Fathom dynamic data software

The goal of the proposed Phase I project is to develop a suite of web-interactive tools and curriculum materials for gathering and analyzing “survey” data in mathematics classrooms. The project addresses the urgent need to provide pre-college students with a background in data gathering, exploration, and analysis. The tools are based on Fathom Surveys, a product (to be released in Spring, 2006) that allows creation of online surveys from within the dynamic data environment of Fathom, greatly streamlining the process of collecting classroom data. The products of the proposed project will be of three kinds: a) curriculum materials for high school students on survey methodology including survey design, survey data analysis, and survey ethics; b) data analytic capabilities within the Fathom software product tailored to online data gathering; and c) web-server-based tools for further streamlining and integrating the interaction of learners with the web- and desktop-based software environments. The efficacy of Phase I research will be determined from feedback received from an advisory board and from observations of users, with particular attention focused on the potential for improving student performance on the data analysis strand in the NCTM mathematics standards.