Extending and Enhancing the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives as a National Teaching Resource for School Mathematics

Utah State University, Logan UT

Investigators

Abstract

This project seeks to extend the work already being done (with NSF funding) on a web-based library of virtual manipulatives for students in grades K-8. Materials will be developed serving grades 9-12. Other features to be added would be translation into Spanish and voice-overs for existing materials, and the capability of printing and saving student work. A set of software tools for teachers would enable them to construct customized web pages using the manipulatives, as well as small modules ready for insertion into existing curricula. New materials developed for teachers will include lists of instructional objectives, suggested learning activities and assessment tools. Evaluation will investigate the quality of human/computer interaction, the relevance of the materials to current pedagogy, the effectiveness of the resulting instruction and the process of building communities of users of the materials. Questions to be asked in evaluation include: Does the project increase student access to the potential of the computer? Does it increase the perceived relevance of the mathematics to the student? Will it increase collaboration between on-line users? Quasi-experimental studies, observations interviews, and surveys will be used to answer these questions. Dissemination will proceed through commercial publishers who have already committed to this project, through the Web, and through professional journals and conferences.