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InterMath |
Probability
and Statistics Course Syllabus, Summer, 2004 |
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Instructor: Jacquie Allison
Office Address:
706-823-6924
Office Hours: Upon request.
Important Information:
InterMath Website
http://www.intermath-uga.gatech.edu
Click here to get detailed instructions to access and modify
your homepage and publish write-ups.
ClickHere
to see a list of probability and statistics articles from MathematicsTeaching
in the Middle Grades.
ClickHere
to see a list of probability and statistics books with additional activities.
ClickHere to see an additional list of probability
and statistics related web sites.
Click Here to find a TI
83 Plus tutorial
Course Policies:
This course will
concentrate on using various software applications to solve mathematics problems,
to organize pedagogical demonstrations, and to set up problem explorations. All
materials for the course are maintained by an Internet Webpage site and
students will create and use web documents in the course.
The emphasis is on
exploration of various mathematics contexts to learn mathematics, to pose
problems and problem extensions, to solve problems, and to communicate
mathematical demonstrations.
The following
technologies will be used:
GeometersSketchpad
4.04 (from http://www.keypress.com/)
GraphingCalculator
3.2 (from http://www.pacifict.com/)
Spreadsheets (recommend Microsoft Excel)
Hand Held Calculators such as TI-81, TI-82, or TI-83+ (TI: Texas Instruments)
WebPage
Browser (recommend Netscape 7.0 or InternetExplorer)
Web Page Authoring Tool (recommend Microsoft Front Pageor
Microsoft Word)
2. GOALS ADDRESSED
Participants will:
· Expand and strengthen their
mathematical knowledge and capabilities, specifically in the domain of
probability and statistics by investigating challenging probability and
statistics problems
· Engage in problem solving by
identifying patterns, forming conjectures, and developing proofs through the
use of technology
· Use mathematics-specific technologies
such as dynamic geometry software, graphing programs, spreadsheets, and the Internet
to explore probability and statistics investigations
· Write and post online solution
processes to the investigations using web page development software
· Develop instructional activities and
strategies that incorporate technology-enhanced mathematical investigations
· Develop a network of peer educators
available for continued support during and following the workshop
3. IMPROVEMENT PRACTICES
Participants will gain
knowledge and practice in developing instructional activities and strategies
for teaching probability and statistics in the middle school classroom in order
to positively affect student achievement. Participants will also improve their
own mathematical competencies in the area of probability and statistics.
4. COMPETENCIES
Participants will be able
to:
· Select and use appropriate
technological software to explore, analyze, and represent probability and
statistics problems
· Communicate their mathematical
thinking by expressing their reasoning, analysis, and extensions of the
mathematical concepts associated with an investigation in written, verbal, and
visual forms
· Modify probability and statistics
investigations for appropriate use in classroom
· Make connections between InterMath
Probability and Statistics experiences and standards-based reform documents,
such as the NCTM standards
5. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
As a result of this
course, participants will demonstrate their ability to:
· Incorporate technology into the
learning and teaching probability and statistics concepts
· Communicate mathematical
understanding of a variety of probability and statistics concepts in the form
of an online portfolio of investigation solutions
· Plan instructional activities based
on InterMath Probability and Statistics experiences
6. COURSE REQUIREMENTS&
ASSESSMENT
Participants will be
assessed on the content and quality of their online portfolios. Feedback and
suggested modifications for a select number of write-ups will be provided
throughout the workshop. Assessment will be based on use of representation,
analysis, appropriate selection and use of technological tools, creation of
extensions, and accuracy of mathematics. In addition to the investigation
write-ups, the participants will also create two independent mathematics
lessons and one group lesson that integrate technology and probability
and statistics for use in their own classroom. Students will read and review
two articles from appropriate journals. Students will maintain a reflective
journal starting with the initial class meeting.
Electronic Journal: As a part of this course, you are expected to maintain a reflective
journal. This journal is a log of your experiences within the course. It should
include thoughts about new skills and accomplishments that you acquire;
critical incidents that occur; and your thoughts and feelings about content
(mathematics/probability and statistics investigations) and technology. If you
are experiencing difficulty keeping a journal, discuss it with your instructor
who can provide you with additional suggestions and assistance.
Electronic Portfolio of Write-ups: Each person will develop a personal
Web Page for the course. There will be a set of "Write-up" projects.
These are the "homework" for the course. Participants are required to
create at least six write-ups, three for probability and three for
statistics (though some may overlap). Each Write-up will be prepared as
a Microsoft Word document and linked to your personal web page.
What is a write-up?
The
"write-ups" represent your synthesis and presentation of a
mathematics investigation you have done --usually under the direction of one of
the assignments. The major point is that it convincingly communicates what you
have found to be important from the investigation. A write-up should
communicate the essential material you have synthesized from your
investigation. The format could be entirely in a word-processing document.
Write-ups should be posted to your personal Web Page. If you work as a team on
a write-up, post the write-up into each team member's Web Page but label
collaborative effort. Criteria should include correct mathematics, use of
technology, and how well you communicate. "Solution" might be another
word for "Write-up."
Clickhere
to see a template for write-ups.
Electronic Portfolio of Lesson Plans: Participants are required to create
two mathematics lessons independently and one mathematics lesson
in a group that integrate technology and probability and statistics for use in
their own classroom. The "lessons" are to be your creations of
material to incorporate technology into classroom lessons. The material can be
individual lessons or a unit of material. Your criteria should be on its
usability in your classroom or in other peoples’ classroom and something you
feel good enough about to share with colleagues over the web.
