Breathtaking advances in technology are having a profound effect upon the way instructors can teach and students can learn mathematics and the physical sciences (MPS) in college curricula. Databases, digital libraries, modeling software, sensors, and other current and emerging technologies are redefining both the tools and boundaries of MPS education. Analyzing current and potential capabilities of these technologies associated with teaching and learning involves a complex interplay of technological, pedagogical, and political issues. In many respects, the emergence of these new technologies affords an opportunity to enhance student learning across the broad spectrum of postsecondary educational institutions and MPS disciplines, and to create a more learning-focused culture in the MPS undergraduate instructional community.  To explore such issues in detail, informed by and connected to K-12 MPS education, a workshop is planned for leaders from areas that contribute to and are impacted by these technological advances.

The workshop, set for July 20-22 in Arlington, Va., is organized around various themes such as identifying and assessing various approaches toward implementing new technology, reviewing the impact of undergraduate research, and projecting future opportunities and directions.

Eight sessions are planned. Their titles are:

1. "What are the issues?" A "big picture" overview of the workshop theme
2. "What’s out there?" A sampling of the state of the art in information technology, tools for investigating math and physical sciences, pedagogical methods, and course management
3. "What works and how do we know?" Assessment and evaluation issues
4. "What are the principles underlying the effective use of technology?" A cognitive science perspective
5. "What are new paradigms for undergraduate research?"
6. "Where are we going? The Brave New World and Pitfalls"
7. "Where are we going?  Institutional and Infrastructural perspectives"
8. "How do we get there?"

For Futher Information Contact: Arthur B. Ellis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, PI (ellis@chem.wisc.edu).

HOME | INTRODUCTION | LOCAL INFORMATION | REPORT
AGENDA | PARTICIPANTS | SPEAKERS
WEB BOARD | LINKS | CREDITS

National Science Foundation

Wisconsin Center for Education Research
Copyright ©1999, The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System
Last Update: 10 November 1999