TOPIC 11.
Development of Technology to Support the Teaching and Learning
of Mathematics at the Middle School Level

• Development of Smart Learning Software to Improve Analytical Reasoning
• MathStars: Web-Based Homework Grading, Computer-Aided Instruction, and Friendly Competition
• Introducing Mathematics to At-Risk Students through a 3D Multi-Player Role Playing Game
• Advanced Software for Interactive Learning of Applied Mathematics
• The RISE Math Interactive Online E-Tutoring System
• Web-Based Interactive Mathematical Learning: Facilitating Comprehensive Lesson Plans to Gauge Student Performance through Dynamic Role-Playing Scenarios

SPONSORING OFFICE:
Office of Educational Research and Improvement

Abstract:
Recently, the Louisiana Department of Education instituted a statewide standards-based testing system for promoting students. Beginning Spring 2000, all 8th graders must pass the LEAP exams to enter high school. In its 1999 pilot testing, at least 70% of 8th graders in Orleans Parish schools and 40% statewide failed. Although not known yet, if history repeats itself Louisiana schools will experience an unprecedented crisis as retained 8th graders will crowd already overcrowded classrooms and place additional strain on meager resources. AlphaBeta proposes to develop a smart learning software capable of diagnosing specific deficiencies in the students' critical thinking process. The software will use a "guided" coaxing mechanism to improve students' analytical reasoning skills. We will produce software that will drill students on basic math concepts, diagnose student deficiencies, tailor an instructional module to address the deficiencies, and monitor student's progress. The instructional module or "virtual tutor" will correct deficiencies by guiding the student to step processes leading to a correct mathematical approach. The objectives of this Phase I program are: (1) to conduct a proof-of-concept investigation to validate our model; and (2) to gather data on middle school at-risk students to show that critical thinking skills can be improved through this virtual tutor.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
An intelligent "virtual tutor" will benefit many at-risk students, particularly those in inner city schools where large numbers of students do not have access to tutors. We will make available for free the beta version of an AlphaBeta Math Learning software to interested schools. We will work with the LA Board on Elementary and Secondary Education to advertise the availability of the software in the State. After an extensive software evaluation, we will commercially produce and distribute nationwide. We also expect to produce equivalent software that will address critical thinking skill deficiencies in younger students (e.g., 4th graders).

Abstract:
Nova Technologies proposes to develop and deploy MathStars - a suite of three integrated tools to support the teaching-and learning of mathematics at the Middle School level. The common theme in all three tools will be to explore new ways the World Wide Web can be used to enhance the instruction of mathematics by Middle School teachers and improve students' math knowledge and general attitudes toward this subject. After deploying the tools, we will then analyze how they are used and attempt to quantify the educational benefits of using them in Middle School mathematics classrooms.

The first tool is MathStars-Homework , which will help teachers in the assignment and grading of mathematics homework assignments. The second tool is MathStars-Tutor , an on-line computer-aided instruction system. The third tool in our proposed suite of web-enabled mathematics support systems is MathStars-Teamwork , which will be used to promote and support friendly competition between students at different schools across the country.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
Upon successful completion of this project, MathStars-Homework will support the teacher by applying advanced technology to the assignment and grading of Middle School mathematics homework problems. The MathStars-Homework system will also provide valuable feedback to the teacher on a wide range of statistical categories, identifying areas of weakness for individual students and the class as a whole. MathStars-Tutor will supplement standard mathematics texts to provide students with on-line help and detailed examples of how to solve Middle School math problems. Nova Technologies will also integrate visualizations, simulations, and streaming audio and video into the MathStars-Tutor system. The MathStars-Teamwork concept will capitalize on the competitive nature of young adolescents, motivating them to learn mathematics with a positive attitude. MathStars-Teamwork will benefit students with a wide range of mathematical capabilities and skills.

After using MathStars-Homework , teachers will spend less time grading homework and more time preparing lessons and providing one-on-one instruction. Teachers will also be able to generate "AfterMath" reports to help identify concepts causing problems for the class in general, and pinpoint the concepts that individual students are having difficulty grasping. These detailed AfterMath reports will focus a teacher's attention on the material that each student most needs to see emphasized, strengthening math skills in their weakest areas. MathStars-Tutor will give students hints and detailed help when they need it, making difficult math concepts easier to understand. The advanced multimedia technologies envisioned for MathStars-Tutor will help to explain difficult mathematical topics in a format that makes them intuitive, thus improving the acquisition and retention of mathematical knowledge by Middle School math students. MathStars-Teamwork will make all students more confident in their math abilities, encourage small-team dynamics that have been shown to improve the learning and retention of many different kinds of knowledge, and bring peer pressure to bear in motivating students to do more than the minimum needed to get by in a mathematics course.

Nova Technologies will deploy the Math Stars-Homework , MathStars-Tutor , and MathStars-Teamwork tools on the Internet, making them available to every Middle School in America. Some of the infrastructure supporting these tools, such as the database tracking systems, will also be useful on other commercial on-line training applications, such as on-the-job training for employees at Fortune 500 companies (e.g., security, ethics, sexual harassment, etc.).

