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This paper problematises "confidence" as a frequently used explanation for performance in the mathematics classroom. I report on an interview-based study of how some English "Advanced" level (16+) students who have chosen to study mathematics, and their teachers, speak about confidence with respect to the learning of mathematics. I outline what constitutes confident learners for these teachers and, differently, for their students and what the students feel teachers could do to improve the students' confident state. I discuss the implications of this for the education of prospective teachers of mathematics.

This paper reports on a collaboration between three authors; two mathematicians in a Swedish university and a UK-based mathematics educator. The focus of the enquiry was the evaluation of the experience of Swedish first-year undergraduate engineers required, in their mathematics class, to learn to use the programming language "Matlab". Students were interviewed and their responses compared with the intentions and expectations of lecturers. Students discerned a lack of clarity in course planning but also had many very sensible suggestions to make, the implementation of which would, they claimed, facilitate their learning.

Explores commonalities across and differences between learners in mathematics classrooms. Explores commonalities between learners across mathematics and between communities of practice. Discusses how to address teachers' roles and responsibilities. Investigates differences between syllabus and practice, school mathematics, mathematics in the world, and academic mathematics, and between members of the different communities of students, mathematics teachers, mathematics educators, and mathematicians. (Author/KHR)

Uses narrative to exemplify young children's learning of mathematics. Presents a model of a supportive classroom emphasizing discourse, agency, and authorship through participatory and reflective practices. Identifies features of such a classroom and uses narratives from 5-year-olds to explore their authoring, sense-making, collaborating, and how they use nonverbal narratives to inform others. Outlines how teachers can use narratives and concludes with an appeal to trust children to identify their understanding. (Author/KB)

Interview-based study investigated epistemologies of practicing British mathematicians, noting the impact on how they conducted their professional lives and examining sex differences in their careers. Relates findings to mathematics learning in schools, noting lessons to be learned regarding equally achievable mathematics success by any student. Addresses study results as they relate to the debate about boys' underachievement. (SM)

Follows up in more detail a previous interview-based study in which were outlined some features of a mathematicians' views and research practices on what interviewees had to say about the topic of intuition. Concludes that intuition, insight, or instinct was seen by most of the 70 mathematicians interviewed as a necessary component for developing knowledge. (Contains 16 references.) (ASK)

Interviews research mathematicians (n=70) with a focus on how they came to know mathematics. Discusses how these mathematicians understand their practices, locating them in the communities of which they claim membership, identifying the style that dominates their organization of research, and looking at their lived contradictions. Contains 14 references. (Author/ASK)

There is extensive literature on gender and the nature of science, three aspects of which--philosophy, pedagogy, and epistemology--make effective starting points to ask questions about gender and mathematics similar to those asked in science. (56 references) (Author/MKR)

Examines the background and implementation of a student research project exploring the decisions of 16-year olds to leave or stay in school. Offers a critique of the methods of student researchers focusing upon five main issues, organization, time, equity, research style, and clashing cultures. (MJP)

Reports on a study of 39 females and minority females and males in British educational institutions who achieved senior management positions. Describes their experiences and identifies the themes, strategies, and institutional structures. Finds that many institutions failed to implement policies and strategies that address underrepresented groups. (CFR)

Considers the British 1988 Education Reform Act's reconceptualization of schooling and the associated process of curriculum reformulation in relation to equal opportunities. The particular focus of this article is sexual and racial inequality. Proposed curriculum reforms in mathematics, science, and English are examined within this context. (IAH)