The effect of music participation on mathematical achievement and overall academic achievement of high school students

A study was conducted on high school students, comparing those with some music credits to those with none. No statistically significant difference was found in their mean math grade point averages (GPA) or their mean cumulative GPAs. Students were then separated into two groups based on the number of music credits. Students who had earned at least two music credits per grade level were placed into Group A. This category included ninth graders with two or more music credits, tenth graders with four or more music credits, eleventh graders with six or more music credits, and twelfth graders with eight or more music credits. The remaining students were placed into Group B. Group A students performed better than group B students. However, the differences were not statistically significant. Scatter plots indicated a slight upward trend in GPAs as the number of music credits increased. Lower GPAs were nonexistent as the music credits increased.     

A Comparison Between Mathematics Textbook Content and a Statewide Mathematics Proficiency Test

Seven mathematics textbook series used for Grades 1 through 8 were examined. Textbook pages were counted as arithmetic, measurement, geometry, data analysis, or algebra. Percentages of mathematics textbook content were compared with percentages of mathematics content on the Ohio Ninth Grade Proficiency Test. Areas of greatest mismatch were arithmetic, measurement, and algebra. The overall percentage of arithmetic in the textbook series was about twice that on the test; the percentage of measurement was less than half that on the test; and the percentage of algebra was a third or less than that on the test. Results are also presented by grade level, and implications for teaching are discussed.     

Dissection of a mathematical model

Interdisciplinary models of broad systems with environmental, economic and sociopolitical interacting components are progressively developed to accept the challenge of dramatic global changes affecting the planet Earth and its ever increasing population. This paper, based on the author's experience in the interdisciplinary—physical, chemical, biological, economic and sociopolitical—modelling of the marine system, and using specific references to such models to provide concrete illustrations of the basic concepts, is an attempt to bring out the general substructural features of mathematical models.     

George B. Dantzig: a legendary life in mathematical programming

Mathematical programming owes much to George B. Dantzig who passed away on May 13, 2005 at the age of 90. This article is a tribute to this legendary pioneer and a very brief review of his extensive and enduring contributions to our field.     

On a socioeconomic mathematical model and its calibration

This paper is concerned with an operational issue arising in the use of spatial interaction models for solving actual planning problems. In particular it introduces an axiom about the concept of distance detterence and hence a calibration procedure. Such procedure is then used to calibrate two models actually being used to plan the development of a large Italian town and the results obtained on the adherence of the model to the problem being modelled improve by about 50% those given by a currently used calibration procedure.     

Developing a theory of mathematical growth

In this paper I formulate a basic theoretical framework for the ways in which mathematical thinking grows as the child develops and matures into an adult. There is an essential need to focus on important phenomena, to name them and reflect on them to build rich concepts that are both powerful in use and yet simple to connect to other concepts. The child begins with human perception and action, linking them together in a coherent way. Symbols are introduced to denote mathematical processes (such as addition) that can be compressed as mathematical concepts (such as sum) to give symbols that operate flexibly as process and concept (procept). Knowledge becomes more sophisticated through building on experiences met before, focussing on relationships between properties, leading eventually to the advanced mathematics of concept definition and deduction. This gives a theoretical framework in which three modes of operation develop and grow in sophistication from conceptual-embodiment using thought experiments, to proceptual-symbolism using computation and symbol manipulation, then on to axiomatic-formalism based on concept definitions and formal proof.     

Assessing and understanding U.S. and Chinese students' mathematical thinking

If the main goal of educational research and refinement of instructional program is to improve students' learning, it is necessary to assess students' emerging understandings and to see how they arise. The purpose of this paper is to address issues related to assessments of students' mathematical thinking in cross-national studies and then to discuss the lessons we may learn from these studies to assess and improve students' learning. In particular, the issues related to assessing U.S. and Chinese students' mathematical thinking were discussed. Then, this paper discussed the findings from two studies examining the impact of early algebra learning and teachers' beliefs on U.S. and Chinese students' mathematical thinking. Lastly, the issues related to interpreting and understanding the differences between U.S. and Chinese students' thinking were discussed.     

数学交流及其对数学教育的启示

阐述了数学交流的缘起和功能 ,指出除具有一般的教学功能外 ,数学交流的教学意义特别表现在完善数学思维活动和实现数学教学的社会价值两方面 .最后 ,从三个方面探讨了数学交流观点对数学教育的启示 ,即重视培养学生的数学交流素养 ,利用师生互动的形式重塑教学过程 ,在强调认知的同时关注学生的精神生活 .