9453881 Gerace A classroom communication system is being developed as a catalyst for promoting a more dynamic and constructivist classroom environment. Students will not only engage in cooperative learning activities, but also communicate their understanding to the instructor, thereby permitting the instructor to respond to students' specific instructional needs. The project is a collaborative among science and mathematics instructors at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Regional High School, educational researchers and curriculum developers at the UMASS Scientific Reasoning Research Institute, and educational technologists at Better education Incorporated. The project focuses primarily on the subject matter appropriate for a one year course at the high school or college level. The complete system will be developed, consisting of hardware, documented software, and curriculum materials. Exemplar materials will also be developed in mathematics and chemistry. A primary aspect of the project is also evaluation of the comparative effectiveness of the classroom communication system as an instructional approach.
