Startup MathWorlds

Character

Dialogue

Teacher:

You might remember that I'm Al Gore from Hilary Clinton Middle School?
(answers in audio conferencing line, not text chat)

Mentor:

Right! Clinton's former vice-president! As I recall, you decided to reinvent yourself as a teacher. That way, you could help build that bridge (the teacher chimes in with audio echoing of "build that bridge") to the mathematics learning of the 21st century.

Teacher:

Yes, I am finding that getting inner city middle school students to learn calculus is certainly more useful than politics!

Mentor:

 And more rewarding than becoming President perhaps? Welcome. What's up?

Teacher:

I've just used MathWorlds for the first time with my class, and I have a few questions.

Mentor:

Great. I know a bit about MathWorlds, let me see if I can help. First let's go into the Learning Studio so we can share a version of MathWorlds. I will start it up on your screen for you. (Mentor starts up SimCalc)

Narrator:

Note how the MUVE has provided an integrated source of extensive information resources--MathWorlds as one among many things for teachers to use that they may reach via Math Forum--and a source of social resources--TPD supporters like the mentor. Both kinds of resources are crucial for making the web the kind of social place where diverse stakeholders in learning can collaborate toward improving learning with technology.

Teacher:

Sure, I can see MathWorlds now on my screen.

(Teacher and Mentor bring up MathWorlds on both Mac monitors, do initial log-in sequence).

Narrator:

Shared representations are important. Learners and teachers require a common ground of conversational props as they seek to make sense of a problem situation. Highly interactive, multi-turned conversations can support the construction of new understandings with such mediating representations. This networked version of MathWorlds allows students or teachers to share mathematical functions.

It is also noteworthy that socializing is important to build trust before entering a mentoring relationship; rich support for virtual places provides diverse activities in which teachers and mentors can get to know one another.