Second graders articulating ideas about linear functional relationships

In this paper, we explore the ideas that second grade students articulate about functional relationships. We adopt a function-based approach to introduce elementary school children to algebraic content. We present results from a design-based research study carried out with 21 second-grade students (approximately 7 years of age). We focus on a lesson from our classroom teaching experiment in which the students were working on a problem that involved a linear functional relationship (y = 2x). From the analysis of students’ written work and classroom video, we illustrate two different approaches that students adopt to express the relationship between two quantities. Students show fluency recontextualizing the problem posed, moving between extra-mathematical and intra-mathematical contexts.     

The long term impact of a coherence based model for mathematics intervention

This article presents a large-scale longitudinal study of hundreds of students across the state of Kentucky that participated in a dual-focus mathematics intervention initiative when they were in the third grade. Rather than an exclusive focus on intervention, this initiative focused on both (i) high quality pull-out intervention and (ii) coherence between pull-out intervention and classroom instruction. The study found that over half of the third grade intervention students that participated in this initiative were classified as “novice” (the lowest possible performance category) on state standardized mathematics assessments at the end of the third grade. However, over the course of the following four years, the novice reduction rate of these students was significantly (p < .01) greater than other novices in Kentucky that did not participate in the initiative. These findings indicate that when implementing intervention initiatives to help students that are struggling with mathematics, it may be important to establish coherence between pull-out intervention and classroom instruction. The long term impact of this approach among traditionally underrepresented minorities suggest that this publication may provide insight into important equity issues where long-term analyses may sometimes be needed to capture the full impact of intervention initiatives.     

Modification and validation of the mixed-format Engineering Concept Assessment for middle school students using many-facet Rasch measurement

Integrating engineering into the K-12 science curriculum continues to be a focus in national reform efforts in science education. Although there is an increasing interest in research in and practice of integrating engineering in K-12 science education, to date only a few studies have focused on the development of an assessment tool to measure students’ understanding of engineering design. Most of the existing measures focus only on knowledge and understanding of engineering design concepts using multiple-choice items with the exception of the mixed-format Engineering Concept Assessment (ECA). Also, advanced measurement models are lacking application in the testing of such mixed-format assessments in science education. This study applied many-faceted Rasch measurement to the modified ECA for eighth-grade (ECA/M8) and a newly constructed rubric applied by five judges across 497 eighth-grade students’ responses after experiencing an integrated learning unit on the engineering design process. The results supported the fit of the items and rubric rating scales to the Rasch specifications. Recommendations are made for item wording, and further reliability and validity testing of the ECA/M8, and use of the ECA/M8 in science education and research.     

因子分析法在农村中学生心理健康综合评价中的应用

运用因子分析的方法对中科院王极盛教授编制的"中国中学生心理健康量表"的总分计算方法进行改进,建立了江西省农村中学生心理健康的综合评价模型,为能准确地评价农村中学生的心理健康提供方法上的支持。     

High school students’ understanding of the function concept

This paper is a study of part of the Algebra Project's program for underrepresented high school students from the lowest quartile of academic achievement, social and economic status. The study focuses on students’ learning the concept of function. The curriculum and pedagogy are part of an innovative, experimental approach designed and implemented by the Algebra Project. The instructional treatment took place over 7 weeks during the Junior Year of 15 students from our target population. Immediately after instruction, a written instrument was administered followed, several weeks later, by in-depth interviews. The results are that many of our participants achieved a level of knowledge and understanding of functions on a par with beginning college students, including preservice teachers, as reported in the literature. Many conceptual difficulties that have been reported in the research literature were not as prevalent for our participants and some of them were capable of solving difficult problems involving composition of functions. We conclude that, with appropriate pedagogy, it is possible for students in the Algebra Project's target population to learn substantial and non-trivial mathematics at the high school level, and that the Algebra Project approach is one example of such a pedagogy.     

Enhancing Formative Assessment Practice and Encouraging Middle School Mathematics Engagement and Persistence

In the transition to middle school, and during the middle school years, students' motivation for mathematics tends to decline from what it was during elementary school. Formative assessment strategies in mathematics can help support motivation by building confidence for challenging tasks. In this study, the authors developed and piloted a professional development program, Learning to Use Formative Assessment in Mathematics with the Assessment Work Sample Method (AWSM) to build middle school math teachers' understanding of the characteristics of high‐quality formative assessment processes and increases their ability to use them in their classrooms. AWSM proved to be feasible to implement in the middle school setting. It improved teachers' practice of formative assessment, especially in their feedback practices, regardless of their pedagogical content knowledge at entry. Results from focus groups suggested that teachers were better able to implement ungraded practice and student self‐ and peer‐assessment after AWSM, and that students were more willing to engage in complex problem solving.     

Student enrichment in mathematics: a case study with first year university students

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an enrichment case study to showcase a possible avenue for attending to the needs of academically strong mathematics students. We report on a group of university students who were presented with the opportunity of exploring a specific first year mathematics topic deeper, using an inquiry-based learning approach as part of an enrichment programme. Following the intervention, students completed a questionnaire and a few were interviewed to establish their experiences of the enrichment programme. We discuss the successes and pitfalls of the intervention and report on the impact it had on the participants.     

基于Logistic回归分析的大学生宗教信仰倾向影响因素研究

利用Logistic回归分析,从14个因素中遴选出6个影响大学生宗教信仰倾向的主要因素,分别是:人是否需要宗教信仰;宗教与马克思主义是否存在根本冲突;是否希望在大学期间了解宗教;尊重还是劝阻信教者;信教者与普通人是否存在不同;政治面貌.制作了《大学生宗教信仰倾向测试表》,并给出测试标准.最后提出了大学生宗教信仰教育的基本观点和策略.     

宁波市中小学生视力不良状况调查

为了解宁波市中小学生视力不良的发生率,以2010年浙江省学生体质调研数据为基础,对宁波市3085名中小学生视力进行了调查研究.结果表明:宁波市中小学生视力不良检出率为69.9%,其中男生为69.0%,女生为70.8%;城市学生视力不良检出率为71.2%,乡村学生为68.6%,可见城市学生的视力不良检出率高于乡村学生,并存在统计学意义(P<0.05);但这种城乡差异和2005年学生体质调研中得到的数据相比较,呈现弱化趋势;视力不良的检出率已不再有性别差异;在低年龄段和轻度视力不良程度内,视力不良检出率随年龄的增长突增期提前,中学学段是学生视力不良重灾区,同年龄段视力不良的检出率远超过2005年调查数据.     

基于化学仿真实验平台的师范生微格训练新方法研究

为有效改善高师院校化学专业师范生的微格教学现状,切实提高微格教学质量,通过对微格教学现实困境和化学仿真实验平台优势的分析,提出了基于化学仿真实验平台的师范生微格训练新方法,并以“富集在海水中的元素--氯”为例,介绍了运用该平台进行微格教学的方法与效果。