Ongoing Educational Research Related to K-12 Math

The projects listed here are in the research stage and don't currently offer much in the way of resources, but they may give you some interesting ideas.

Interactive Mathematics Text Project .

Gerald J. Porter <gjporter@math.upenn.edu>, Project Director

Mathematical Association of America

"The Interactive Mathematics Text Project has as its goal the improvement of mathematics learning through the use of computer based interactive texts. To achieve this goal the IMTP holds summer workshops on the use and authoring of texts and supports selected individuals as text developers. Major funding for the IMTP comes from the IBM Corporation."

"The IMTP has selected the following schools as IMTP sites. Each school has received a laboratory of 16 IBM PS/2 computers for use in instruction. These laboratories are available to the MAA for workshops and minicourses during the summer and on weekends during the academic year."

• Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia
• University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, Texas
• Seattle Central Community College, Seattle, Washington
• Towson State University, Towson, Maryland
• Los Angeles Pierce College, Los Angeles, California
• University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan

Mathematics Experiences Through Image Processing (METIP) .

Steven Tanimoto, Principal Investigator

Computer Science and Engineering Department

University of Washington, FR-35

Seattle WA 98195

"A major educational problem in United States and some other countries is that students in grades K-12 lose interest in mathematics and science. Students often complain that mathematics is difficult and that they don't see much use for it past simple arithmetic. In response to these concerns, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has identified a number of features that the grades 5-8 curriculum should include in order to help motivate students to stay interested:

• favor conceptual learning over rote operations;
• emphasize practical uses of Mathematics;
• encourage discussions and group learning; and
• encourage exploratory, open-ended learning.

The goal of the METIP project is to use digital image processing to help meet these objectives. In particular, we have developed a series of applications designed to allow students to manipulate digitized images of their choice. These materials are intended to be used in enrichment activities rather than part of a standard classroom curriculum. Teachers can play various roles with these activities; for example, they can catalyze student learning by leading discussions of the concepts students have explored on the computer. "

Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis) .

Dean Roy D. Pea <pea@nwu.edu>, Principal Investigator

Attn: Susan Rand, Room 245

School of Education and Social Policy

Northwestern University

2115 North Campus Drive

Evanston IL 60208

708-467-2226

708-467-1930 (FAX)

"Traditionally, K-12 science education has consisted of teaching well-established facts. This approach bears little or no resemblance to the question-centered, collaborative practice of real scientists. Through the use of advanced technologies, the CoVis Project is attempting to transform science learning to better resemble the authentic practice of science."

"In the first-ever educational use of wideband ISDN networks, we enable high school students to join with other students at remote locations in collaborative work groups. Also through these networks, students communicate with university researchers and other scientific experts."

"Participating students study atmospheric and environmental sciences--including topics in meteorology and climatology--through project-based activities. Using state of the art scientific visualization software, specially modified to be appropriate to a learning environment, students have access to the same research tools and data sets used by leading-edge scientists in the field."

"The CoVis Project provides students with a ``collaboratory'' workbench that includes desktop video teleconferencing; shared software environments for remote, real-time collaboration; access to the resources of the Internet; a multimedia scientist's ``notebook''; and scientific visualization software. In addition to providing new technology, we are working closely with teachers at the participating schools to develop new curricula and new pedagogical approaches that take advantage of project-based science learning."

"``Collaborative Visualization'' thus refers to development of scientific understanding which is mediated by scientific visualization tools in a collaborative context. The CoVis Project seeks to understand how science education could take broad advantage of these capabilities, providing motivating experiences for students and teachers with contemporary science tools and topics."

"The next decade will bring widespread, networked multimedia interpersonal computing. The CoVis Project is a blueprint to inform educators, researchers, and policy makers on the effective use of interpersonal, collaborative media in science education."