Selected Writings from the Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association
Celebrating 50 Years (1962-2012) of delta-K
Edited by Egan J Chernoff and Gladys Sterenberg
A volume in The Montana Mathematics Enthusiast
Bharath Sriraman, Series Editor
The teaching and learning of mathematics in Alberta – one of three Canadian provinces sharing a border with Montana – has a long and storied history. An integral part of the past 50 years (1962-2012) of this history has been delta-K: Journal of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association. This volume, which presents ten memorable articles from each of the past five decades, that is, 50 articles from the past 50 years of the journal, provides an opportunity to share this rich history with a wide range of individuals interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics and mathematics education. Each decade begins with an introduction, providing a historical context, and concludes with a commentary from a prominent member of the Alberta mathematics education community. As a result, this monograph provides a historical account as well as a contemporary view of many of the trends and issues in the teaching and learning of mathematics. This volume is meant to serve as a resource for a variety of individuals, including teachers of mathematics, mathematics teacher educators, mathematics education researchers, historians, and undergraduate and graduate students. Most importantly, this volume is a celebratory retrospective on the work of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association.
i
xiii
xv
Marj Farris and Florence Glanfield
xix
Egan J. Chernoff and Gladys Sterenberg
xxv
Gladys Sterenberg and Egan J. Chernoff
1
1960s: The ’60s – Eventful and Memorable
Werner Liedtke
7
L. W Kunelius
9
H. F McCall
15
[1963] Overview of Change: Or a Look at the Forest Before We Can’t See It for the Trees
E. A. Krider
19
[1963] Can High School Students Learn Some of the Concepts of Modern Mathematics?
Nora Chell and W. F. Coulson
25
[1965] Discovery or Programming
William F. Coulson
29
[1965] What Is Modern Mathematics?
Elizabeth Caleski
33
W G. Cathcart and W. W. Liedtke
43
[1969] Using the Overhead Projector: Some Random Notes
Murray R. Falk
47
[1969] Some New Math in Old Ruts
H. L. Larson
51
[1969] Researcher in the Classroom: Reading in the Field of Mathematics
R. W. Cleveland
57
Commentary: Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the 1960s as Reflected in delta-K
Tom Kieren
75
1970s: Introduction to Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the 1970s
Klaus Puhlmann
81
[1970] Mathematical Preparation of Alberta Math Teachers
Donald O. Nelson
85
[1970] The Current Status of High School Calculus
Murray R. Falk
93
[1971] “New Math” Sparks Lively Debate
Saskatchewan Bulletin
97
H. J. Promhouse
101
[1974] More To It Than You Think
Marion Loring
105
[1975] 1.4 Kilograms of Hamburger and a Liter of Milk Please
S. A. Lindstedt
109
[1975] The Teaching and Learning of Secondary School Mathematics
H. W Van Brummelen
121
Bernie Biedron
125
[1977] Thanks for Your Response: Editor’s Report on Calculator Questionnaire
Ed Carriger
129
[1979] Researcher in the Classroom: Constructive Rational Number Tasks
T. E. Kieren
141
Commentary: Mathematics Education in the 1970s: A Retroperspective
David Pimm
155
1980s: Mathematics Education in Alberta in the 1980s
Len Bonifacio
161
[1980] Statistics in the High School
Dennis G. Haack
167
[1980] An Alternative Course for the “I Hate Math and I’ve Never Been Any Good At lt” Student
Elaine V. Alton and Judith L. Gersting
173
[1984] Expecting Girls to Be Poor in Math: Alternatively, Chance for a New Start
Gordon Nicol
177
[1986] A Constructivist Approach to Teaching Mathematics
Sol E. Sigurdson
185
[1988] If This Is Television, Shouldn’t My Intelligence Be Insulted?
Kate Le Maistre
189
[1988] Logo: An Opportunity for Synthesis, Self-Control and Sharing
J. Dale Burnett
201
[1988] Readability: A Factor in Textbook Evaluation
Yvette M. d’Entremont
207
[1988] Combining Literature and Mathematics: Ma king Math Books and Finding Math Concepts in Books
Bernard R. Yvon and Jane Zaitz
215
[1989] Psychology in Teaching Mathematics
Marlow Ediger
221
John B. Percevault
229
Commentary: 1980s: An Agenda in Action, A Decade of Change
A. Craig Loewen
235
1990s: The Dawn of the Information Age
Daryl Smith
239
[1990] It’s All Greek to Me: Math Anxiety
Darlene Hubber
245
[1992] Moving Out of the Comfort Zone
Marie Hauk and Bryan Quinn
255
[1993] Learning About Computers and Mathematics: A Student Perspective
Craig M. Findlay
263
[1995] Building a Professional Memory: Articulating Knowledge About Teaching Mathematics
Barry Onslow and Art Geddis
269
Klaus Puhlmann
283
[1996] Computers in Classrooms: Essential Learning Tool… or Program for Disaster?
Alison Dickie
289
[1996] Mathematics as Problem Solving – A Japanese Way
Daiyo Sawada
297
[1998] Western Canadian Protocol: The Common Curriculum Framework (K-12 Mathematics)
Hugh Sanders and Gina Vivone-Vernon
305
[1999] Multiculturalism and Equities Issues: Selected Experiences and Reflections
Werner W. Liedtke
311
[1990] Researcher in the Classroom: Implementing Manipulatives in Mathematics Teaching
A. Craig Loewen
323
Commentary: delta-K in the 1990s: Learning Mathematics with Meaning
Elaine Simmt
335
2000s: Some Mentions in the Aughts
Mark Mercer
341
[2000] Enhancing Numeracy in the Early Years
Werner W Liedtke
351
[2003] Teaching Mathematics for Peace
David Wagner
357
[2005] Emergent Insights into Mathematical Intelligence from Cognitive Science
Brent Davis
377
[2006] Secondary Mathematics Education Curriculum Developments: Reflecting on Canadian Trends
Florence Glanfield
383
[2006] Noticing as a Form of Professional Development in Teaching Mathematics
Julie S Long
389
[2008] Textbooks in Mathematics Learning: The Potential for Misconceptions
Ann Kajander and Miroslav Lovric
395
[2008] Rationale Gone Missing: A Comparative and Historical Curriculum Search
Lynn McGarvey
403
[2009] Perceptions of Problem Solving in Elementary Curriculum
Jennifer Holm
417
Gladys Sterenberg, Liz Barrett, Narcisse Blood, Florence Glanfield,
Lisa Lunney Borden, Theresa McDonnell, Cynthia Nicol,
and Harley Weston
433
[2009] Researcher in the Classroom: Developing Inquiry-Based Teaching Through Lesson Study
Olive Chapman, Krista Letts, and Lynda MacLellan
447
Commentary: Mathematics Education for the Twenty-First Century
Olive Chapman
459
Final Commentary: Looking Back on Our Selected Writings from Fifty Years of delta-K
Egan J. Chernoff and Gladys Sterenberg