ABSTRACT
One of the goals of the Research Agenda Conference on the Learning and Teaching of Algebra was to develop an agenda for future research. The agenda is an edited and elaborated version of the working group's thinking up to 1988. Most research on the understanding and construction of algebraic concepts and principles has been done from the standpoint of algebra as generalized arithmetic. The strong emphasis in arithmetic on finding numerical results of indicated operations contributes to several kinds of problems in algebra. Awareness of perceived difficulties can sensitize curriculum developers and teachers to adjustments in both the pre-algebra and algebra curricula that may assist students in making the transition from arithmetic to algebra. There was tacit agreement among conference participants that the use of literal symbols is generally perceived as being a characteristic of algebra. With the use of literal symbols comes a convenient way of representing arbitrary names and labels, unknowns, equations, polynomials, functions, and other abstract structures.
