The document summarizes two foreign studies related to mathematics education. The first study discusses a math summit held by Mosaica Education to explore strategies for improving math achievement. As a result, Mosaica will implement a new Math Initiative focusing on math coaches, teachers, scheduling, and making math fun. The second section discusses mathematics course requirements and learning objectives at the college level, including applying math concepts to problem solving and other disciplines.

1. CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature
This chapter present related literature and studies conducted in the Philippines and
abroad, the concept of the ideas of which bear relation to the study under consideration, either in
content, research methodology or treatment of the data. The literature may give the researcher
rich information and background related to the study.
Foreign Study
Mosaica Education, Inc.: Putting Math at the Forefront of Education Reform
ATLANTA, GA- A group of teachers, curriculum specialists and Mosaica executives
gathered for the Mosaica Math Summit on May 4 and 5. The summit focused on ways to
increase math achievement at Mosaica schools around the world. Dawn Linden, Mosaica’s
Director of Education explained the purpose of bringing these educators together: “Mathematics
achievement is high on our list of priorities and we’re looking for innovative, effective strategies
to increase conceptual understanding, and to ensure that we’re reaching each student every day.”
Referencing the Final Report of the U.S. Department of Education’s National
Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008), summit attendees reviewed various math programs’
strengths and weaknesses and explored successful methods used in the United States and by
countries that performed well on TIMMS, with the goal of adopting best practices from around

2. the globe, raising math interest, and making math an integral part of school culture. Michael J.
Connelly, Mosaica’s Chief Executive Officer, announced the rationale at the beginning of the
summit: “Literacy and numeracy are the twin tools for international success on the global stage
of the 21st century. Our schools are committed to high levels of student achievement and the
development of life-long learners who are comfortable participating on that stage. Following our
Literacy Summit, which launched our highly successful Literacy Initiative two years ago, this
Math Summit is the both the culmination of years of research and planning and the beginning of
the implementation phase.”
As a result of the decisions taken at the summit, Mosaica Education will implement a
system-wide Math Initiative beginning in the fall of 2009. This initiative focuses on placing
Math Coaches in every school, increasing the number of high-quality math teachers at every
grade, exploring ways to offer alternative certifications to math teachers coming from science
and industry, and bringing math specialists to upper elementary grades. The initiative will also
adjust the daily schedule to allow for 90 minutes of uninterrupted math in all grades; provide
additional professional development for teachers to cultivate confident implementation of the
new program; develop math clubs and competitions in all schools; and – perhaps most
importantly – ensure that learning math will be FUN!
Dr. Dawn Eidelman, Mosaica’s Co-Founder and President of its Paragon Division
commented, “The beauty of our new initiative is that it will augment project-based learning by
linking mathematics more integrally to the history of great ideas and great people in world

3. culture through our Paragon curriculum. To innovate purposefully and to design the future, we
must build upon the lessons from our past.”
Mathematics
The required courses from the Science and Mathematics Department enhance the ability
to think
quantitatively, critically, and logically and illustrate the manner in which problems of a
quantitative nature are solved through the use of algorithms and logical thought. Students study
fundamental mathematical functions in Algebra and Trigonometry and explore the basic
concepts of analysis of these functions in Calculus I or Applied Calculus, depending on their
major.
Then students select one additional mathematics course with a Calculus I or Applied
Calculus prerequisite. Thus, students learn to use mathematics, including calculus, in problem
solving, to use technology appropriately in this process, and to apply mathematics to problems
arising in other disciplines. In the required science courses students apply the scientific method
in a variety of classroom and laboratory settings so that they develop the ability to carefully
collect, organize, and analyze data for the purpose of synthesizing a model for better
understanding or problem solving. The basic concepts of matter are explored in Chemistry I in
order to reach a better understanding of technology, health and environmental issues. The laws of
nature are studied in either College Physics I or Engineering Physics I in order to develop
a method of reasoning that will enable students to interpret physical events in a rational manner.

4. To add necessary depth to their study of natural science, students also select a sequential
laboratory science course in either Chemistry or Physics.