and mathematical reasoning among the students.

This study tests a mediated model of boys' and girls' weight status and math performance with 6,250 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Five data points spanning kindergarten entry (mean age = 68.46 months) through fifth grade (mean age = 134.60 months) were analyzed. Three weight status groups were identified: persistent obesity, later onset obesity, and never obese. Multilevel models tested relations between weight status and math performance, weight status and interpersonal skills and internalizing behaviors, and interpersonal skills and internalizing behaviors and math performance. Interpersonal skills mediated the association between weight status and math performance for girls, and internalizing behaviors mediated the association between weight status and math performance for both sexes, with effects varying by group and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many students graduate from K–12 mathematics programs without flexible, conceptual mathematics knowledge. This article reviews psychological and educational research to propose that refining K–12 classroom instruction such that students draw connections through relational comparisons may enhance their long-term ability to transfer and engage with mathematics as a meaningful system. We begin by examining the mathematical knowledge of students in one community college, reviewing results that show even after completing a K–12 required mathematics sequence, these students were unlikely to flexibly reason about mathematics. Rather than drawing relationships between presented problems or inferences about the representations, students preferred to attempt previously memorized (often incorrect) procedures (Givvin, Stigler, & Thompson, 2011; Stigler, Givvin, & Thompson, 2010). We next describe the relations between the cognition of flexible, comparative reasoning and experimentally derived strategies for supporting students’ ability to make these connections. A cross-cultural study found that U.S. teachers currently use these strategies much less frequently than their international counterparts (Hiebert et al., 2003; Richland, Zur, & Holyoak, 2007), suggesting that these practices may be correlated with high student performance. Finally, we articulate a research agenda for improving and studying pedagogical practices for fostering students’ relational thinking about mathematics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article describes key findings from contemporary research on screening for early primary grade students in the area of mathematics. Existing studies were used to illustrate the constructs most worth measuring and the diverse strategies that researchers used to study potential measures. The authors discussed the strengths and weaknesses of assessing a few key proficiencies (as is often done in early reading) versus a more full-scale battery, and described the importance of going beyond merely reporting predictive validity correlation coefficients to examining the classification accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of screening measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the knowledge of first graders regarding negative numbers. It says that problem-solving interviews were conducted with seven first graders who were not yet taught with negative integers concepts. It tells that various types of student responses in relation to the counterintuitive problems were encountered such as the impossibility of solving the problems. Results of the study show the readiness of the first graders to mathematically operate negative numbers.

The article discusses a project conducted to provide an opportunity for students to complete the developmental math course sequence more quickly to enable students to proceed to a college-level mathematics course sooner. It is noted that the project also intended to enable more class time for the new material in Intermediate Algebra.

This study is based on the observation of a divide between mathematics taught in school and the social and cultural context in which they apply. These mathematics, which present significant difficulties for students, appear to be far-removed from the needs and concerns of society. However, many social practices require daily recourse to mathematical concepts. To better understand how these concepts-the nature of which is not fully understood in schools-are used in context, an ethnographic study was carried out to examine various practices of daily life. Here we address practices involving the sale and purchase of agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the review-first approach for the retention of mathematical knowledge in students upon entering a new academic year. It notes that the approach leads to the delay of introduction of new lessons with students spending their time for reviewing materials from the previous grade. It also features the Comprehensively Applied Manipulative Mathematics Program (CAMMP) approach to teaching which will help reduce the need for review and accelerate the learning ability of students.

