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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 incorporation of Computer Science teaching in educational systems has increased in recent years. Given international interest, Chile has promoted projects to promote the development of students' digital skills. Focusing on this new educational context, this research reports the results regarding the identification of computational concepts and practices that can be articulated with the contents and skills of the curriculum. of Chilean mathematics. for first grade of primary school based on the use of the Bee-Bot robot. For this, the study followed a qualitative approach, developing a case study of the Chilean study program with the content analysis technique and using, as analysis categories, computational concepts and practices from the field of educational computing. In total, 30 learning objectives of the study program were analyzed. The results indicate that, although there is little articulation between computational concepts and first grade content proposed in the curriculum, there is greater articulation between computational practices and mathematical skills suggested in the Chilean curriculum. It is concluded that Computational Thinking can be developed from the earliest school levels using the Bee-Bot robot (or similar), and this is demonstrated by the structure of the Chilean primary mathematics curricular program. [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.

Meaningful and enjoyable experiences are important in the education of children. In this qualitative case study, the garden program (incl. market garden shop, garden care, Kid's Kitchen, and chicken coop) in one Australian primary school was explored to determine its impact on the mathematical learning of children. Data were collected using focus groups (four student, three parent and three volunteer groups), three teacher interviews, weekly garden journal entries and, when possible, through observation. This program provided opportunities for enriched mathematical learning facilitated by: early exposure to mathematical applications through mixed-age groups at different stations; an authentic, real-life setting to apply mathematical learning; and the consolidation of mathematical experiences through weekly engagement. These program features were found to positively impact the mathematical readiness, attitudes and competence of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 article discusses a study focusing on the impact of a summer bridge program on readiness of college students who intended to pursue a STEM degree, discussing the factors measured in the study, including mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy; and the epistemic beliefs of students.

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]

Background: This research highlights a school-university collaboration to pilot a professional development framework for integrating STEM in K-6 mathematics classrooms in a mid-Atlantic suburban school division. Because mathematics within STEM integration is often characterized as the calculations or the data representations in science classrooms, technology labs, or outside-of-school programs, developing a reasonable and realistic conceptualization of STEM integration for mathematics teachers and coaches may be especially challenging. Using design-based implementation research, university facilitators worked with eight mathematics teachers and coaches to construct an accessible vision of STEM integration built upon the design features of model-eliciting activities (MEAs). The research team strategized a flexible and fluid professional development that would (1) situate participants' breadth of experiences on a STEM curriculum integration continuum; (2) elicit a new vision of STEM integration through open-ended mathematics problems with client-driven, real-life contexts; and (3) focus on making mathematics content explicit. Results: Qualitative analysis of participant discussions and written reflections from a four-day summer institute indicates that the daily tailoring of the professional development design supported an evolving participant envisioning of STEM integration. Opportunities to engage with MEAs as learners, contrast MEAs with problem-based learning and draw from MEA design features to modify existing curricular tasks allowed participants to think more broadly about mathematics content within STEM integration. Participants communicated a readiness to use MEAs as a vehicle for K-6 STEM integration which maintains an important grounding in the teaching realities of grade-level standards and standardized test preparation. They also acknowledged the need for ongoing support as they considered the challenges of curricular pacing and administrative expectation. Conclusions: The researchers continued to support the school division during monthly academic-year professional development sessions as the teachers and coaches created and enacted prototype lessons. Their shared investment in building STEM integration capacity with a specific focus on mathematics content can offer a model for STEM integration using MEAs that challenges one-size-fits-all professional development, encourages STEM instructional leadership, and promotes mathematical readiness for STEM citizenship and careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies is the property of PC TECHNOLOGY CENTER and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We introduce the notion of finitary computable reducibility on equivalence relations on the domain ω. This is a weakening of the usual notion of computable reducibility, and we show it to be distinct in several ways. In particular, whereas no equivalence relation can be ${\rm{\Pi }}_{n + 2}^0$-complete under computable reducibility, we show that, for every n, there does exist a natural equivalence relation which is ${\rm{\Pi }}_{n + 2}^0$-complete under finitary reducibility. We also show that our hierarchy of finitary reducibilities does not collapse, and illustrate how it sharpens certain known results. Along the way, we present several new results which use computable reducibility to establish the complexity of various naturally defined equivalence relations in the arithmetical hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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.

