Secondary Mathematics Teachers\u27 Perceptions of the Achievement Gap

The purpose of this study was to survey the perceptions of secondary mathematics teachers on factors contributing to the achievement gap and ways to reduce this gap. National Council of the Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) members were surveyed, and a total of 379 secondary teachers responded. Overall, respondents were most likely to attribute the achievement gap to student characteristics, such as differences in motivational levels, work ethic, and family support. Furthermore, teachers from schools with a higher population of White students were more likely to attribute the gap to student characteristics than were teachers in schools with higher percentages of minority students. Mathematics supervisors and university faculty were less likely to attribute the achievement gap to student characteristics than were middle and high school teachers. Instead, the supervisors and university faculty were more likely to endorse explanations related to curriculum and instruction than were secondary teachers. In terms of attributing the achievement gap to factors related to language, we found that the higher the percentage of Hispanic or Latino students in the respondents\u27 schools, the more likely they were to endorse Language items. Suggestions for reducing the achievement gap centered on professional development for teachers, curricular changes, community building, and policies that included more funding equity and a reduction in class size

Addressing the Principles for School Mathematics: A Case Study of Elementary Teachers Pedagogy and Practices in an Urban High-Poverty School

The extent to which four novice teachers assigned to an urban high-poverty school implemented the Principles of School Mathematics during their mathematics instruction program was investigated using a case study design. The research team conducted 36 unannounced observations of the participating teachers and utilized a developed assessment to guide their observations. Results indicated that only one teacher was judged proficient for all the principles. The remaining three teachers fell short in the implementation and direction of the principles. Detailed descriptions of the pedagogical practices of the teachers are provided

Counter Narratives: Examining the Mathematics and Racial Identities of Black Boys who are Successful with School Mathematics

This study investigated the mathematics and racial identities of Black 5th through 7th grade boys who attended school in a southern rural school division and found four factors that positively contributed to mathematics identity. For these boys, racial identity in school was connected to perceptions of others' school engagement; this sense of "otherness" led to a redefinition of their own mathematics and racial identities

Investigating the Relationship Between High School Technology Education and Test Scores for Algebra 1 and Geometry

The standards-based reform movement in education that began in the 1980s has evolved. In the 1990s, the focus was on producing subject-area content standards and modifying instruction. Today, the focus has shifted to assessment, and for technology education, demonstrating the impact on children and the efficacy of the discipline within general education. The purpose of this study was to compare the Standards of Learning (SOL) End-of-Course mathematics performance of high school students who completed courses in illustration and design technology to students who have not completed an illustration and design technology course. The following research questions were developed for this study: (1) Did students who had taken illustration and design technology courses perform better on their mathematics SOL tests than students who did not take illustration and design technology courses?; and (2) Did students who had not passed the mathematics SOL tests do better on their retake examinations after they took an illustration and design course? The population for this study was composed of 996 students in the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades who had taken the Algebra I and/or the Geometry end-of-course SOL examinations during the 2002-2003 school year. A t test was used to validate the first research question, and a Chi-square test was used to validate the second research question. The means and standard deviations were used to show the quality of testing between the Non-Illustration and Design Technology group and the Illustration and Design Technology group. The Illustration and Design Technology group had a 78% passing rate, while the Non-Illustration and Design Technology group had a passing rate of 73%. The Illustration and Design Technology group scored 14 points higher on average than the Non-Illustration and Design Technology group. The researchers recommend that this study be replicated with a larger sample in order to include more students. Technology educators must insure that planning at all levels implements contextual practice and includes meaningful assessment. The profession\u27s long tradition of contextual practice is meaningless if it cannot delineate the impact it is having on students

Computational Study of the Structure and Thermodynamic Properties of Ammonium Chloride Clusters Using a Parallel J-Walking Approach

The thermodynamic and structural properties of (NH$_4$Cl)$_n$ clusters, n=3-10 are studied. Using the method of simulated annealing, the geometries of several isomers for each cluster size are examined. Jump-walking Monte Carlo simulations are then used to compute the constant-volume heat capacity for each cluster size over a wide temperature range. To carry out these simulations a new parallel algorithm is developed using the Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM) software package. Features of the cluster potential energy surfaces, such as energy differences among isomers and rotational barriers of the ammonium ions, are found to play important roles in determining the shape of the heat capacity curves.Comment: Journal of Chemical Physics, accepted for publicatio

Investigating Estimation: Influences of Time and Confidence of Urban Middle School Students

This study sought to determine the estimation processes used by 10 urban middle school students for solving computational estimation problems, and if there was a difference in the estimation processes utilized for straight computation and application problems. An adapted model of the Accessing Computational Estimation Test (ACE) was used to determine the estimation strategies employed by the subjects within timed and un-timed settings. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the data. The timed ACE tests were administered using an interview format and included computation and application problems. The findings indicated that there were no differences in estimation processes for straight computation and application problems; however, students performed better on timed tests for application problems

Addressing Urban High-Poverty School Teacher Attrition by Addressing Urban High Poverty School Teacher Retention: Why Effective Teachers Perservere

Recruiting and retaining quality teachers specific for high-poverty schools in urban areas is a national concern, especially in light of the No Child Left Behind federal legislation. The educational realities, detrimental effects of poverty, and human despair that often depress low-income communities can prove to be quite overpowering for many teachers new to the profession and significantly contribute to high levels of teacher absenteeism, attrition rates, and teacher shortages. Examining this issue through a new lens, that being through the eyes of effective urban high-poverty school educators, has the potential to spark spirited conversations and debates among policy makers and educators alike so that significant polices and efforts can be developed and implemented. Therefore, the intent of this study was to develop a profile of high-quality educators who remain in urban high-poverty schools within a large metropolitan school district, and identify the indicators that influence them to remain. The results indicated that teachers who are African American, older, and more experienced define the profile of teachers most likely to remain beyond the first three years in this demanding setting. Additionally, these teachers reported that they remain because they believe they are well suited for teaching in high-poverty schools. Unless more attention is given to teacher retention, and why some educators are successful and persevere in even the most hard-to-staff schools, teacher attrition will continue to be a national concern

STEM Initiatives: Stimulating Students to Improve Science and Mathematics Achievement

The article focuses on how concepts in science, technology education, and mathematics show powerful relationships when it comes to student learning. Learning theorists believe that, through designed learning environments (contexts) and learning with hands-on projects, new knowledge can not only be learned, but learned in such a way that the knowledge can be transferred for other applications. Scholars in the applied sciences (school science, technology, and mathematics) believe that these subjects have transfer among themselves and that engineering activities can establish the contexts to learn these subjects, plus aid in the transfer of knowledge. This collaborative movement is referred to as STEM — integrating instruction in science, technology education, engineering, and mathematics. For more information on the national standards, conduct a web search for National Science Education Standards (1996), Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology (2000/2002), and Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, (2000)

Reaction rates and transport in neutron stars

Understanding signals from neutron stars requires knowledge about the transport inside the star. We review the transport properties and the underlying reaction rates of dense hadronic and quark matter in the crust and the core of neutron stars and point out open problems and future directions.Comment: 74 pages; commissioned for the book "Physics and Astrophysics of Neutron Stars", NewCompStar COST Action MP1304; version 3: minor changes, references updated, overview graphic added in the introduction, improvements in Sec IV.A.