SBIR Phase I: Learning to Think Mathematically and Problem-Solve Right From the Start

This SBIR Phase I project will produce the prototype for a supplementary K-2 math program, tablet delivered, that builds mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. For students to succeed in gate keeper courses that are prerequisite to high-paying jobs, reasoning and problem-solving skills are essential. Yet the majority of schools focus strictly on computation. To address this nationwide problem, the pedagogy and strategies from the federally-funded Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP), will be appropriated. Studies (1970-1990) show that CSMP students had greater ability to solve novel problems as measured by the MANS test. Although results were significant from the gifted to the learning challenged, CSMP?s hands-on, personalized approach was too costly at the time to implement on a larger scale. This project will address harnessing today?s technology to leverage the strongest aspects of CSMP. Students will work through repeated exposures to problem-solving scenarios presented in game-like settings. Rather than traditional manipulatives, colorful toy building bricks are used to pose problems, explore concepts, develop skills, and define new ideas. As new generations are able to think mathematically, considerably more Americans will be able to thrive in the technologically sophisticated 21st century marketplace, fostering jobs and generating tax revenues. Employing powerful technologies devised exclusively for the tablet (touch, drag-and-drop, and accelerometers) makes possible the creation of detective-like adventures that encourage students to form hypotheses, consider alternatives, and test conclusions. Resplendent with pictorial and concrete representations, children are able to interpret and internalize mathematical concepts many think are beyond their comprehension. Replicas of popular childhood building bricks make the experience seem play-like rather than a series of tasks to be completed. By moving these familiar objects across the tablet screen, children see the cause and effect of their actions. Adaptive learning mechanics deliver auto-graded experiences based on performance -- saving considerable preparation and supervisory time. Automatically generated reports provide data for decision-making. Phase I research will focus on the viability of the technology, student engagement and teacher use. During Phase II, an extensive evaluation will determine if students internalize Common Core concepts and use their growing understanding of mathematics to solve problems. Traditional qualitative analysis techniques will be used to answer research questions and provide a foundation for continued studies. In schools where the supplementary program has been implemented as designed, the MANS test can be administered to ascertain if students have similar or better outcomes than the original CSMP cohort.