The focus of this study was on the analysis of mathematics anxiety in male and female students studying mathematics at secondary level in Pakistan and its effects on their achievements. It was correlational study and the researcher applied quantitative method to collect the data. Students studying at grade 10 were the population of the study. Random sampling technique was applied to select the participants. Mathematics anxiety scale developed by Bai, Wang, Pan, & Frey (2009) was applied to analyse mathematical anxiety after its translation, modification and validation. The effects of mathematics anxiety on the performance of students were determined applying correlation. The major conclusions of the study are that the level of mathematics anxiety is higher in female as compared to male students. It is also concluded that the achievement level of female students in mathematics is lower than male students because of psychological, educational and societal factors that raise the level of mathematical anxiety. It is recommended that learning in classroom in the subject of mathematics needs to be relevant with the problems of life so that students in general and female students in particular gain interest in the study of this subject. Special attention needs to be given to high anxiety victims to raise their confidence. Parents are recommended that they may work to root out stereotyped, illogical perceptions about math as male dominated subject that is out of the reach of female students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Copyright of Journal of Theory & Practice in Education (JTPE) / Eğitimde Kuram ve Uygulama is the property of Journal of Theory & Practice in Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

Through a qualitative analysis of data collected over four years of design-based research on the implementation of a reform-oriented mathematics curriculum, this study describes two sixth-grade teachers’ changing views of the role and place of reading in mathematics instruction. The findings reveal the evolution of the teachers’ perspective on mathematics instruction from one that did not include reading toward one in which reading was viewed as integral to students’ mathematics learning. The teachers’ views on reading in mathematics at the end of the project lend empirical support to theoretical propositions for a disciplinary literacy approach to mathematics instruction. At the same time, their views nuance such propositions by highlighting differences between the reading demands of school mathematics texts and those of disciplinary texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary grade students enter the mathematics classroom with a range of differences including students' mathematical readiness, mathematical conceptions, interests, and learning profiles. Addressing the learning needs of students is not a trivial task, but accounting for these needs is essential for supporting students as they continually work toward their potential. The philosophy of differentiated instruction provides a framework for addressing the diversity of students' needs. One unique way of differentiating instruction is by incorporating differentiated educational games into the mathematics curriculum. Although the education market contains scores of mathematics games, few incorporate substantive elements of differentiation. This article presents a guide for modifying a traditional game into a differentiated mathematical game that can be used in primary classrooms. The game design and implementation described in this article were used in a research study, Project Parallax (principal investigators Catherine Brighton and Tonya Moon). During this study, teachers used curriculum (developed by Project Parallax) as a vehicle for identifying mathematical promise in heterogeneous primary classrooms, and differentiated mathematical games were developed as part of the curriculum. [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]

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of the Stevens Institute of Technology (hereinafter Stevens) Systems Development & Maturity Laboratory (SysDML) System Readiness Level (SRL) Model and methodology for analysis of ‘wholistic’ maturity of a complex system measured by other metrics beyond Technology Readiness Level (TRL). This paper proposes a ‘wholistic’ Systems Maturity model that includes a Manufacturing Maturity measured by a Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) analysis and Sustainment Maturity measured by a Sustainability Maturity Level (SML) analysis based on the Stevens SRL methodology 1. In addition, the contextual relational metrics needed for the SRL model will be defined for sustainment maturity in order to determine ‘wholistic’ sustainment maturity of large scale, complex systems. The general purpose of this ‘wholistic’ sustainment maturity is to facilitate effective decision-making by Program Managers and Systems Engineering Leads and provide a composite evidence-based maturity assessment for large scale, complex systems for Department of Defense (DoD) milestones and reviews. This paper will address the ‘wholistic’ system view where a system's object can be defined as a technology starting from a capability/component up to a system within a System of Systems (SoS). As long as there is parity for all objects under analysis and the appropriate interface/integration/interoperability readiness level (IRL) point of view is maintained the SRL model can provide the relative maturity of a complex system and the contextual maturity of each object within that system providing insight into potential areas needing further analysis and focus by Program Managers and Systems Engineering Leads. Note that this method will not provide a definitive composite value for maturity. The data this methodology provides can assist the Program Manager in determining where additional focus and/or resources may be needed as well as a relative “value” for the maturity of the ‘wholistic’ system to determine if progress is being made along the development timeline. This paper will describe how the SRL Model can be used for ‘wholistic’ Sustainability maturity and will define the relational connections between objects with respect to technology and manufacturing that can be used for the model. Additionally, the paper will define the ordinal scales, aligned to the TRL MRL and SML scales as well as the key milestones and reviews of the various phases of a development program. Finally, the paper will recommend methods for displaying the aforementioned system maturity, based on Human Factors, in order for an analyst to easily determine what is of highest and lowest importance within the results of the new ‘wholistic’ readiness model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

