Presented at NSF PI Meeting, 11-10-09 Richard S. Millman , Professor of Mathematics and Director

1. 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

2. 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) CEISMC - Ga Tech

3. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

4. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

5. 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” CEISMC - Ga Tech

6. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

7. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

8. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

9. 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) CEISMC - Ga Tech

10. Math in the Real World: A High School Course in Operations Research for GeorgiaDave GoldsmanGeorgia TechAtlanta, GA, USAsman@gatech.eduwww.isye.gatech.edu/~sman

11. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

12. What Is OR (cont’d)? • Specific Topics of Interest: • Linear Programming • Probability and Statistics • Queueing Theory • Inventory and Scheduling • Computer Simulation • etc., etc. CEISMC - Ga Tech

13. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech

14. 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 CEISMC - Ga Tech