The Metamedia Mathematics Program
Graduate School of Education
George Mason University
Fairfax Virginia 22030
The Program has two components -- Academic Offerings and Research Activities.
In the Academic Offerings component, there are degree offerings at the
Ph.D. and M.Ed. Levels in Mathematics (and Science) Educational Leadership.
The current focus of the programs in mathematics are in preparing leaders
in three areas:
(1) curriculum development, specifically
the process of creating, developing and using physical manipulatives to
improve the teaching and learning of mathematics (and science) for students
in schools, grades k-12; and
(2) technology development, specifically
the process of creating, developing and using technology products, particularly
virtual manipulatives and virtual worlds, to improve the teaching and learning
of mathematics (and science) for students in schools, grades k-12; and
(3) professional development, specifically
the process of creating, developing and implementing courses and programs
for the professional development of teachers of mathematics in schools
particularly those programs required to update
(i) knowledge
and skills in emerging national, state and local standards;
(ii) mathematics
content;
(iii) the use of
physical manipulatives; and
(iv) the use of technology
-- virtual manipulatives and virtual worlds -- for instruction.
In the Research Activities component, faculty and students work together
on two questions:
(1) How does one develop and disseminate
curriculum materials -- specifically, physical manipulatives, print support
materials, virtual manipulatives and virtual worlds -- for teachers and
students that will have an important impact on the teaching and learning
of school based mathematics?
(2) How does one create and implement professional
development programs that provide meaningful, long term growth experiences
for teachers and positive results in improving the teaching and learning
of school based mathematics using physical manipulatives, virtual manipulatives
and virtual worlds?
To answer question 1, there is considerable activity in the program engaging
faculty and students in all aspects of the research and development necessary
for the invention, creation, development and dissemination of physical
manipulatives, virtual manipulatives, virtual worlds and the relevant print
materials for the teaching of school based mathematics. Currently, the
major research is on the Dr. Super's Virtual Math Manipulatives Project.
This effort creates and develops curriculum materials and technology based
products (virtual manipulatives and virtual worlds) for various, new physical
manipulatives: Triango, Dr. Super's Triangles, Super Math, Trigram, Factor
Blocks, Geoshapes, and GeoJunior. These new manipulatives, as well as their
virtual versions, many of which are distributed by major publishers, are
the inventions of Dr. Behrouz Aghevli (a.k.a Dr. Super) and were co-developed
with Dr. Mark Spikell. Students working with these Metamedia Mathematics
Program faculty members have first hand mentoring from two recognized authorities
on the invention, creation and use of manipulatives and virtual manipulatives
in the teaching of school based mathematics. Work on virtual manipulatives
and virtual worlds is in collaboration with colleagues in the School of
Information Technology and Engineering and students may have opportunities
to work with others in that School.
But this is not the only project. Research efforts may be directed toward
developing and commercializing real manipulatives or virtual manipulatives
and support materials that are not the inventions or co-developed products
of faculty in the program. There are over 20 important physical math manipulatives
widely used in schools to teach mathematics such as Attribute Blocks, Tangrams,
Pattern Blocks, Cuisenaire Rods, Base Ten Blocks, Linking Cubes, Algebra
Lab Gear, etc. Students may work on the development and dissemination of
support materials for these manipulatives or their virtual versions.
To answer question 2, there is considerable activity in the program engaging
faculty and students in all aspects of the research and development for
creating, publishing and disseminating actual professional development
programs (workshops, institutes, courses of study, etc.) that promote the
various national (National Council Teachers of Mathematics, NCTM) and state
(Virginia Standards of Learning, SOL) standards, the use of physical manipulatives,
and the use of virtual manipulatives and virtual worlds. Faculty and students
will collaborate on developing in-service programs to promote
(i) the core NCTM standards of Problem Solving,
Communication, Reasoning and Connections,
(ii) the Virginia SOLs on Patterns, Functions and
Algebra, Data Analysis, and Geometry, and
(iii) the use of physical manipulatives, virtual manipulatives
and virtual worlds. And, selected students
are provided an opportunity to do research an internships related to preparing
specifically for
roles as university or school based teachers of teachers.
Additional information about the master (M.Ed.) and doctoral (Ph.D.) degree
offerings will be found at: http://mason.gmu.edu/~mspikell/ACADEMIC.HTM
Additional information about the Dr. Super's Math Manipulatives Project will be found at: http://mason.gmu.edu/~mspikell/PRODUC10.HTM
Information about the Metamedia Mathematics Program's first on-line workshop using mathematics manipulatives will be found at http://neptune.galaxy.gmu.edu/~drsuper/
Interested persons should contact (preferably by email):
Dr. Mark A. Spikell, Professor
Coordinator, Ph.D. and M.Ed. Leadership Programs in Mathematics and Science
Education Graduate School of Education
MS4B3 George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
email: mspikell@gmu.edu
phone: 703-993-2042 fax: 703-993-2013