Initiatives in Mathematics Education

1. Initiatives in Mathematics Education Centres and Programs Around the World

2. Project 2061 • American Association for the Advancement of Science • http://www.project2061.org • Mission: To change the way educators and members of the public think about the priorities and purposes of science, mathematics, and technology education. To make recommendations about what all students should know and be able to do in science, mathematics and technology by the time they leave high school.

3. The Center for the Enhancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CESAME) • Northeastern University • http://www.cesame.neu.edu • Mission: 1) To create awareness of the need to implement standards-based curriculum. 2) To support the implementation of standards-based curriculum. 3) To provide high quality professional development in mathematics and science teaching

4. Middle School Math Through Applications Program (MMAP) • San Francisco Bay Area, California • http://mmap.wested.org/ • Mission: 1) To define and test the feasibility of an applications-based approach to learning math by creating and field testing a series of application units and assessments for middle school math classrooms; 2) To learn more about the ways that technologies might be integrated into the mathematics classroom through a research and development process; 3) To bring to the curriculum design process a collaborative community that included education researchers, teachers and teacher educators, curriculum developers, math-using professionals and students; 4) To work with teachers to learn about the issues they face as they make changes in their perspectives and practices; and, 5) To conduct research to improve on our materials design and to generate new understandings of mathematics teaching and learning.

5. Center for Education and Equity in Mathematics, Science and Technology (CEEMaST) • California State Polytechnic University, Pomona • http://www.ceemast.csupomona.edu/ • Mission: 1) To promote the professional development of teachers of mathematics, science, and technology. 2) To improve the teaching and learning of science and mathematics at all levels. 3) To promote the study of science and mathematics by all students, with a particular outreach to females and minority group members.

6. Information Technology in Science (ITS) Center for Teaching and Learning • Texas A&M University, College Station • http://its.tamu.edu/ • Mission: To fundamentally change the culture and relationships among scientists, educational researchers, and teachers by engaging them in the use of information technology. • The research objectives of the Center will focus on the impact of information technologies on (1) how science is done, (2) how science is taught and learned, (3) how the processes and products of learning science can be assessed, and (4) how a community of scholarship in science can be built and networked inclusive of all teachers and students in grades 7-12.

7. The Texas Alliance for Science, Technology and Mathematics Education (TASTME) • Texas A&M University • http://www.coe.tamu.edu/~alliance/ • The primary strategy of the Texas Alliance is building partnerships. By fostering partnerships between schools and the private and public sectors, the Texas Alliance advocates a view of education that stresses: 1) Content knowledge and applications of science, technology and mathematics education in a real world context. 2) Collaborative partnerships among schools, colleges and universities, businesses, and agencies. 3) Preparation of all students for success in workforce environments of the future.

8. National Centre for Improving Student Learning and Achievement in Mathematics and Science (NCISLA) • The University of Wisconsin - Madison • http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ncisla/ • Working with teachers and schools, NCISLA researchers conduct long-term, in-class studies to identify the many ways K-12 students learn mathematics and science ideas with understanding. The center focuses on the following areas: student reasoning, mathematics and science instruction, student assessment, teacher professional development, and school features that support learning and achievement.

9. The University of Chicago School Mathematics Project • The University of Chicago • http://social-sciences.uchicago.edu/ucsmp • UCSMP believes that, with the information explosion and advances in technology, society today demands not just basic computation skills but a more sophisticated understanding of mathematics. It seeks to raise the expectations for all students, bringing their performance in mathematics to world-class standards.

10. Eisenhower National Clearinghouse (ENC) • Ohio State University • http://www.enc.org/ • ENC's mission is to identify effective curriculum resources, create high-quality professional development materials, and disseminate useful information and products to improve K-12 mathematics and science teaching and learning. The ENC website attempts to collect and distribute education resources for all aspects of K-12 mathematics and science education. The web site is organized into the following categories: This Week, Curriculum Resources, Web Links, Professional Resources, and Topics.

11. Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation (MCTP) • Towson University • http://www.towson.edu/csme/mctp/home.html • MCTP is an innovative, interdisciplinary undergraduate program to prepare future teachers of grades 4-8 who are confident in teaching mathematics and science and can provide exciting and challenging learning environments for all students.

