Game Design for Education (CU Boulder)
Blackboard Learning System (Stanford)
TRAILS and The Math Forum

Writing a tPoW (Technology Problem of the Week)

Guidelines: When designing math prompts/problems, it helps if:

  1. you identify the users: only require the math they know or that you can give them in the problem
  2. you focus on an important core concept or skill - not too much reading
  3. the prompt is intriguing, either because of the real-world context or because of it's simplicity or counter-intuitiveness
  4. the problem requires integration or application of knowledge, not simply memory and straightforward application of method
  5. the problem should have a clear interpretation unless intentionally ambiguous
  6. the tasks or questions to be answered are clearly identified
  7. you use clear, concise language

Examples of the "math prompt" part of a tPoW: Math Forum Problems of the Week:

Applet List:

Balance Beam Applet
    http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/users/pavel/java/balance/

Circle Graph
    http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/piecharttool/index.html

Floor Tiles
    http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/quadtess/index.html

Isometric Geoboard
    http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/frames_asid_129_g_3_t_3.html

Pattern Blocks
    http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/frames_asid_169_g_1_t_2.html

Pie Chart
    http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/piechart/index.html

Polyominoes
    http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/frames_asid_115_g_1_t_2.html

Problem Solving: Distance, Rate, Time
    http://www.analyzemath.com/distancespeed/distancespeed.html

Slope Slider
    http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/slopeslider/index.html

Surface Area and Volume
    http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/sa_volume/index.html

Three Dimensional Box Applet
    http://www.mste.uiuc.edu/users/carvell/3dbox/

Understanding Distance, Time, Speed
    http://standards.nctm.org/document/eexamples/chap5/5.2/standalone.htm

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0205625.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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