Outline of the RITEMATHS project
Full Title: Enhancing mathematics achievement and engagement by
using technology to support real problem solving and lessons of
high cognitive demand.
Aims and Background
With our school industry partners, we worked to create and implement
a curriculum that uses technology to link mathematics to the real
world for the middle secondary years. The focus was the mathematics
of change and variation, a general theme which underpins much of
the curriculum but most especially algebra. Two types of hot-linked
software were used together:
• An exciting range of “real-world interfaces”
which schools are only beginning to use. These include software
enabling analysis of digital photos and video (e.g. of movement of a fair ground ride),
dynamic control of simulations, and data logging devices.
• “Maths analysis tools” (i.e.
spreadsheets, function graphing software, and computer algebra systems
(CAS), on both calculators and computers) which work with abstract
mathematical representations. The first two of these are now firmly
established in schools; the last is now the subject of experimentation
around the world.
The broad aim of this project was to discover effective
ways to use technology to stimulate higher-order thinking in mathematics
classrooms, in the context of using real world problems. There are
three main research areas:
• Context Theme. Can we use new technology
to overcome some of the obstacles inherent in using real-world problems?
Data logging and multimedia can bring a virtual world into the classroom
for analysis, and the maths analysis tools can provide easy calculation
and graphing.
• Algebra theme. How can CAS enhance what can
be done with real problem solving in ordinary school settings? Can learning algebra through real world problem situations provide more meaning for algebraic concepts?
• Affordances theme. How do various features
of technology assist students to use their insights from real world
situations to support abstract thinking?
Overview of approach
This project attempted to engineer an innovative educational
environment. Partner-teachers in the schools created or modified new learning
tasks that worked in practice in their own settings.
We then used successive “development cycles” of design-implement-evaluate-redesign
to create well-tested units of work which are likely to be robust
across a variety of settings because of the range of school
partners. The whole team identifed curriculum topics likely
to benefit from intervention and worked together to create units of
work incorporating new approaches and technology. The units of work were trialled initially with strong support from the researchers,
and refined for further trialling in other schools. The research team undertook intensive evaluation to examine
the working of these units in detail.
Sample software and hardware
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Graphics calculators, including with CAS.
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TI-Interactive! (computer-based CAS with powerful presentation capabilities)
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Geometer's Sketchpad or Cabri Geometry- powerful
geometry software.
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Data logging devices such as TI Calculator Based
Laboratory to measure physical quantities such as temperature,
position, speed, light intensity etc.
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Java Mathworlds -SIMCALC A simulation environment involving direct
control of a position/velocity function as a means of manipulating
virtual physical phenomena.
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GridPic, developed by Luther College, to gather data from digital images and to superimpose algebraic functions.
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Measurement in Motion is a computer program
that allows users to define measurements on QuickTime movies
and then analyse them with hot-linked graphs etc. A variety
of alternative products will be evaluated, since this is an
area where significant development is occurring.
- Vidshell Free download software which may be used digitally analyse small video clips. Allows data collection for further analysis usign alternative software such as Excel.
- Digitise Image Free download software which may be used locate and mark points on a digital image..Allows data collection for further analysis usign alternative software such as Excel.
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