Chapter 12: Refreshing Mathematics Instruction through Motion, Technology, and A Research Collaboration

Imagine a classroom where students and teachers do not just study mathematics, but actually see it, hear it, even feel it as mathematical phenomena occur in their midst. Imagine students who can relate mathematical concepts to experiences in their own lives, because they have had a chance to experiment with physical embodiments of those concepts. Imagine a classroom where students and teachers work together to pose problems; articulate, develop and test solutions; and describe the inevitable surprising results they find. This chapter describes how the classroom described above became a reality for my students and me², and how my collaboration with the TERC Mathematics of Change Research Group³ (MCRG) has influenced my practice and my students’ ability to work together towards the common goal of mastering mathematical concepts through exploring physical motion with technology.