SimCalc: Democratizing Access to the Mathematics of Change

Description: The mathematics of change is "centrally important to living and working in a rapidly evolving democratic society." Yet only a handful of students who make it through a series of prerequisites and into calculus classes currently have access to these concepts of change.

Through a combination of simulation technology and curriculum reform, SimCalc seeks to "democratize" access to the Mathematics of Change for all students at all levels. The project combines advanced technology with innovative curriculum beginning in the early grades and eventually extending beyond classical calculus to encourage the development of powerful mathematical ideas.

Interactive tools for visualizing, transforming and simulating mathematical objects enable all students to achieve deep conceptual understanding of the mathematics of change.

Developer:
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

Publisher:
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

Grade Levels: All Grades

Cost:

Effectiveness: Reviewed by University of California, Berkeley for NCREL and Metiri Group (2000).

Students find SimCalc engaging and helpful for furthering their understanding of math. According to one researcher, "The students repeatedly shared their enjoyment in doing math this way." That same researcher also noted that students generally "were not accustomed to talking or writing about their thought processes since they had not had many opportunities to do so in the past." By the end of a SimCalc project, however, it was reported that most students had become "readily [able to] share their solutions and mathematical thinking with others."

SimCalc provides reflection and discussion about mathematics among students..

Return to Solutions Page
Return to Mathematics Listing