No abstract

No abstract

Summary Students often are confused about the differences between bar graphs and histograms. The authors discuss some reasons behind this confusion and offer suggestions that help clarify thinking.

The study used data from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study to determine trends in calculator use among Population 2 (13-year-olds) students in Japan, the United States, and Portugal. While relatively high levels of calculator use were observed for the US and Portugal, virtually no calculator use was found for the Japanese sample. Hierarchical Linear Model analysis determined a statistically significant negative relationship between students' frequency of calculator use and student performance in Japan; no statistically significant relationship was detected for the US and Portuguese samples. US student achievement was positively associated with each of the five reported ways in which calculators are used; however, a statistically significant negative relationship was found between student performance and Japanese students' use of calculators on tests. Plausible explanations are explored.The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), conducted in 1994-1995, surveyed international school children and their teachers to determine the scope of several questions concerning educators. Among these questions were (a) the role of technology in teaching and learning mathematics and science and (b) international variation in mathematics and science curricula. Three populations of students and their teachers were surveyed in 46 educational systems internationally. The subgroups of testing focused on 9-year-olds (Population 1), 13-year-olds (Population 2), and students in the last year of secondary school (Population 3). Data from these groups correspond to grades 4, 8, and 12 in most educational systems. Because the researchers were highly interested in the use of technology by middle school mathematics students and in the practices of their mathematics teachers, the focus of research in this study was on Population 2.

Measures of normal variations in personality, called psychological type, are frequently used in education (e.g., to identify learning styles) and counseling (e.g., in career counseling). However, the most frequently-used measure of types, developed by Myers and Briggs, has been criticized on various psychometric grounds. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of an alternative measure, the Personal Preferences Self-Description Questionnaire (PPSDQ), which employs normative rather than ipsative (forced-choice) items. Because previous studies of the measure have primarily used older and highly literate participants, the present study was conducted with 328 Hispanic high school students to determine whether the sound psychometric quality of PPSDQ scores was compromised by vocabulary or language issues. The results of reliability and factor analyses were generally favorable as regards PPSDQ score integrity.