K-12math.info

Hats off to Connexions!

Connexions’ Mathematics Grade 1-9 (2009) series is a great OER source. The combined efforts of South African Educators, Rice University, and others in the learning community who supported them in their great pioneering effort to provide quality learning materials are to be very much respected for their efforts. Thanks.

Why the formal copyright on k-12math.info ?

I, Jim Kelly, am k-12math.info. I handled all aspects of it's creation, development, production (paper, floppy disk and internet editions), and distribution. It has been 100% funded by myself. I have sole rights, and can contribute some or all of the information contained within to organizations that I feel may be helped by its bibliographic information.
In the 1970's and 80's the paper and floppy disk editions were formally copyrighted as that was the way things were done. Since the internet version uses the same spreadsheet format and some information from the earlier versions, it is copyrighted.

Where's the 12th grade?

Traditionally, materials in 11th grade Algebra II books are divided between the eleventh and twelfth grades. With additional materials, like advanced algebra and calculus topics, being added to the twelfth grade programs.
In the 1970/80's a list of about 800 additional terms were created and materials reviewed. The additional terms expanded the list of Logic and Topological terms and added terms from Analysis. The list in addition to the twelfth grade covered materials being used in colleges and universities. Cost in storing the data in paper form proved to be too expensive. Apple II versions of the information stored in random access text files formatted so that programs, written in Applesoft (and GWBASIC for PCs) could read them were created . In the 80's a limited number were produced because few educators and publishers desired to view K through second year college mathematics as a single continuously developing subject.
K-12math.info is considering the possibility of adding some of these materials.

Just a thought

Just as “spell checkers” have allowed people to concentrate on developing ideas and not dealing with the mechanics of expressing those ideas; material’s developers are going to have “content checkers”. For any website whose purpose is to help its users develop educational materials “content checkers” will be a must have. A “content checker” will not only check the age appropriateness of the content being used in defining and developing an idea, but also provide links and other information during the developing process. Manual “content checkers” like K-12math.info exist, it is only a matter of time when the people who brought us the “spell checker” will have the enlightening moment and create “content checkers”.

History of K-12math.info

WWW.k-12math.info's origins were the result of a shortage of funds for the development of the first resource guide for the first year comprehensive secondary schools mathematics program in Thailand. Originally the program called for a six week program allowing the 22 selected teachers to gather and create and practice teaching the materials. Funds from out of country sources failed to appear thus reduced the already committed program to do its work in three weeks. The first year materials were written in Thai, which is the medium of instruction. The British Embassy Librarian and American Peace Corps quickly came forward and provided many resources as the availability of local resources in Thai were few. It was decided that the content of the resources would be cross referenced to the content in the first year materials. A detailed bibliography was developed before the program started, thus allowing the teachers to concentrate on adapting methods developed in English language settings to work in Thai settings. After numerous peer teaching sessions, a 179 page resource guide for the first year secondary comprehensive schools was produced.

If a single grade level bibliography helped reduced the time needed to develop materials, a broader based bibliographic system encompassing elementary and secondary school mathematics materials will accelerate the designing of new curriculum materials and translation efforts.

WWW.k-12math.info's in the "early years" came out as a series of memeographed publications. The information was displayed in spreadsheet format. The final edition was a trilingual edition, which had international distribution. Some discussion was had on setting up an international database of information within the UNESCO, unfortunately with the United States pulling out its support of the UNESCO the project died.

Shortly after the last paper edition came out, the personal computer came upon the scene. Using Applesoft for the Apple II computers; and GWBASIC for the PCs a series of floppy disks were produced and distributed. Several years after the first distribution, Kinko's through its Academic Courseware Exchange program handled the distribution.

The Basics

This no cost easy to use, trilingual (English, Spanish and French) website www.k-12math.info provides information on where and how 1,000 commonly used mathematics terms are being used in elementary and secondary school student textbooks series. The mathematics textbook series span 30 years (includes: Houghton Mifflin; Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich; Glencoe, McGraw-Hill; D.C.Heath and others). The 135,000 pieces of information are displayed in spreadsheet format by term and in grade level order.

