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Professional learning experiences (PLEs) provide teachers with opportunities to improve their understanding of mathematics content and teaching practices. However, PLEs are often conducted in person and in small groups--hence costly and localized. The purpose of the current study was to explore different ways for teachers to engage in PLEs and how these approaches might enable the field to scale up these efforts in a sustainable manner. We compared the impact of three PLE formats on the early algebra knowledge and teaching practices of elementary mathematics teachers: (1) a facilitated summer workshop, (2) a multimedia course completed on teachers' own time, and (3) learning resources provided in the algebra curriculum unit that teachers used individually. Our findings suggest that all three formats can be mapped against a set of principles for quality professional learning. Analysis of pre- and post-treatment measures indicate that participating teachers' knowledge of algebra content and best practices significantly increased, regardless of the PLE format with which they engaged. Interviews with a subset of the teachers from the three groups point to the key features of each of the formats that can be capitalized on by designers of PLEs.

The main goal of the Learning and Teaching Geometry project is to build professional development materials that provide opportunities for teachers to learn about mathematical similarity through the use of videocases, in which specific and increasingly complex mathematical ideas are presented within the dynamics of classroom practice. The central component of the Learning and Teaching Geometry materials is the Foundation Module, which is intended to provide teachers with a thorough grounding in key mathematical and pedagogical issues related to similarity. Field test data indicate that the Foundation Module can promote gains in both teachers' and students' knowledge of similarity. By highlighting the design elements behind this successful professional development effort and documenting the urgent need for further supports in this content domain, the paper has important implications for mathematics educators.

The NCTM Research Committee developed this article to address a distinctly important activity that links research and practice: writing research-based articles for practitioner journals. Six guiding principles are described. (Contains 6 figures.)

The recent publication of two important documents, "Focus in High School Mathematics: Reasoning and Sense Making" and the "Common Core State Standards for Mathematics" (CCSSM), provides a timely opportunity to take stock of the various recommendations and policies aimed at improving the quality of students' high school mathematics education in the United States. In this article, the authors capitalize on this opportunity to reflect on national trends in high school mathematics, to highlight current calls and efforts for improving high school mathematics and research on which these recommendations are based, and to suggest areas for which further research is needed. They first present data that provide an overview of the current state of high school mathematics in the United States--data that also underscore concerns about issues of equity as well as the transition from high school to college. Next, they use this overview as the background against which they consider recent recommendations, policies, and reform efforts aimed at improving high school mathematics and research cited to support these efforts. Finally, they propose an agenda for research that is needed to further explore the prospects and possibilities for improving the success of all students in high school mathematics. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Enacting the vision of NCTM's "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics" depends on effective teacher professional development. This 7-year study of 48 projects in the National Science Foundation's Local Systemic Change Through Teacher Enhancement Initiative investigates the relationship between professional development and teachers' attitudes, preparedness, and classroom practices in mathematics. These programs included many features considered to characterize effective professional development: content focus, extensive and sustained duration, and connection to practice and to influences on teachers' practice. Results provide evidence of positive impact on teacher-reported attitudes toward, preparedness for, and practice of "Standards"-based teaching, despite the fact that many teachers did not participate in professional development to the extent intended. Teachers' perception of their principals' support for "Standards"-based mathematics instruction was also positively related to these outcomes. (Contains 7 tables, 8 figures and 6 footnotes.)

Professional development is seen as one of the major levers for aligning science instruction in the USA with the vision put forth by national standards documents. Although there is a growing consensus regarding what constitutes effective professional development, there is little empirical evidence to support this consensus. This study examines the impact of professional development that is content-based, situated in classroom practice, and sustained over time on teacher attitudes, perceptions of preparedness, and classroom practices. It utilizes longitudinal data from the National Science Foundation's Local Systemic Change through Teacher Enhancement Initiative (LSC), collected from 42 projects over a span of 7 years. The professional development model used in the LSCs differed from previous initiatives in that it targeted all teachers in a jurisdiction and emphasized preparing teachers to implement project-designated instructional materials. Analyses of the data provide evidence that this model for professional development has an impact on teachers and their classroom practices. In addition, the analyses found that teachers' perception of principal support for "Standards"-based science instruction is an important predictor of these outcomes.

Based on the revised social contact theory, correlates of cross-ethnic friend nomination among 580 African American, 948 Asian-descent, 860 Latino, and 3986 White adolescents were examined. Socioeconomic and academic disparities between ethnic groups differentiated cross-ethnic friend nomination between schools for all groups but African Americans. For all groups, cross-ethnic friend nomination was less likely among students who preferred same-ethnic friends. Academic orientations were associated with cross-ethnic friend nomination positively for African American and Latino, but negatively for White participants. Longer family residence in the U.S. and English language facility was associated positively with cross-ethnic friend nomination for Asian-descent and Latino participants. Results point to the need to differentiate hypotheses by ethnic group, and to consider individual-in-context models in cross-ethnic friend nomination.

Discusses the elements of an effective evaluation of statewide systemic initiatives in science and mathematics education. Recommends matrix thinking as an effective generator of sound evaluation questions. Contains 24 references. (DDR)

The main goal of the Learning and Teaching Geometry project is to build professional development materials that provide opportunities for teachers to learn about mathematical similarity through the use of videocases, in which specific and increasingly complex mathematical ideas are presented within the dynamics of classroom practice. The central component of the Learning and Teaching Geometry materials is the Foundation Module, which is intended to provide teachers with a thorough grounding in key mathematical and pedagogical issues related to similarity. Field test data indicate that the Foundation Module can promote gains in both teachers’ and students’ knowledge of similarity. By highlighting the design elements behind this successful professional development effort and documenting the urgent need for further supports in this content domain, the paper has important implications for mathematics educators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]