Abstract:
Physitron is developing an Internet-based Edutainment Resource based on a Massively Multi-Player Role-Playing Game (MMPRPG). It will have advanced 3D computer rendering capabilities as well as high quality 3D artwork since both have proven crucial to attracting and maintaining player's attention in the gaming community and likely will have the same influence on students for an extended period of time. Students will assume characters in the virtual world and encounter NCTM and other standards-based math tasks that are seamlessly integrated with the storyline. Successful integration with the storyline will realize two benefits: 1) the enjoyment students get from the game will be degraded less than if the learning task were perceived to start and stop the game and 2) it will help teach students how math is applied in the real world because many aspects of our virtual world will simulate it. This should help answer students perpetual question "when/how will I ever use this?" For both the Phase I and II SBIR programs, Physitron will develop mathematical content for middle school students. However, we believe the idea has much broader applicability than math for middle school students; it may extend to high school students and other subjects as well.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
The commercialization potential for this SBIR falls into the following categories:

1. A long-term support contract to:
   1. maintain the central operational Edutainment Servers that school systems across the nation will use; and,
   2. a potential role in developing educational, graphics, and software content.
2. Development of additional edutainment titles with the technology and content developed in this SBIR.
3. Use the intellectual property and technologies developed in this SBIR to develop a true MMPRPG for the PC/video gaming market.

Abstract:
The focus of this proposal is the development of intelligent interactive software for individualized tutoring of applied mathematics at the middle school level with emphasis on applied mathematics in the sciences. During Phase I we will develop and assess a prototype intelligent tutoring system for working problems with significant figures, a fundamental topic encountered early in the study of measurement, and one deeply connected with the nature of measurement itself. The application of intelligent tutoring techniques that have been successful in pure mathematics will be investigated. In addition, new techniques are proposed that have broad potential to extend the range of intelligent tutoring systems in all content areas, not just applied mathematics.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
This Phase I proposal is aimed specifically at making progress on interactive applied mathematics tutoring software, by developing an intelligent tutoring system for problems involving the fundamentally important measurement concept of significant figures. If successful, the Phase I work will produce an intelligent tutoring program for significant figures that is able to give interactive instruction on par with a capable human tutor. The results of Phase I will provide experience and insight which will be very valuable for the general problem of intelligent applied mathematics tutoring, as well as many reusable software "building block" components for Phase II and beyond. The successful Phase I effort will pave the way for development of an extremely flexible individualized tutoring system which directly supports active involvement of students in constructing their own knowledge, and which can be used alone or in a complementary fashion with other elements of a multi-resource learning environment. While the focus of this study is applied mathematics education, it is anticipated that much of the knowledge gained and the tools developed in this research project can be usefully applied to intelligent computer tutoring in general.

Exploiting these opportunities for advancement in applied mathematics education software will have significant real impact for middle school students and teachers as well as important implications for continuing impact at the high school level. It is clear from interviewing several educational experts having diverse vantage points that there is a tremendous market need for software such as this, that this need is not currently being met, and that the improvements proposed here are fundamental rather than incremental in nature.

Abstract:
Recognizing the scope of the problem, SayTech is proposing to develop the RISE Math Online E-Tutoring Program (Math Online). The objective is to utilize the approach described in A Compact for Learning to bring parents, teachers, and supporters within the community together to provide students their math development. SayTech is proposing to bring a proven, successful math tutoring curriculum, The Sullivan Programmed Math Series, that promotes independent, self-paced math skill development with the delivery and convenience of telecommunications and the Internet. The Sullivan Programmed Math Series provides affordable and convenient additional math services to students. This program, Math Online, will be provided as a turnkey, easy to implement software program on a school district wide basis utilizing the Internet.

SayTech's Math Online will offer school districts a cost-effective solution built on solid tutoring curriculum. Math Online allows students to receive extra practice, brings a convenient means for parents and community volunteers to be more involved with students' math development, and provides specific direction to teachers as to how they can better address the learning needs of the students during regular classroom time. SayTech will offer this program for implementation in school districts. Math Online is designed around "A Compact for Learning" handbook which requires 5% of Title I funds to be directed towards providing a source of funding for both the program itself and a stipend for teachers to support the program. Math Online is based on curriculum that has been evaluated in a variety of ED-sponsored activities with great success and integrated into an online delivery system based on curriculum criteria developed by the Department of Education's Mathematics & Science Expert Panel.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
The purpose of Phase I is to develop a fully functional, interactive RISE Math Online E-Tutoring Program. The program will include math curriculum that is matched against the Indiana Department of Education Math proficiency standards for 5th through 10th grades. The initial curriculum would be based on the Sullivan Programmed Math Learning Series with links to other school approved math web sites. The program will then be offered to the Indianapolis Public School System and Chicago Public Schools for use in a pilot program on a volunteer basis. This would be done to work through any technical problems within the administration system as well as the deployment procedures. In addition, SayTech will develop a school district Math Online implementation plan following the guidelines in "A Compact for Learning."

The handbook, "A Compact for Learning," which is an NCEE report, is tied to the ED's Title I program representing a total annual budget of $7.2 billion. As published in the handbook, 5% of Title I funds exceeding $5,000, must be directed toward implementation of a compact or a written commitment indicating how all members of a school community agree to share responsibility for learning. Utilizing a 1% market share adjustment for teacher stipends, administrative overhead, and other costs, this represents a $72 million market opportunity for SayTech.

Abstract:
Once students leave the classroom, teachers have limited resources to provide any real learning interaction with students or be able to measure a students understanding and retention from the classroom lesson plan. By creating a dynamic interactive tool on the internet, students and teachers can reinforce classroom lessons through an innovative use of role playing which provides real world applications of mathematical concepts. Using an internet teaching aid allows students and teachers to work around the lack of classroom resources, by allowing them to work from an internet connected computer at home or the library. Phase I will demonstrate that a creative use of role playing keeps the students motivated and interested in their learning scenario while they learn key math concepts at the middle school level. Additionally, this tool will allow teachers to measure the performance of their students with more detail in any other tool.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
Phase II work will expand this idea to a wide range of middle school topics. The commercial potential comes from selling this service to schools and selling sponsorships for the role playing scenarios. Once this is in place, this service can be leased to other internet companies so their web sites may have authorized use of the service.

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