Frequently Asked Questions regarding K-12math.info

Frequently Asked Questions
Information
1. Why does k-12math.info exist?
To help anyone “… to help a 7 year old (second grader) to add whole numbers” . Be they classmates, parents of, teacher of, school content coordinator, reference librarians, materials developer, curriculum designers, undergraduates and graduate students who are preparing to help.
In this information age, how can we improve the way to help those who help that 7 year old so that their learning opportunity will not be lost?
www.K-12math.info has redesigned the approach to finding information. K-12math.info focuses only on the terms and resources that the elementary and secondary learner needs to be successful in mathematics. A simple to use [no typing needed] user interface to accelerate searches is used. Information is displayed in a “calendar style” format, with over 6 500+ (March 2020) links to OER and Open Access resources.

2. Why is there no cost (or “sign in” requirement) to use this globally recognized open access e-learning resource?
K-12math.info has been fortunate enough to find very economical ways to handle most of the requirements needed to provide this information resource.
In addition in the 1980’s, managing a sole proprietorship (Mathematics Information System - MathIS ) and working with Kinko’s Academic Courseware Exchange to provide information on floppy disk media were not financially satisfying and took too much time. The present media mode - the Internet - is much easier to work with, cost less and serves the global community.

3. Why are spreadsheets used to display the information in k-12math.info?
Like calendars, which are spreadsheets, they provide a broader scope of detail on a single page, which makes it easier to locate information quickly. The format also helps learning communities to develop programs in their language to meet their elementary and secondary school mathematics needs [interestingly the spreadsheets in k-12math.info can be copied into an online spreadsheets with both the text and URLs being copied. A simple spreadsheet program could be written that could automatically create a bibliography that could be used to help teach or write the materials].

4. Why does K-12math.info have a universal copyright notice on it?
Many years ago the website teachingOERmath.info was licensed under Creative Commons and submitted to their OER website library. To date the open access k-12math.info website with the standard copyright notice has brought much more user feedback and comments.

5. Why does K-12math.info include information on “early” math programs?
k-12math.info recognizes that a learning community’s mathematical needs change over time. By including programs from different times, content and content patterns from those periods can be understood and used in developing new materials.
Double [triple ...] digit inflation occurring in a learning community will bring about mathematics curriculum changes “… to help a 7 year old (second grader) to add whole numbers”.
The present concern over the accuracy of information in daily life situations might prompt present day mathematics materials developers to go back to materials used in the 1970’s, to understand why “logic” and “estimating” terms were integral components in elementary and secondary school mathematics.

6. Accuracy of the information in K-12math.info?
Half of the time on this project is working on insuring the accuracy of the information and content patterns in this resource. Inconsistencies and incorrect information are corrected quickly.

7. Why do some resources not make it into k-12math.info content spreadsheets?
They either do not allow their content to be catalogued [Cost!] or they lack clarity on who the materials are intended for [Is this for the third, fourth or fifth grade?]

8. Will k-12math.info continue into the future?
While OER efforts seem to be going the way of floppy disks, educational films and filmstrips (in the United States), there will always be a need to know what is the content of a subject and where to find it. Hopefully some type of quick and easy to use information system will be there helping.

9. Where did the 1 000 terms used in k-12math.info come from?
Early in the 1970's a cataloging of the content of many student textbook series and an extensive collection of the School Mathematics Study Group's (SMSG) series in the libraries at the University at Buffalo--SUNY and Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio yielded the 1 000 terms used in k-12math.info. The list of terms have not been changed in over the last 45 years. Which terms are used varies based on the needs of the learning community that created the mathematics materials.

10. Who developed K-12math.info?
k-12math.info and teachingOERmath.info are the efforts of a person who has spent most of his life providing information to people and organizations who make things happen. Recognition by leaders in education and the United Nations [see the Honors link ] have kept this top 5 star open education resource and its’ earlier media versions going. Lack of funding but working in information providing jobs has given the developer an understanding of what users need to know to succeed and ways to provide it economically. K-12math.info follows those patterns to help improve elementary and secondary school mathematics understanding.

11. Does K-12math.info use cookies?
k-12math.info does not use cookies. On several occasions Google Analytics [which does use cookies] was used to determine global interest [they reported 80 countries visited the site with 1,645 users (update). The top 4 countries were the: United States, United Kingdom, Russia, and Brazil]. K-12math.info will let our users know if cookies are used.

12. Where are the 12th grade textbooks?
For historical reasons in the United States, 11th and 12th grade mathematics materials were combined into the 11th grade textbook. Schools select the materials that would be used in the two grade levels.

13. Translation efforts
The original Spanish and French translations used on this website came from efforts done in the 1970’s (for the paper and floppy disk editions). Revision efforts are now (August 2021) underway. Google, WordReference and comments made by users have been very useful. Thank you very much; and Thank you for your patience. Please send comments to k-12math(at)sbcglobal(dot)net.

14. How is k-12math.info used to design new materials?
A simple example would be what content is necessary to prepare learners to work with an existing 6th through 12 grade mathematics series? Back in 2014 [and to this day] it seems that the CK-12.org's mathematics textbook series needed some suggestions for the k-5th grade materials. A modest proposal of what content and where and how it was to be developed was put together. It is in the link How is it used to create new materials? just above the Global Resources: section in the left column.

15. Can k-12math.info be used in artificial intelligence applications?
Obviously, using the 1 000 terms the learner is expected to use and the 1 000 plus spreadsheets available in k-12math.info would provide a memory map that could be used in an AI device! Also patterns not only of what age a learner will be when learning a term, but also patterns of content development over multiple grade levels.
To help anything “… to help a 7 year old (second grader) to add whole numbers”.

Note: www.K-12math.info is not a commercial site or funded by any organization.
It is not affiliated with any website of a similar name.
The views expressed in this site are those of its creator: Jim Kelly
Send comments and questions to: k-12math(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Frequently Asked Questions Information

Frequently Asked Questions
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