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.
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.