Electronic textbook requirements 1

In addition to reducing our destruction of the world’s forests to create paper textbooks; one of the advantages of having textbooks on electric media is that links can be set up. Good writers will not only set up links within a lesson that will help the slow learner, but also links that help keep the interest of the fast learners. Maybe the mechanics might be - a right click of the mouse which will send the slow learner to help screens, while a left click of the mouse will send the learner to age appropriate interesting enrichment activities. Wiki and lesson developers like Exe need to develop multiple linking capabilities.

Need to develop Wiki systems that can store graded vocabulary.

Every human activity has a vocabulary associated with it. Established activities have set vocabularies. This means the vocabulary is learned in a set manner. An athlete can not perform; a manufacturing company can not produce; a commercial enterprise can not expand, a child can not learn unless there is a graded vocabulary associated with the activity. While an understanding of the vocabulary does not guarantee success, it does give an advantage and confidence to the one who understands and uses that vocabulary.

Please note.

www.K-12math.info is not affiliated with any other website of a similar name. www.k-12math.info only purpose is to provide information on k-12 mathematics. K-12math.info has never been funded by any publisher of mathematics materials. On occasion publishers and users who find this website useful, have sent textbooks to be reviewed – always appreciated, thank you. Jim Kelly

Positioning for Success.

One of the purposes of this site is to help materials’ developers to position their resources for success. To use vocabulary that is not appropriate for the grade level, guarantees that the resource will be ignored. A simple example is the use of the word Natural Number in the title of a resource for first graders. While it maybe mathematically correct to use that term, the first grade teacher will most likely not even look at the resource. A check under whole numbers category in this website shows that the term Natural Number is not used in textbooks until the seventh grade. Interestingly the seventh grade teacher will also ignore the resource as the author has set it for the first grade. So a great resource fails to help anyone learn. Hopefully authors will check out resources like k-12math.info to position their resources for success.

Textbooks have entered the electronic age

Like Kodak textbook publishers have begun to move. My son, who started 12th grade this year, surprised me last night by telling me that his 7 pound $102 Physics textbook is not going to see much sun light this year, as his school will be using exclusively the online version of the textbook. He tells me that next year the mathematics department will be moving to online versions of their textbooks. Checking Google for online mathematics textbooks turned up the fact that the most widely used textbook publishers in the United States have indeed joined the electronic revolution. While at present the sites seem to be literally copies of their textbooks, it does not take much imagination that the smart boards in my son’s classrooms are going to host some very creative concept developments and applications in the near future.

Standards - some comments

California and Florida standards were chosen because of the population diversity within those states. Hopefully that diversity is reflected in the standards. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Google's translating system was used to help in translation efforts.

Creating a lesson or an entire mathematics curriculum.

An automated system needs the following steps -
1. Select the language to be used. (Translating the mathematics terms of this system into local languages is a very important step in improving mathematical learning.)
2. Select the age (or age range). (System will create a list of terms)
3. Select terms from the list of terms (Links to information will be activated). Add terms that are not in the list of terms.
4. Select the information needed (Bibliography, Standards, examples, worksheets, tests).
5. Print.

Where are textbooks going?

As Kodak camera successfully moved from a paper based to an electronic based system; so will the world’s education systems move from a textbook based to an electronic media system. Increasing textbook costs (and weight), the length of the developmental cycle in creating new textbook series, environmental concerns, and increasingly creative audio/visual lessons that make learning more real and timely will accelerate the change. The success of electronic media will depend on a clear understanding of why textbooks have been a successful media for the last 60 years. Devices like Amazon's Kindle, Sony's Portable Reader, ECTACO jetBook reader, eBookwise-1150 and similar devices will replace textbooks. They will provide all the information, exercises and testing functions that textbooks provide plus a personalizing of the curriculum for life long learning.