Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
American institutions and structures are changing as a result of access to increased amounts of information (Toffler, 1990). To prepare students for success, educators have a responsibility to teach students how to use technology to solve problems, to perform research, to share ideas with experts and with each other, and to create professional products. In addition, there is a need to develop a mathematics curriculum which looks at mathematics as an evolving and experimental science. Developing a curriculum that includes the use of the Internet can accomplish these goals. The purpose of this project is to present a mathematics curriculum on chaos theory and fractal geometry that integrates technology and networking.
There are two very strong reasons for developing curricula that utilize technology. One is the current push toward school and curriculum reform in order to meet the changing needs of our society (Toffler, 1980). Technology provides the tools to make these changes. The second is the responsibility of public educational institutions to provide all students with the skills to compete in a global, technological economy. Many students do not have personal access to computers. Schools can provide that access.
There is a growing need to infuse technology into the mathematics curriculum There is also a need to introduce students to mathematics as an evolving science, one that is rich in complexity and one that continues to explore and explain the universe. Computers lead to the discoveries made in chaos and fractal geometry because of the ability to solve multi-variable, nonlinear equations. Current mathematics curricula do not focus on new discoveries in mathematics, leading students to think that everything has been discovered and to see mathematics as a dead subject without connections to other disciplines. Current brain research has shown that there is a need to integrate disciplines in order to help students make intellectual connections between new material and background knowledge and experiences, which in turn, create neural networks. A curriculum in chaos and fractal geometry would both infuse technology into the curriculum, introduce students to an evolving branch of mathematics, and integrate art and music into the curriculum.
Finally, although there are more computers in classrooms today, teachers are failing to make use of those computers in ways that increase student achievement. However, a well-designed curriculum presented via the Internet can help alleviate this problem.
This project was conducted researching the literature provided both through library and Internet resources. A cursory survey of preservice elementary mathematics teachers was conducted to determine if they used the Internet and what they would like to see offered in an Internet curriculum. Work on graphic design and web design was done in order to construct a pleasing, content-rich web site that also met the needs of educators.
This curriculum was designed to be used only in secondary-level mathematics classes. It focuses on the integration of math with art and the application of mathematics in various disciplines, and not other subjects offered in secondary classes..
Chapter One is an Introduction which includes a Statement of the Problem, Methodology, Definition of Terms, Limits of the Project, and Organization of the Project. Chapter Two is a Review of the Literature. This is organized according to the following:
Curriculum Reform, Curriculum Reform in Mathematics, Equity, Student Achievement, Curriculum Development, Implementation, Program Evaluation, Further Considerations,
Redefining Literacy and Web Design, and Conclusion. Chapter
Three discusses
Methodology, including how the curriculum and web sites were designed
as
well as the results of the preliminary survey. Chapter Four includes
Summary,
Conclusion, and Limitations. Discussion involves the curriculum design
and
web site design processes and problems encountered. There are
suggestions
provided for using this curriculum. An Appendix and bibliography
concludes
the report.