Clickhere
to see a template for lesson plans.
I.Class 1
A. Introduction to InterMath
B. Introduction to Technology
C. Work through a statistics investigation as a whole class using technology
D. Participants engage in probability investigation as a whole class using
technology
E. Participants complete their first web page write-ups to
include in their online portfolios
F. Continued technological teaching and support (especially with Excel,
TI-83Plus, and the structure of a write-up)
II.Class 2
A. Participants engage in investigations dealing with
theoretical and experimental probabilities.
B. Counting principles
C. Complementary and Conditional events
D. Participants engage in activities dealing with probability and the
calculator to reinforce their graphing calculator skills.
E. Participants complete web page write-ups to include in their online
portfolios.
III.Class 3
A. Participants engage in investigations dealing with
simulating probabilities.
B. Participants engage in investigations dealing with
expected value
C. Participants engage in investigations dealing with
displaying and interpreting data
D. Participants engage in activities dealing with statistics and the calculator
to reinforce their graphing calculator skills
E. Participants complete web page write-ups to include in
their online portfolios
IV. Classes 4
A. Participants engage in the mean, median and mode
investigations
B. Participants will investigate conducting surveys and
sampling.
C. Participants add write-ups to their online portfolios
D. Participants revisit and revise one or more write-ups in
their online portfolio.
E. Each participant creates a technology-enhanced
mathematical investigation for their own classroom.
F. Participants are encouraged to collaborate with each other for ideas and
feedback.
V.Class 5
A. Participants complete investigations based on measures of
dispersion.
B. Participants will collect and analyze data using Ranger
and calculator
C. Participants add write-ups to their online portfolios
D. Participants will add their lesson plan to their on-line
portfolios
VI.Class 6
A. Participants participate in a discussion about the
significance of statistics.
B. Participants engage in investigations based on real-world
statistics.
C. Participants will write a report based on experimental or
observational data.
D. Discuss and brainstorm ideas about modifying InterMath experience for a
middle school mathematics classroom
VII.Class 7
A. Each participant creates a technology-enhanced
mathematical investigation for their own classroom.
B. Participants are encouraged to collaborate with each other for ideas and
feedback.
C. Participants will add their lesson plan to their on-line
portfolios.
VIII.Class 8
A. Each
participant presents their instructional activity to the entire class.
B. If the activity was implemented in the classroom, participant will discuss
what went well, what was difficult, what can be improved, etc.
C. Each participant will take a mathematics exam
9. MATHEMATICAL
CONTENT EXPLORED THROUGHTHE INVESTIGATIONS
(ClickHere
to see a list of selected InterMath investigations clustered for Data Analysis
)
Probability Objectives
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P1. |
To
identify possible outcomes of a simple experiment and calculate the
probability of the event. |
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P2. |
To identify
appropriate counting techniques and calculate possible outcomes. |
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P3. |
To
explore the relationship between experimental and theoretical probabilities
including: making predictions of outcomes, conducting simulations, and
analyzing results of simulations. |
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P4. |
To
conduct a compound experiment and analyze the results. |
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P5. |
To model
situations using simulations. |
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P6. |
To apply
probability in a practical, real-life setting. |
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P7. |
To
explore concepts of chance. |
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P8. |
To calculate
odds and relate them to probability. |
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P9. |
To use
appropriate technology for computation and exploration of probability. |
Statistics Objectives
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S1. |
To
explore and use a variety of data collections methods. |
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S2. |
To formulate
and solve problems that involve collecting and analyzing data. |
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S3. |
To
construct, read, and interpret displays of data (i.e. scatterplots, box and
whisker plot, circle graphs, histograms, bar graphs, stem and leaf plots,
line plots, line graphs, pictographs, frequency distributions). |
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S4. |
To make
inferences and convincing arguments that are based on data analysis. |
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S5. |
To
evaluate arguments that are based on data analysis. |
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S6. |
To develop
an appreciation for statistical methods as a powerful means for decision
making process. |
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S7. |
To
select an appropriate graph and scale for displaying data (i.e. scatterplots,
box and whisker plot, circle graphs, histograms, bar graphs, stem and leaf
plots, line plots, line graphs, pictographs). |
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S8. |
To
describe a set of data using measures of central tendency (mean, median,
mode). |
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S9. |
To
select, justify, and use an appropriate measure of central tendency to describe
a set of data (mean, median, mode). |
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S10. |
To
describe a set of data using measures of dispersion (standard deviation,
variance, range, interquartile range). |
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S11. |
To
select, justify, and use an appropriate measure of dispersion (standard
deviation, variating, range, interquartile). |
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S12. |
To
hypothesize outcomes of experiments. |
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S13. |
To
calculate and interpret measures of position (quartiles, percentiles, median,
stanine, deciles). |
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S14. |
To identify,
locate, and explore resources for real world data (internet, almanacs,
people, census). |
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S15. |
To
design, construct, administer, analyze, and interpret surveys/experiments to
investigate real world problems. |
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S16. |
To
calculate measures of central tendency and dispersion using appropriate
tools. |
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S17. |
To make
predictions and conclusions based on data displays. |
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S18. |
To
recognize when statistics have been used incorrectly (in the media, in polls,
or other interpretations). |
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S19. |
To use
statistics to persuade an audience. |