About Standards,
Possible Influences of DR-K12,
and Synecdoche of
X-County
Presented at NSF PI Meeting, 11-10-09
Richard S. Millman, Professor of Mathematics and Director
Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing
(CEISMC)
Georgia Institute of Technology
richard.millman@ceismc.gatech.edu
PI: NSF 0918618: Science Learning: Integrating Design, Engineering and
Robotics (SLIDER)
Start Date: 10/1/09
NCTM Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics Documents
• Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for
School Mathematics (1989)
• Professional Standards for Teaching
Mathematics (1991)
• Assessment Standards for School Mathematics
(1995)
• NCTM Principles and Standards for School
Mathematics (2000)
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Principles and Standards, cont’d
• The “Math Wars”
• Curriculum Focal Points , Pre-K – 8 (2006) and
Focus in High School, Reasoning and Sense
Making (2009)
• Much Movement Forward, such as common
core standards, but where from here?
• Exploring County-X issues, their implications,
and opportunities of DR-K12 input
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NCTM Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics
• Principles: Equity, Curriculum, Teaching,
Learning, Assessment, Technology
• Content Standards: Number and Operations,
Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data
Analysis and Probability
• Process Standards: Problem Solving,
Reasoning and Proof, Communication,
Connections, and Representation
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Lessons from X-County, Georgia:
Suburban Metro-Atlanta
• Issues concerning individual students or parents
• Modern methods of teaching and learning and the
standards
• The variety of constituencies (parents, principals and
other administrators, teachers, legislators, etc.)
and the standards
• Lack of Belief in the University/College/K-12
continuum and the standards
• “Math looks soooooooo different if it even is math
at all”
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Consequences of the Lessons from
X-County, Georgia, First Glance
Need for Significant Professional Development for
Teachers and Development of the
Profession concerning the standards for all
constituencies*
• What are approaches to teaching and learning
and how do diverse groups of learners respond
to those approaches*
• What does a test measure and how does one
determine what it is that you are trying to
measure?*
•
* Implications for the work of DR-K12
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Consequences of the Lessons from
X-County, Georgia, Long View
• Need to address policy issues that are examined in an evidence based manner for all
constituencies because results of DR-K12, TPC, etc.* and to do so in a way that
increases public understanding** (p. 6)
• Concerning policy issues: a clear recommendation of what various constituencies should be
the point organizations in the early formulation of policy (federal government,
governor and state government, colleges/universities, business, unions, nonprofits,
and others**)
• Need for understanding the marriage of Content (through common standards) and some
preferred Pedagogical approaches*. How is the material really covered in the
classroom?
• Need for a discussion of how a College of Education can build the new complexity of issues
into their curriculum for Pre-Service Teachers? “…strengthening the
innovation capacity of the educational system” ** (p. 2)
• Need for in-depth study of assessment as assessment drives instruction at so many
schools. Need for aligned, sophisticated assessment ** (p. 3)
* Implications for the work of DR-K12
** Carnegie Corporation of NY/IAS The Opportunity Equation
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Specific Issues with the Common Core
• Overall philosophy is excellent…mathematical substance, design for a variety of
futures (college or career), mathematical practice standards that are
meaningful (fashioned along the notions of Mathematical Habit of the Mind
[Cuocco]),
• Areas for Improvement:
• Need to connect to pedagogy*—just saying that one should read ADDING IT UP
isn’t enough. “Don’t Forget Curriculum”, Brown Center Letter on Education
(10-14-09) shouldn’t be forgotten.
• Need to encourage mathematical intuition in children, whether for definitions
or for Mathematical Habit of the Mind. There is evidence based
research on the value of intuition and it should play a major role in the
common core standards*
• Need to establish a research base to show the merits or limits of the
Mathematical Habit of the Mind*
* Implications for the work of DR-K12
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Math 4 of the State of Georgia
• AP Calculus or Statistics, the usual pre-calculus
• Advanced Mathematical Decision Making (Dana Center, U of Texas)
Analyzing numerical data, analyzing, conducting, and critiquing
statistics, modeling (including finance), fair division and
selection.
• Advanced Mathematical Decision Making for Financial Literacy
Analysis of situations which require financial decisions and the
financial tools that are a part of such decisions
• Advanced Mathematical Decision Making for Government and
Business -A High School Operations Research Course (Based on
Project MINDSET of NCSU, UNCC, and Wayne State
University)
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Math in the Real World:
A High School Course in Operations
Research for Georgia
Dave Goldsman
Georgia Tech
Atlanta, GA, USA
sman@gatech.edu
www.isye.gatech.edu/~sman
What is Operations Research?
• Scientific approach to analyzing problems
and making decisions.
• Study of certain physical and human
systems in order to improve or optimize
such systems.
• OR is the “theoretical sibling” of Industrial
Engineering.
• Examples: Airlines, Service Systems,
Manufacturing, Logistics, Telecomm
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What Is OR (cont’d)?
Specific Topics of Interest:
• Linear Programming
• Probability and Statistics
• Queueing Theory
• Inventory and Scheduling
• Computer Simulation
• etc., etc.
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Why Should We Care?
•
•
•
•
Interesting, Real-Life Topics
Interesting Theory
Nice Alternative to Other Math Courses
Lots of Jobs Available at All Levels
- Airlines
- Consulting Companies
- Wall Street
- Manufacturing
- Schools
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MINDSET NSF Grant 2007-2012
• $3 million –5 year NC State, Wayne State, UNCC
• Currently Developing…
- HS math course and text with Algebra II
prerequisite
- Graduate math education course for teachers
including distance learning version
- Extensive support services for teachers
- 80-100 teachers piloting in 2009-2010
- 50 high schools in NC and Mich. with 1500 kids
- Deterministic portion of course is READY
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