Math Central is a site sponsored by the University of Regina in Canada. It provides problems and resources for teachers. It includes a collection of "Problems of the Month," which while no longer active, can be accessed on site. There is information for teachers in Canada and a service of answering questions from teachers and students alike. It is available in English, Spanish, and French.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
The site could be used by teacher educators to develop problem sets for preservice teachers. It could be used by pre-service teachers to gain knowledge of available materials for their particular grade level in mathematics. Students could use the site for supplementary work as well as to ask questions. It could be a resource for math enrichment. For Canadians, there are links to local mathematical professional groups and events.
Technical Requirements:
Any standard browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The goal is to provide a place for students and teachers to access information about mathematics. There are problems, resources for teachers, and a place where users can ask mathematical questions and receive answers from the University of Regina.
The major goal of this site is the "Advancement of Teaching and Learning" in mathematics.
Target Student Population:
Grade School, Middle School, High School, Graduate School, Professional, Pre-K
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Interest in mathematics.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Since the site is created by a University and connected to professional groups, it has a firm base in research. There are many materials that can support teaching and learning.
The site presents math in an interesting and engaging manner. The connection between math and industry is a valuable tool that seeks to answer "Where will I ever use this math?"
Concerns:
The site has not been updated in some time. Though many of the materials are still very useful and many of the links connect to up-to-the-minute materials, the look and feel of the site is quite dated.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
There is much material, well organized in the site. Teachers can access problems, research and links to updated materials from, for example, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. One interesting site is the Mathematics Quilt which features pictures of mathematicians both male and female. When users click on the picture, they can get information about how that person uses mathematics in his or her job, and some stories about their study of mathematics. It could be inspirational to students.
This material can be used to address a variety of topics in math including teaching and learning of basics skills, as well as more advanced concepts such as math beyond school.
Concerns:
The look and feel of the site is dated. If a user can look past that, he or she can find a great many resources that will support learning in a mathematical classroom.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
There are clear sections where users can find problems, or research, etc. Most of the site is updated in terms of events, bulletin boards, and links to outside agencies.
Concerns:
The search feature for resources requires a key word search, so to find geometry activies or problems for 2nd grade, one would have to key in "geometry" and then go through the materials to find some labeled for second grade or open materials that have no grade level and see if that material were useful.
Creative Commons:
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