The Connected Mathematics Projects

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• By
• Hoda Al-Oyaidi
• Spring 2006

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• History
• SIMS (Second International Mathematics Study)
  1981-1982.
• NAEP (National Assessment of Educational
  Progress) fourth study results 1985-1986.
• Other studies
• Summary of findings

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• NSFs Materials for Middle School Mathematics
  Instruction
• Expected objectives
• Course Material
• Teaching Methods
• Strategies and Materials for Teachers
• Assessment Methods and Materials

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• NSFs Materials for Middle School Mathematics
  Instruction
• Resulting Standards-based Middle School
  Mathematics Curricula
• Connected Mathematics Project
• Mathematics in Context
• Mathscape
• Math Thematics

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Relationship to NCTM standards
• Increased attention to
• Pursuing Open-ended problems and extended
  problem-solving projects
• Developing Number Sense
• Creating Algorithms and procedures
• Using appropriate technology for computation and
  exploration
• Assessing learning as an integral part of
  instruction

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Relationship to NCTM standards
• Decreased attention to
• Practicing routine, one-step problems
• Memorizing rules and algorithms
• Finding exact forms of answers
• Drilling on paper-and-pencil algorithms
• Testing for the sole purpose of assigning grades
• In Summary
• This broad, rich curriculum is available to all
  students.

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Content (Common)
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Reasoning
• Connections
• Content (New)
• Number and Number Relationships
• Number Systems and Number Theory

• Content (New - Continued)
• Computation and Estimation
• Patterns and Functions
• Algebra
• Statistics
• Probability
• Geometry
• Measurement

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Published Research Booklets for Grade 6
• Prime Time -- factors and multiples
• Data About Us statistics
• Shapes and Designs -- two-dimensional geometry
• Bits and Pieces I -- understanding rational
  numbers
• Covering and Surrounding -- two-dimensional
  measurement
• How Likely is It? probability
• Bits and Pieces II -- using rational numbers
• Ruins of Montarek -- spatial visualization

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Published Research Booklets for Grade 7
• Variables and Patterns -- introducing algebra
• Stretching and Shrinking similarity
• Comparing and Scaling -- ration, proportion, and
  percent
• Accentuate the Negative integers
• Moving Straight Ahead -- linear relationships
• Filling and Wrapping -- three-dimensional
  measurement
• What Do You Expect? -- probability and expected
  value
• Data Around Us -- number sense

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Published Research Booklets for Grade 8
• 1) Thinking with Mathematical Models --
  representing relationships 2) Looking for
  Pythagoras -- the Pythagorean theorem 3)
  Growing, Growing, Growing -- exponential
  relationships 4) Frogs, Fleas, and Painted Cubes
  -- quadratics relationships 5) Say It with
  Symbols -- algebraic reasoning 6) Kaleidoscopes,
  Hubcaps, and Mirrors -- symmetry and
  transformations 7) Samples and Populations --
  data and statistics 8) Clever Counting --
  combinatorics

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Weaknesses
• the program seems to be very incomplete
• aimed at underachieving students
• standard algorithms are never introduced
• precise definitions are never given
• repetitive practice for developing skills, such
  as basic manipulative skills is never given.
• in the booklets on probability and data analysis
  a huge amount of time is spent learning rather
  esoteric methods for representing data, such as
  stem and leaf plots, and very little attention is
  paid to topics like the use and misuse of
  statistics

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Suggested Improvements
• CMP needs to use the service of a Strategic
  Marketer to sell the idea to parents of students
• CMP adoption process should be evolutionary and
  not revolutionary
• The change in the curriculum should be gradual
  and not cut-and-dry

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Conclusion
• Giving a hungry person a fish will feed their
  hunger for one meal, teaching them how to fish,
  will feed their hunger as long as they shall
  live
• Before we give the students calculators to do
  the math, we need to teach what mathematics is
  all about!

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• References
• Middle School Mathematics Curriculum Reform
  (Senk, S. and Thompson, D.)
• Student Attainment in the Connected Mathematics
  Curriculum (Ridgway, J. all)
• An Evaluation of CMP (Milgram, J.)
• Disconnecting Schoolchildren from 'Connected'
  Math (Eagleforum.org)
• Connected Mathematics Program A Critique
  (ReformK12.com)

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The Connected Mathematics Projects

• Questions?