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In the first stage of the project, a web-based environment for learning math was created. The programming work was done in Moscow, and a team of education experts created a curriculum for the study of ratios and proportions.
The system had many different modes of learning, including Guided Study, where students were taught by an animated character, “the RM Genie,” Classroom Mode, where students received lessons from online tutors, and the Game Room, where they could compete playing problem solving games. For more detailed descriptions of the modes, see RM’s internal report, Description and Evaluation of Reasoning Mind’s 2003 Pilot Project. |
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The curriculum design team created an enormous amount of mathematical content. Besides ten units of theory material on ratios, rates and proportions – together with theory exercises, graphics and animations explaining theoretical concepts – there were 16 units of review material and over 6,000 problems in the database, all with hints and detailed solutions. There were also 100 math riddles and an interactive game, “Dino Island,” added to the system in mid-April. Students had access to the entire curriculum through the reference section, which also offered a comprehensive glossary of middle school math terms, comprehensive unit conversion tables, and the most useful divisibility tests.
The curriculum itself was created with great flexibility; the individuals comprising the team – among Moscow’s leading grade-school education experts – brought their knowledge to bear on the design of the learning algorithm. The result was a complex system capable of suspecting problems in theory comprehension, giving students diagnostic problems to verify or reject these suspicions, and then setting appropriate diagnoses and acting on those diagnoses – either suggesting that the student review some theory pages, or recommending the student for a lesson with a tutor.
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For everything the students did in the system, they were given points. The number of points varied depending on the task completed; a more difficult problem was worth more points than an easy one, and using a hint lowered the point value of a problem.
When a student had earned enough points, he or she could exchange the points for prizes. Also, points gave students immediate feedback on how well they were doing.
In addition to points and prizes, students received certificates of achievement based on their performance in the system. These certificates were awarded for mastering topics, and higher levels of mastery earned "Advanced Level" and "Highest Level" certificates. |
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