Democratizing Access to Core Mathematics across Grades 9-12

The authors' proposed work builds upon 12+ years of research collectively known as the "SimCalc Projects." SimCalc Connected MathWorlds (SCM) combines two innovative technological ingredients to address core mathematical ideas in deep and sustainable ways for mathematics learners. Software that addresses content issues through dynamic representations and wireless networks that enhance student participation in the classroom. They have begun to develop materials that fuse these two important ingredients in mathematically meaningful ways and aim to revise and develop new curriculum materials to replace core mathematical units in Algebra 1 & 2 at high school for the purpose of transforming students' experiences in deep and sustainable ways. They are measuring the impact of implementing these materials on student learning, and high-stakes State examinations in local districts in Massachusetts. Their proposed work addresses many needs: the Algebra Problem (RAND, 2002), the related problem of student motivation and alienation in the nation's high schools, especially urban high schools (National Research Council, 2003), and the widely acknowledged unfulfilled promise of technology in education, especially mathematics education (e.g., Cuban, 2001). Their main research questions are: (1) Do the authors see learning gains following an implementation of an 8 to 12-week set of materials in Algebra 1?; (2) Do they see learning gains following an implementation of a 6 to 8-week set of materials in Algebra 2?; (3) Does exposure to their materials increase students' motivation to do mathematics and help retain more students in mathematics post 10th grade vs. historic numbers in their local districts?; and (4) Do their materials support a deeper, more longitudinal, development of mathematical growth, particularly with respect to problem solving and modeling? The authors' work has been conducted in a wide variety of school settings. Eight school districts agreed to participate in the study, a mix of urban and smaller town schools in the South Coast Region of Massachusetts. In time, the authors aim to produce reports that compare difference gains in students' mathematical ability and attitude scores between treatment and control at scale across their five studies. Their classroom observation data and other qualitative methods will help them develop a detailed description of what is occurring in SCM classrooms, particularly forms of participation, and pedagogical strategies, w