Project Title

Engaging secondary school students with the mathematics of change



Overview

SimCalc MathWorlds is a technology-based math innovation initiated by researchers in the US over the past ten years. Research suggests positive learning gains in schools who tried the innovation (Roschelle, Kaput, & Stroup, 2000). Recent work has tried to scale-up this innovation. Preliminary results from the state of Texas have shown potential for scaling up without long-term teacher professional development (Tatar, Roschelle, Kaput, & Hopkins, under review).

This research seeks to adapt the SimCalc technology, curriculum and assessment materials to 2-3 Singapore schools through a design-based approach. While the focus of SimCalc is on the mathematics of variation and change, the specific topic will be determined based on learner and school needs. A secondary purpose is to explore the effects of using the handheld version of SimCalc in a wireless environment (TI Navigator, TI-84 Graphing Calculator). Through this research, we hope to develop designs and obtain local evidences of the use of technology-enabled curricula in math learning, and develop models and curricula-packages complemented by professional development for schools interested to embark on this innovation.

Project Reference

LSL 12/06 LCK