Research on Mathematics Education

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Research on Mathematics Education

• Grover J. (Russ) Whitehurst, Ph.D.
• Director
• Institute of Education Sciences
• United States Department of Education

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Achievement
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• NAEP 2000 Proficiency

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• TIMSS Math 1995

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Declared Major 4-year colleges

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Tracking and Grouping
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Assessment for Instruction
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Structured Peer Feedback
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The Math Wars
Constructivist Approaches Skills-based Approaches
Knowledge is constructed Knowledge is imparted
Children should develop their own understanding Children should master standard facts concepts
Authentic problems Skill-relevant problems
Intrinsically motivated Extrinsically motivated
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Conceptual Understanding
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Decimal Fractions

• 509 gt 7
• .509 lt .7

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Decimal Fractions

• 0.509
• ____________________

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0
1
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Checks on Constructivism

• Many routes to understanding
• Limits on working memory
• Inefficiency of discovery
• Role of work in learning

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Curriculum
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Constructivist Math 3 States
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Implementation
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Alignment
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NAEP
4th Grade Math Gains 1992 to 2000
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Elements of State Math Reforms

• State-wide standards
• Linked state-wide assessments
• Accountability for results

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Putting It Together
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Classroom-based assessment
Structured peer feedback
Tracking -
Understanding
Direct instruction - ?
Discovery - ?
Authentic problems - ?
Work and practice
Curriculum ?
Implementation
System alignment