Topics

Math & Science

While improving math and science outcomes for U.S. students represents a core goal of education reform, driven in part by our poor performance on international assessments, much more is at stake than enhancing our international standing. To be savvy public citizens, young people need to develop scientific literacy, where they apply math and science concepts they have learned to everything from understanding statistics cited in a newspaper article to assessing the strength of scientific arguments on hot button issues. Also science, technology and math (STEM) fields need to reach beyond those traditionally interested to reach a more diverse pool of potential scientists. Students of different backgrounds bring different perspectives, which if embraced and encouraged could eventually lead to novel even revolutionary discoveries, inventions, or solutions. It’s critical to our competitiveness that we ensure people of different backgrounds (gender, race, socio-economic status) become engaged in STEM learning and careers.

Emerging technologies afford teachers and students new opportunities to grasp mathematical and scientific concepts, study natural and artificial phenomena both inside and outside their community, and discover alternate pathways into STEM fields. There is a huge need to figure out how technology can/should facilitate learning in these content areas, while simultaneously we are figuring out how technology is changing the content area itself. Select a snapshot below to learn more about the kinds of work we do in this area.

• Snapshot 1
  To encouraging girls in the pursuit of math, science and technology studies and careers, we’ve developed multimedia tools such as Imagine and Imagination Place! to provide them with positive impressions of technology. (To learn more about our Gender and Technology work, read the Gender and Technology topic page.) We also have worked with policymakers and educators to redefine excellence in mathematics and science education in terms of how effectively the education reaches a majority of students in Collaboration for Equity.
• Snapshot 2
  CCT has constructed as well as evaluated a number of technology tools designed to aid teachers and students in understanding the scientific process, to assess mathematics learning, and foster mentor relationships among scientists, students, and teachers. As part of an early mathematics evaluation, our staff identified an opportunity to use then new online tools to foster continuous discussion among project participants. This became a central component of the Math Learning Forums project, one of the first online professional development courses for teachers working with grades K-8; IBM's MentorPlace; and Telementoring Young Women in Engineering and Computing. Building on our research into gender differences in envisioning technology, we created a narrative approach to programming (ice skating) that invited girls to engage in the elements of building, testing, and tweaking a program through the a narrative approach--creating a well-choreographed ice skating routine.