The primary aim of this project is to help 60 high school mathematics teachers integrate technology (graphing calculators and computer software) into the 8-12 curriculum- -while at the same time strengthening their content background and enriching their pedagogical repertory. In the first year, 30 teachers will be chosen (in pairs) from across the State of Connecticut, but urban areas with concentrations of minority students will be especially targeted. The program consists of two sequential four-week summer institutes in which the participating teachers will study and explore applications of technology in the classroom. As they do this, they will see that technology can not only help take the drudgery out of mathematics, but can also make a wealth of interesting and useful mathematics accessible to high school students. The applications of technology will be studied in the context of modern mathematical content and modern pedagogical techniques, e.g., cooperative learning groups. To help smooth the implementation and dissemination process, administrators from the participants' home schools or districts will be at least briefly involved in the first summer program. In the second summer, groups of high school students will be available for participants to pilot test new lessons and units as they are developed. During the first academic year, project staff will provide support for the teachers' visits, as well as two scheduled two-day workshops. During the second academic year teachers will be expected to engage in significant staff development work in their buildings and/or districts, including offering extended workshops of 30-40 hours for their peers. The program described above will be repeated for a second group of 30 teachers in years 3 and 4. Cost sharing amounts to 68% of NSF funding.
