Calculation Nation® uses the power of the Web to let students challenge opponents from anywhere in the world. At the same time, students are able to challenge themselves by investigating significant mathematical content and practicing fundamental skills. The element of competition adds an extra layer of excitement.
“The games on Calculation Nation® provide an entertaining environment where students can explore rich mathematics,” said Jim Rubillo, Executive Director of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). “Through these games, students are exposed to the same mathematical topics that they see in class as well as those that are recommended in Curriculum Focal Points.”
Calculation Nation® is part of the NCTM Illuminations project, which offers Standards-based resources that improve the teaching and learning of mathematics for all students. Its materials illuminate the vision for school mathematics set forth in NCTM’s Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and Curriculum Focal Points.
Illuminations is also part of Thinkfinity.org, a comprehensive educational website funded by the Verizon Foundation to provide free educational resources to parents, teachers, and students. Thinkfinity.org is the cornerstone of Verizon Foundation’s literacy, education and technology initiatives. The goal of Thinkfinity.org is to improve student achievement in traditional classroom settings and beyond by providing high-quality content and extensive professional development training.
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership and professional development to support teachers in ensuring equitable mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students.
M. Klawe, and E. Phillips. CSCL '95: The first international conference on Computer support for collaborative learning, page 209--213. Mahwah, NJ, USA, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., (1995)
M. Cerulli, A. Chioccariello, and E. Lemut. 5th CERME conference - congress of European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Larnaca, Cyprus, (2007)
L. Lee. Approaches to algebra: perspectives for research and teaching, Kluwer Academic Publishers, p 102
… it is much of a challenge to demonstrate that functions, modelling, and problem solving are all types of generalizing activities, that algebra and indeed all of mathematics is about generalizing patterns.
p 103
The history of the science of algebra is the story of the growth of a technique for representing of finite patterns.
The notion of the importance of pattern is as old as civilization. Every art is founded on the study of patterns.
Mathematics is the most powerful technique for the understanding of pattern, and for the analysis of the relationships of patterns.(1996)