This site provides a wealth of information on the history and development of calendars and includes material on connections with astronomy as well as with the importance of calendars in various cultures and religions. Mathematical algorithms for determining the day of the week for a given date are described for both Julian and Gregorian calendars. This exhibit is a public service of the Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement (IDEA) and includes links to their other projects, such as one on daylight savings time.
Type of Material:
Presentation
Recommended Uses:
Student enrichment and reference.
Technical Requirements:
Standard Web browser
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To explain the otherwise complex working of calendars in an inviting and understandable way that emphasizes the multicultural context of the material.
Target Student Population:
High school and college math students
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
None although some formulas require understanding of basic algebra.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The material is informative and extensive and includes items on calendars in other cultures and religions as well as on ancient calendars. It demonstrates effectively how different religions attach significance to different features of the calendar. Also included is a whimsical look at the creation of a future Martian calendar. It There are various comprehensive lists, such as a timeline and a record of adoption of the Gregorian calendar by country. The site also presents many fascinating facts concerning the history and structure of various calendars; for examples, Why do the 9th thru 12th months have names that mean 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th?, Why does February have only 28 days? and Why is our leap day in February, not the end of the year? The materials have been well-researched and supported in part by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), Time and Frequency Division, as a complement to www.time.gov. The use of illustrative art work is particularly attractive.
Concerns:
none
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The materials are nicely written and presented. The linked FAQ-style of presentation allows for quick perusal of the materials and concise answers to particular questions. This is a useful reference source that includes narrative, detailed arithmetic calculations and some algebra formulas.
Concerns:
The materials are primarily for student enrichment and or self/study; as such, there is no particular guide to reading or exploring them and faculty would need to devise their own lesson plans and instructions with regard to use of the materials.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Site navigation is simple and effective as is the presentation layoutPresentation page layout is simple and attractive. The site also includes a simple, effective Search feature. The FAQ-style of presentation is quite effective for this type of material.
Concerns:
For a relatively small site, navigation is not always obvious, with constant links along the top of the page and changing links down the side but the purpose of that distinction is not immediately apparent.
Creative Commons:
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