A Library of FluidMath Supplemental Content for Algebra Curricula

描述（由申请人提供）：这个第一阶段项目的目标是适应FluidMath，一种新颖的数学和科学教育软件平台，用于代数课程。使用FluidMath，学生和教师可以使用自己的手写输入符号数学表达式和支持图表到配备手写笔的计算机（例如平板电脑或电子白板）。通过自动识别这些手写符号并推断相关关联，FluidMath使用户符号成为交互式动画，虚拟操作和动态图形。当看到早期的原型时，一组试点教师一致表示，FluidMath可以改变课堂上数学的呈现方式，并且在吸引学生注意力和加深学生理解方面都是至关重要的。教师们相信，FluidMath不仅会对那些擅长数学和科学的学生产生重大影响，还会对那些努力理解这些学科中抽象概念的学生产生重大影响。作为NSF STTR项目的一部分，FluidMath的基础识别技术的可行性和FluidMath系统的基本功能已经在实际现场试验中得到了成功的证明。这个第一阶段项目的研究挑战是证明FluidMath作为数学教学和学习平台的可行性，代数的具体功能和内容，这是代数课程的补充，可以分层。我们提议的第一阶段项目将专注于为初中和高中代数1构建FluidMath-content的过程。我们将与教师和学生合作开发这一过程，其中包括：将代数特定的功能添加到FluidMath，创建利用FluidMath独特核心功能的代数特定内容，并评估该内容在特定代数1概念教学中的有效性。在六个月的时间里，我们将研究实施教师推荐功能的可行性，并对高度吸引人的功能进行快速原型设计，供教师和学生立即使用和评估。在第二阶段，我们将使用此过程为FluidMath-enabled代数课程开发一个完整的FluidMath补充内容库。公共卫生相关性：在这个项目中进行的研究将有助于开发有效的数学教育教学技术，并将为改善学习过程提供一个基础，最终不仅有利于那些有数学天赋的人，也有利于那些努力理解其基本原理的人。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this Phase I project is to adapt FluidMath, a novel math and science educational software platform, for use in Algebra classes. Using FluidMath, students and teachers employing their own handwriting can enter symbolic mathematics expressions and supporting diagrams into a stylus-equipped computer (e.g. Tablet PC or electronic whiteboard). By automatically recognizing these handwritten notations and inferring relevant associations, FluidMath makes user notations come alive as interactive animations, virtual manipulatives, and dynamic graphs. When presented with early prototypes, a pilot group of teachers uniformly professed to a vision that FluidMath could transform the way mathematics is presented in their classrooms, and could be pivotal in both engaging student attention and deepening student comprehension. The teachers believe that FluidMath will have a significant impact not only on those students that excel in math and science but also those who are struggling to understand the abstract concepts in these subjects. The feasibility of FluidMath's underlying recognition technology and the fundamental functionality of the FluidMath system have been successfully demonstrated in actual field trials as part of an NSF STTR project. The research challenge of this Phase I project is to prove the feasibility of FluidMath as a mathematics teaching and learning platform upon which Algebra specific functionality and content, which are supplements to Algebra curricula, can be layered. Our proposed Phase I project will focus on the process of building FluidMath-content for middle-school and high-school Algebra 1. We will work with teachers and students to develop this process which will involve: adding Algebra-specific functionality to FluidMath, creating Algebra-specific content which utilizes the unique core features of FluidMath, and evaluating the effectiveness of that content in the teaching of specific Algebra 1 concepts. During the six month time period, we will study the feasibility of implementing teacher recommended functionality accompanied by the rapid prototyping of highly engaging features for immediate use and evaluation by teachers and students. In Phase II, we will use this process to develop a complete library of FluidMath supplemental content for FluidMath-enabled Algebra curricula. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The research conducted in this project will help to develop effective instructional technologies for mathematics education and will provide a foundation for improving the learning process ultimately benefiting not only those who have an aptitude for math but also for those who struggle to understand its basic principles.