12. The Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning(MAC-MTL) • Delaware, Maryland, & Pennsylvania • http://www.education.umd.edu/mac-mtl/ • Mission: 1) To design and operate an innovative program of doctoral and postdoctoral education for specialists in mathematics teacher education, curriculum development, policy leadership, and mathematics education research. 2) To develop, evaluate, and disseminate models for the mathematical education of pre-service teachers and professional development of in-service mathematics teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools.

13. TERC • Cambridge, MA • http://www.terc.edu • TERC’s work in mathematics and science education aims to instill in all students a desire for life-long learning. Through research, professional development, curriculum development, and applications of technology, TERC provides opportunities for learners of all ages to come together and engage in rigorous and reflective inquiry.

14. The Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) • Newton, MA • http://www.edc.org/ • The EDC is a not-for-profit R&D corporation working to develop publications and products in a broad range of education related fields. The EDC has eight main themes: early childhood, improving schools, heath and justice, international projects, math and science, learning technologies, literacy, and learning to work.

15. Edudata • Faculty of Education, UBC • http://www.edudata.educ.ubc.ca • The Canadian Education Data Network (Edudata Canada) is developing user-friendly research databases of educational data from BC and elsewhere. Edudata works with qualified researchers to facilitate access to information about public education, subject to privacy and confidentiality guidelines. Eududata supports educational research, teaching, and policy development by acting as an information “broker” in three primary ways: by helping researchers to access educational data and related linkable databases in heath and economics; by helping organizations that collect and hold related datasets to disseminate data for research use; and by promoting broader access to, and use of, the resulting research, resources, and knowledge.

16. IREM: Institut de Recherche sur l'Enseignement des Mathématiques. • Les 26 IREM ont été créés en 1969 avec les missions suivantes: • contribuer à la formation initiale et continue des enseignants • contribuer à l'expérimentation pédagogique • élaborer et diffuser des documents pour enseignants et formateurs • mener des recherches sur l'enseignement des Mathématiques • (http://www.univ-irem.fr/presentation.php3)

17. National Center for Mathematics Education (NCM) • Göteborg University, Sweden • http://ncm.gu.se/ • Mission: 1) To develop a national, and on the web accessible, reference library for Swedish and international mathematics education literature as well as mathematical literature for teacher training. 2) To set up a national reference library for the text books and teaching aids in mathematics used in Sweden. 3) Develop a web site as a resource for teachers, teacher trainers, researchers and young students. 4) To register, analyze and describe the current state of Swedish research and development in mathematics didactic. 5) To maintain the Nämnaren Project, a journal for mathematics education

18. The Freudenthal Institute • Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Utrecht University • http://www.fi.ruu.nl/ • Mission: 1) To develop a theoretical approach towards the learning and teaching of mathematics known as 'Realistic Mathematics Education'. RME incorporates views on what mathematics is, how students learn mathematics, and how mathematics should be taught. 2) To develop curricula based on Hans Freudenthal's concept of 'mathematics as a human activity', i.e, students should not be considered as passive recipients of ready-made mathematics, but rather that education should guide the students towards using opportunities to reinvent mathematics by doing it themselves.

19. Centre for Studies in Mathematics, Science and Environmental Education (CSMSEE) • Faculty of Education, Deakin University • http://www2.deakin.edu.au/faculty/education/math_sci_enviro/ • Mission: 1) To promote links with industry and government. 2) To undertake consultancies for schools, education systems and agencies. 3) To develop specific professional development courses, reports, publications, and materials where commissioned.

20. Computer Algebra Systems in Schools and Curriculum, Assessment & Teaching Project (CAS-CAT Project) • University of Melborne • http://www.edfac.unimelb.edu.au/DSME/CAS-CAT/proj.html • This project is investigating the changes that regular access to calculators equipped with a computer algebra system will have on senior mathematics subjects, including curriculum, teaching methods and associated assessment in Victoria, Australia.

21. MathForum.Org • Drexel University • http://mathforum.org/ • The Math Forum is a leading center for mathematics and mathematics education on the Internet. The Math Forum's mission is to provide resources, materials, activities, person-to-person interactions, and educational products and services that enrich and support teaching and learning in an increasingly technological world.