Educators, administrators, and policymakers focus much attention on closing the achievement gap, and various approaches have been suggested. The present study focuses on one approach being suggested: student–teacher ethnic matching. The study focused on the long-term contributions of African American ethnic matching to mathematical test scores of 1,200 African American students from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Kindergarten—fifth data set. Employing a two-level growth model, this study of impact from student–teacher ethnic matching revealed that a student having at least one teacher who ethnically matched themselves between kindergarten and fifth grade had a significant impact on mathematics achievement.

As part of an APEC educational project on the cross-cutting concept of energy, researchers and teachers from 6 countries spent 8 months designing, testing and implementing a pilot STEM public class with two schools from Chile and one from the US. One of the researchers taught a lesson from a school in Chile, with a live transmission to the other two schools via Skype. At the same time, the lesson was also broadcasted via videostreaming. In addition to live questions and answers, students used individual devices to answer four open-ended questions that were commented on by the reseacher as he received them. The experience demonstrated that Cross-Border Public Classes boost student engagement and represent a promising strategy for introducing a key 21st century skill: synchronous learning involving multiple teams across the world. It also revealed how Lesson Study and Public Classes integrated with ICT network technology can form a powerful learning ecosystem for regional development and social innovation.

No abstract

Use this Japanese organizational strategy to facilitate multiple problem representations and better classroom communication.

There exists an increased focus on school mathematics, especially first-year algebra, due to recent efforts for all students to be college and career ready. In addition, there are calls, policies, and legislation advocating for all students to study algebra epitomized by four rationales of the Algebra for All movement. In light of this movement, there must be a clear consensus about what is taught in the name of algebra. Yet, researchers documented this is not the case. The present research proposes to unify the leading algebra standards and assessment framework documents to identify the key ideas of algebra. The analysis resulted in six key ideas: (a) Variables, (b) Functions, (c) Patterns, (d) Modeling, (e) Technology, and (f) Multiple Representations. Outlined is the research process and resulting unification of existing algebra framework documents, and consideration is given for its uses in educational policy regarding algebra and potential directions for future research.

The mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs of preservice elementary teachers have been the subject of several studies. A widely used measure in these studies is the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI). The present study provides a detailed analysis of the psychometric properties of the MTEBI using Bayesian item response theory. We discuss local dependence between item pairs, psychometric quality of the items, validity of the scoring procedure, and measurement accuracy for teachers with different efficacy levels. Our findings suggest that in its present form, the test reliability of the MTEBI may not be as high as assumed to date. The scale, wording, and placement of the items need revision. Moreover, additional items need to be constructed to measure below average levels of efficacy more accurately. Ordering the items according to difficulty, we describe the structure of mathematics teaching efficacy beliefs and draw some implications for mathematics teacher educators.

There is a compelling need to develop an algebra teacher self‐efficacy instrument (ATSEI) as algebra continues to be considered a gatekeeper course for postsecondary educational and career opportunities, which is seen as a crucial piece in closing the achievement gap. This paper reports on the development and validation of the ATSEI, an instrument that measures two domains, Efficacy To Do School Algebra (Knowledge Efficacy, KE‐A) and Efficacy to Teach Algebra (Personal Teaching Efficacy, PTE‐A) along six categories. Four of the categories represented content standards (variables, functions, patterns, and modeling) and two of the categories represented process standards (technology and concrete models, and multiple representations). Through conducting an exploratory factor analysis across two phases, the instrument was reduced and refined from an initial 118 items developed from a curriculum analysis to 36 items that reflected two significant categories, Functions and Technology. The ATSEI measure is validated for in‐service mathematics teachers and thus provides an instrument to examine need and impact in professional development venues. The specificity of the ATSEI allows those working with teachers to be better able to support them in the field and in return positively influence the learning outcomes of the students they teach.

Purpose – The main purpose of this study was to examine mathematics teachers’ abilities in developing formative assessments when teaching algebraic reasoning after utilizing two innovations: lesson study and open approach. Methodology – A single group quasi-experimental research design was employed in two mathematics classes in a school in Chaiyaphum province, Thailand. The target group was all the 11 mathematics teachers, who were pre-tested, then post-tested afterthe lesson study and open approach training. This was followed bytheir participation in setting up a lesson study group and conducting 10 lesson study cycles involving two research participants who were teaching two selected classes. The instruments were a questionnaire, the Assess Today rubric, interview protocols, 10 lesson plans, field notes, classroom observation video recordings, and students’ written work. The AssessToday rubric was the main instrumentwritten work. The AssessToday rubric was the main instrumentused to determine the ability level of the mathematics teachers indeveloping formative assessment in terms of seven components,namely learning targets, question quality, nature of questioning, selfevaluation,observation of student affect, instructional adjustment,and evidence of learning. Results – The pre-test and post-test results showed an improvementin the mathematics teachers’ understanding about formativeassessment, the methods used in formative assessment, and how theycould use the data from the formative assessment while they wereimplementing the two innovations. In addition, the AssessToday rubric showed that both mathematics teachers were progressinggradually from novice, apprentice to practitioner level in theirabilities in developing formative assessment after the 10 cycles ofinnovation practices in all the seven components. The results implythat the mathematics teachers showed vast improvement in their abilities in developing formative assessment after they implemented the lesson study and open approach innovations in their teaching. Significance – The results contribute significantly to knowledge about the usefulness of the lesson study and open approach innovations in enhancing mathematics teachers’ abilities in developing formative assessment.