Volume 95, Number 1, January 1995

Table of Contents

Abstracts

Table of Contents

Abstracts

• Psychological and Physiological Mechanisms By Which Discovery and Didactic Methods Work

Mark Keegan
Columbia University Teachers College 

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        Since ancient times, educators and parents have pondered which of two basic instructional strategies is more effective. This article describes physiological, affective, and cognitive mechanisms by which didactic and discovery methods appear to work, as revealed by a search of the research literature of the past decade or so. The optimal instructional method depends on the instructional objective, the educator's skills, and the nature of the students. But given the predominance of didactic method in today's schools-- and the large body of research suggesting significant advantages to the discovery methods--more use of discovery methods should probably be employed, especially for students for whom didactic methods appear to be sub-optimal.
 
• Calculators in Elementary School Mathematics Instruction

Virginia E. Usnick
University of Nevada
Patricia Lamphere
University of Montana
George W. Bright
University of Greensboro 

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        Due to the increased availability of hand-held calculators, teachers at all grade levels must now face the prospect of having to change both how they teach mathematics as well as what mathematics they teach. Since most teachers did not learn mathematics with the help of technology, they need time to adjust to both a new learning environment and a new teaching one. Through federal funds, the Texas Education Agency has created mathematics staff development modules which help teachers learn about calculators, mathematics, and the integration of calculators in mathematics instruction. This article presents games based upon those included in the staff development modules. Each game was designed to promote exploration of mathematical relationships via a calculator, specifically, Texas Instruments' Math Explorer.
 
• Enhancing the Success of African-American Students in the Sciences: Freshman Year Outcomes

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III. and Kenneth I. Maton
University of Maryland 

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        The Meyerhoff Program is an intensive, multicomponent program focused on enhancing the success of talented African-American students in science and engineering at a predominantly white, medium-sized university. The program components, taken together, address the four primary factors emphasized in the research literature as limiting minority student performance and persistence in science: knowledge and skills, motivation and support, monitoring and advising, and academic and social integration. Outcome analyses indicated that the first three cohorts of Meyerhoff students (total N=69) achieved an overall GPA (mean=3.5) significantly greater than that of an African-American historical comparison sample (mean=2.8) of comparably talented science students at the university. This difference was even greater for first year science GPA (means of 3.4 and 2.4, respectively), and in specific science and mathematics courses. Observational and questionnaire data indicated that the Meyerhoff program study groups, peer-based community, financial scholarships, summer bridge program and staff appear to be especially important contributors to student success. Implications of the findings for enhancing the success of African-American and other underrepresented populations in science are discussed.
 
• STS to Enhance Total Curriculum

Robert E. Yager and Martha V. Lutz
The University of Iowa 

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        Many nonscientists hold incorrect views of science. These incorrect views of science are rooted in fundamental problems with science education in schools. These problems are discussed in the context of their causes, including a dysfunctional working definition of science. The Science/Technology/Society (STS) movement is described and illustrated as a potential means to correct these problems. Examples derived from statewide efforts in Iowa are used as evidence that STS initiatives are paradigms for curriculum and instructional reform.
 
• Gender Differences in Mathematics Attitudes of Secondary Students

Myriam Steinback
Santa Barbara City College
Joyce Gwitzdala
Lakewood Community College 

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        The merger of an all-female Catholic secondary school with a similar all-male school provided the setting for this two-part study. Gender differences in mathematics attitudes of secondary students, and differences in mathematics attitudes of the female students before and after the merger were investigated. Traditional male/female differences were found in the areas of self-confidence, usefulness of mathematics, and classroom behavior. The female students' attitudes remained positive, but their predictions about the mixed-sex classroom were confirmed.