In this article, I introduce a typology of forms of algebraic thinking. In the first part, I argue that the form and generality of algebraic thinking are characterised by the mathematical problem at hand and the embodied and other semiotic resources that are mobilised to tackle the problem in analytic ways. My claim is based not only on semiotic considerations but also on new theories of cognition that stress the fundamental role of the context, the body and the senses in the way in which we come to know. In the second part, I present some concrete examples from a longitudinal classroom research study through which the typology of forms of algebraic thinking is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although having students make their mathematical thinking public has become a commonly encouraged practice in U.S. schools, little is known about how teachers perceive this practice. This study examined 14 beginning mathematics students' thoughts about making student thinking public using a framework for assessing the extent to which a practice supports students' mathematical learning. Analysis of the data revealed nine themes in the students' purposes for making student thinking public, ranging from affective concerns to those that had the potential to transform student learning. The findings highlight the fact that students' and teacher educators' use of common terms to label pedagogical practices does not necessarily imply a common understanding of the purpose of those practices. Describing pedagogical practices in ways that highlight differences in the purposes for which they can be used is proposed as a way to contribute to improving both students' and teacher educators' classroom practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has set ambitious goals for the teaching and learning of mathematics that include preparing students for both the workplace and higher education. While this suggests that it is important for students to develop strong mathematical competencies by the end of high school, there is evidence to indicate that overall this is not the case. Both national and international studies corroborate the concern that, on the whole, US 12th grade students do not demonstrate mathematical proficiency, suggesting that students making the transition from high school to college mathematics may not be ready for its rigors. In order to investigate mathematical readiness of entering college students, this study surveyed mathematics faculty. Specifically, faculty members were asked their perceptions of average entering students' readiness related to relevant mathematical skills and concepts, and the importance of the same skills and concepts as foundations for college mathematics. Results demonstrated that the faculty perceived that average freshman students are generally not mathematically prepared; further, the skills and concepts rated as highly important namely, algebraic skills and reasoning and generalization were among those rated the lowest in terms of student competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies report unusually high failure in enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects. Thus, it is necessary to perform an assessment at the initial stage of an ERP implementation program to identify weaknesses or problems which may lead to project failure. No definite practical solution could be found for these kinds of problems in the literature. In this paper, a new look at the determinants of a firm’s readiness to implement an ERP project is presented and using fuzzy analytic network process a practical framework is developed. The firm’s current conditions regarding ERP project can be determined and necessary changes prior to implementation of ERP system can be specified. The readiness for ERP implementation is decomposed into project management, organizational, and change management areas and the assessment factors are identified after comprehensive study of critical success factors on ERP implementation. The proposed framework is applied to a real case and the advantages are illustrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article offers information on mathematical activity which helps students develop the skills required to reason mathematically. It notes that a mathematics talk framework is used to assess discourse and develop the process of explanation and justification. It notes that the component of explaining mathematical thinking and assessment is made through questioning and explaining mathematical thinking.

Culturally relevant pedagogy is not well understood as an instructional strategy in the mathematics classroom. This study reveals the challenges two teachers faced when they implemented a pilot project with ninth and tenth grade ESOL students. The task they envisioned as culturally relevant did not capture their ESOL students' interests; rather, it caused both teachers and students to wrestle with tensions around cultural relevance. The major finding of this study is teachers' beliefs and identities are complicated with CRP. Specifically, it changed two teachers' beliefs about teaching mathematics and their role in the mathematics classroom. It also informed the teacher-researcher about the needs of teachers prior to implementing CRP. Although the .task allowed ESOL students to acquire specific knowledge and to develop critical consciousness, it did little to enhance their cultural competence. Understanding the nuances of CRP will help teachers to better operationalize it (Morrison, Robbins, & Rose, 2008). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the concept of basic trigonometry and evaluates its applicability to the sixth-grade class. It offers an overview of the history of mathematical ideas under the trigonometry and their development in the field of academics. It also explores on various topics in the subjects which include the right triangles, pythagorean theorem and basic trigonometric ratios.

The article focuses on the importance of reasoning for mathematical understanding based on the relationship between individual student activities and overall classroom practices. It points out the major influence of the classroom microculture on how students make mathematics and their use of explanations. It also explores an after-school sessions which are analyzed according to the forms of reasoning used by the students.

