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MINDSET: Mathematics INstruction using Decision Science and Engineering Tools


MINDSET is a five year NSF funded project to design, implement, and evaluate a new fourth year high school mathematics curriculum based on the mathematical tools developed in operations research and industrial engineering, two disciplines located at the university level that address using mathematics to solve problems in business and industry.  The project was developed to provide an alternative to the pre-calculus/calculus classes for students who are now required by law to take four years of high school mathematics in North Carolina and Michigan.

There are three primary goals for the project:

1.    Develop a curriculum that will enhance high school students’ mathematical knowledge and skills, especially their ability to formulate and solve multi-step problems and to interpret the results

2.    Develop a curriculum that will Improve student’s attitude toward mathematics, especially those from underrepresented groups, and thereby motivate them to study mathematics

3.    Obtain adoption at the state level of the curriculum initially in North Carolina and Michigan, and then in other states

In addition to writing and evaluating the new curriculum, the project is providing professional development and classes to help teachers learn and implement the new mathematics. Most teachers are from Wake County Schools. Support in the form of website and onsite support will allow the teachers to provide instruction in this new course. More information is available at mindsetproject.org.

This project addresses the Friday Institute’s goals of improving 21st century teaching and learning as well as education innovation in the area of new curriculum. The 5-year project will end in August 2012.

PROJECT TEAM