This study explores the effects of counting objects and reciting numbers in preschool on 1st-grade math performance. Data on 3,125 low-income preschoolers’ (4- to 5-year-olds) counting abilities (orally reciting numerals in chronological order and counting blocks) were collected during a fall session (between September 15 and December 15) and were associated with 1st-grade math performance 2 years later. Children's counting abilities were organized into five ordinal categories (from lowest to highest): (1) cannot recite or count to 10, (2) can only recite to 10, (3) can count and recite to 10, (4) can recite (but not count) to 20, and (5) can count and recite to 20. Results of hierarchical regression analyses, controlling for sex, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and days absent in 1st grade, yielded a significant linear relation across the five counting ability categories. Children who were able to count and recite to 20 during the first half of preschool had the highest math performance in 1st grade. Implications for the importance of these findings for early curricula math standards are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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]

Math readiness presents a real challenge for both K-12 and college-level education. It affects mathematically intensive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields of endeavor and threatens our readiness to invent and adapt. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

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]

This study explored pre-service teachers' perceptions regarding their readiness to teach mathematical concepts and their preparation to integrate mathematical topics in instruction. Participants consisted of pre-service teachers who agreed to participate in a state-wide survey. For the purpose of this study, data was disaggregated into two groups: pre-service teachers who attended a private teacher education program and pre-service teachers who attended a public teacher education program. Results of this study indicate that pre-service teachers from both private and public colleges felt adequately prepared to teach mathematics and were indifferent in their perception of their ability to integrate mathematical concepts. [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.

This study investigated the effects of a classroom intervention on prospective elementary teachers' ability to evaluate evidence of student achievement of mathematical learning goals. The intervention was informed by a framework for teacher education which aims to provide prospective teachers (PTs) with the skills needed to systematically learn from their own teaching practice. Prospective teachers ( N = 160) participated in an intervention aimed at addressing their misconceptions about evidence of student learning. Results revealed that after the intervention, PTs were less likely to consider teacher behaviors to be evidence of student learning and more likely to discount student responses that were irrelevant to a specified learning goal. However, PTs were still likely to take procedural fluency as evidence of conceptual understanding and may have become overly skeptical of student understanding. Implications of the study suggest new ways of developing prospective teachers' ability to systematically study and improve their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a documented need for more opportunities for teachers to learn about students' mathematical reasoning. This article reports on the experiences of a group of elementary and middle school mathematics teachers who participated as interns in an after-school, classroom-based research project on the development of mathematical ideas involving middle-grade students from an urban, low-income, minority community in the United States. For 1 year, the teachers observed the students working on well-defined mathematical investigations that provided a context for the students' formation of particular mathematical ideas and different forms of reasoning in several mathematical content strands. The article describes insights into students' mathematical reasoning that the teachers were able to gain from their observations of the students' mathematical activity. The purpose is to show that teachers' observations of students' mathematical activity in research sessions on students' development of mathematical ideas can provide opportunities for teachers to learn about students' mathematical reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we describe a framework and instrument for measuring the mathematical quality of mathematics instruction. In describing this framework, we argue for the separation of the mathematical quality of instruction (MQI), such as the absence of mathematical errors and the presence of sound mathematical reasoning, from pedagogical method. We argue that conceptualizing this key aspect of mathematics classrooms will enable more clarity in mathematics educators' research questions and will facilitate study of the mechanisms by which teacher knowledge shapes instruction and subsequent student learning. The instrument we have developed offers an important first step in demonstrating the viability of the construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]