Background: Policy discussion to change the nature of teaching practices overshadows how social and economic inequalities contribute to unequal education outcomes. Research on how teaching practices contribute to the variance in test scores on a broad scale or on whether the relation of instruction to test scores is moderated by social and economic inequalities among students is thin. This is the focus of this article. Purpose: Two questions are addressed. The first question has to do with the relation of instruction and poverty at the individual and classroom levels to mathematics scores. The second question has to do with whether the relation between instruction and mathematics scores is moderated by poverty among students. This article examines test scores in five mathematics subtests. Research Design: The sample consists of 13,054 students in 822 public and private kindergarten programs from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort data. The statistical model accounts for the unobserved heterogeneity among students who are taught by the same teacher using a fixed effect model of students nested in the same classrooms. Results: The portion of the variance attributable to actions occurring in the classroom (between-classroom variance) ranges from 15 % to 25 %, depending on the subtest examined. Of this estimated variance, instruction explains 4 %; the concentration of poverty in the classroom explains about 20%; and teacher characteristics (education, professional development, experience) explain about 2 %. For the first question, the results show that activities with worksheets, building students' analytic and reasoning abilities, and activities in collaborative groups are significantly associated with mathematics scores. Worksheets are not very effective in improving scores in the addition and subtraction subtest, whereas building students' analytic and reasoning abilities does improve scores in that subtest. The adverse effects of poverty on test scores are larger than the positive effects associated with instruction. For the second question, the results show that analytic and reasoning activities are significantly related to the test scores of students in high-poverty classrooms, but this is not the case with students in low-poverty classrooms. The findings suggest that students in poverty would benefit to be in classrooms that emphasize problem-solving and reasoning skills with greater frequency. Conclusions: The relation of instruction to test scores is generally modest when compared with poverty, suggesting that minimizing the social inequities that contribute to the adverse effects of poverty will play a greater role in closing the poverty score gaps in mathematics in elementary grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine whether depression can explain the negative relationship between academic performance and the belief that intelligence is a fixed trait, i.e., entity belief. A sample of 353 French volunteer adolescents (age 11–16) completed questionnaires assessing entity theory and depressive symptoms (Children Depression Inventory: CDI). Academic performance was assessed by math performance while controlling for baseline level of math ability. Results of this study revealed that entity theory is a significant negative predictor of academic performance and a significant positive predictor of depression. Importantly, our findings also show that depression plays a significant mediating role between entity theory and academic performance. Our findings indicate that individuals who consider their abilities to be non-malleable are more likely to develop depressive symptoms which, in turn, decrease academic performance. These findings contribute to tailoring specific prevention and treatment programs for childhood and adolescent depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of mathematical habits of the mind and discusses how the concept relates to Polya's problem solving principles as well as exemplification. Specific problems are discussed as a means to assist preservice elementary school teachers' in their development of mathematical habits of the mind. Without a technique to begin solving these rich problems, preservice teachers may have difficulty getting started. The process of preservice teachers outlining their thinking as they progress through Polya's process is discussed. Students' reflections from this technique are discussed to explore the outcomes that may be expected from establishing an environment where students are encouraged to develop mathematical habits of the mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author investigated the effects of the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) instructional sequence on the computation performance of students with specific learning disabilities and students identified as at risk for failure in mathematics. Researchers have showed the CRA sequence to be effective for teaching basic mathematics facts, fractions, algebra, and place value. However, they have not studied its effects when it is used to teach subtraction with regrouping. Therefore, the author examined the effects of CRA instruction on elementary school students' fluency in computing subtraction problems with regrouping and maintaining these skills. The author used a multiple-probe-across-groups design and demonstrated a functional relation between CRA instruction and subtraction with regrouping across all students. The author discusses the results and implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the efforts of mathematics teachers to improve their students' mathematical engagement, problem solving and learning. It also presents specific suggestions for supplementing existing curriculum with various mathematics tasks. As part of their initiative plan, the authors agreed to participate in the three-year Partnership for Reform in Secondary Science and Mathematics (PRiSSM) project. Furthermore, they were interested in the increasingly popular use of professional learning communities (PLC) as well as other collaborative teacher development models.

We determine sets of elements which, under certain conditions, generate an intersection of ideals up to radical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]