CAREERS IN MATHEMATICS PROJECT

Goal

Students will use technology (Internet, email) to research mathematics in nonacademic careers in order to increase their awareness and appreciation of mathematics in the "real world."

Context/Setting/Environment

Community High School is a one-school district. Our community, administration and staff strongly embrace techology in the school and within the classroom. Community High School currently has six classroom labs; 3 are IBM-driven and 3 are Macintosh-driven. One of the six labs contains 30 PowerMac's with Internet access and multimedia capabilities. Lab time is scheduled on a first-come-first-serve basis. The computer labs are utilized in all subjects, and thus can be difficult to reserve on short notice. As resources become available, computer and Internet access will be increased.

Timeframe

The Careers in Mathematics project could be implemented at any point in the curriculum. Spring semester junior year when juniors are beginning to take ACT's and SAT's would help students to focus on career choices. The same would be true for seniors during fall or spring semester when they are thinking of applying to colleges.

Assuming students have had no prior internet experience, 2-3 days during class time would be spent in the lab researching and becoming acquainted with Internet and the Web. The students then would spend 4-6 additional hours outside of class on research and portfolio design. Students would have 3 weeks to complete the portfolio. Two to three days would be spent in class on presentations by students.

Learner Description

The project would work most effectively with junior and senior level students as they are beginning to think about career goals, but could be implemented at any secondary level.

Learner Outcomes

• Students will use established criteria to create a portfolio on a chosen career
• Students will demonstrate through their portfolio an understanding of "real world" application of mathematics
• Students will use creativity and several resources to gather and synthesize their research
• Students will use technology as a research tool
• Students will organize their research in an organized and appealing manner
• Students will make an oral and visual presentation of their findings using established criteria

Project Description

The Project Description contains all necessary details of the assignment.

Assessment of Students

Assessment will be ongoing. Students will be given a timeline in which parts of the portfolio will be due. To see the project rubric, go to the project page.

Evaluation

Evaluation will be done at the completion of the project referring to the indicators found in Table 3 of Plugging In: Choosing and Using Educational Technology (Council for Educational Development and Research, North Central Regional Educational Laboratory).