College of Education Researcher Receives Grant to Help Teachers in Richmond County Integrate Technology, Mathematics

Chandra Orrill, a research scientist in the College of Education’s Learning and Performance Support Laboratory (LPSL), has received a federal grant to work with a group of elementary school teachers to enhance student mathematical thinking and problem solving.

The Technology Integration in Mathematics project is funded by a $52,623 Higher Education-Improving Teacher Quality Grant (No Child Left Behind, Title II Part A). It begins in July and goes through May 2006.

“The goal of the program is to improve mathematics instruction through the integration of technology and the use of open-ended mathematic problems,” explains Orrill.

She, along with Denise Mewborn, an associate professor of mathematics and science education, and Sybilla Beckmann Kazez, an associate professor of mathematics, and graduate students Andrew Tyminski and Ernise Singleton, will work with 24 teachers in third through fifth grades from four elementary schools in Richmond County.

Although this is the fourth time the Technology Integration in Mathematics project has been funded, this is the first time they will work with teachers in Richmond County.

Building from other initiatives in the school district, Orrill will help teachers develop skills for using technology in ways that align with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards, growing as reflective practitioners and increasing strategies for teaching mathematics.

Throughout this year-long professional development program Orrill will use the Evidence-Based Inquiry System, a model developed by Michael Hannafin, director of LPSL, and Art Recesso, an associate research scientist in LPSL.

Teachers participating in the project will attend a 20-hour, face-to-face workshop over the summer. During the school year, they will meet for several workshop sessions as well as participate in designing and implementing lesson plans that integrate technology and open-ended mathematics.

Orrill received her Ph.D. in instructional systems technology from Indiana University and has served as a research scientist at UGA since 2000.

Monday, May 23, 2005

WRITER: Nicole Richardson, 706/542-5889, nrichard@uga.edu
CONTACT: Chandra Orrill, 706/583-0879, corrill@uga.edu