Volume 7, No. 1, Spring 2003

Contents | Seeing Math | Video Case | Resources | Atoms | PDF Version

CC Resource Center Offers Free Software and Curriculum

By Robert Tinker

We have developed exciting software, curricula, and tools that are available to you - for free! We hope you will use these materials, distribute them, critique them, and tell us about your experiences.

You do not need to be a member of the Concord Consortium to get these materials, but we encourage you to join at our Web site. Joining is free and easy, and you will not be added to any of our mailing lists unless you so request. We just like to know who is using our software. As a member, you'll also have access to a community discussion area for sharing stories of your successes or for troubleshooting technical glitches.

To access these materials, go to our Web site and click on the CC Resource Center. You'll find additional information and detailed instructions for downloading software and other tools. There are several kinds of material from which to pick and choose, according to your subject area or research interest. Whatever interests bring you here, we hope you'll find something you can use.

With this dynamics modeling activity, students learn vector addition while helping the pirate find the treasure.

Genetics Modeling Activities. The BioLogica software consists of 13 stand-alone activities that enable students to learn classical genetics through guided exploration. There are also assessments and an open-ended version.

Molecular Modeling Activities. There are 14 activities and associated curricula that use molecular dynamics models to allow students to explore the ways atoms and molecules determine the basic properties of matter. Activities cover diffusion, phase change, compression, heat transfer, the gas laws, dissolving, and osmosis.

Dynamics Modeling Activities. Five activities focus on vectors and elastic collisions, topics addressed in middle school physical science and physics.

The Concord Modeling Workbench. This large collection of activities uses molecular dynamics along with an authoring environment that allows you to make your own student activities. The content is similar to the modeling activities listed above, but also includes chemical reactions and protein conformation. (See also "Experimenting with Atoms and Molecules" on page 10.)

Sustainable Future Applications. Three applications and curriculum units help learners think about the future. For example, the simple "What If? Builder" allows students to create and share branching stories that have alternative endings. Also available are the "Ecological Footprint Calculator" and the "Community Planner."

Video Case Studies. We currently have a video case study of the use of a pan balance for developing a sense of equivalence. This case study features professional video segments linked to student work, class notes, standards, and commentary. This can be used as a stimulus for discussions and reflection on elementary or middle school mathematics teaching practice. (Due to the nature of these materials, we will need to verify your educator status before you can view this case study.)

VideoPaper Builder 2 (VPB2). This application simplifies the creation of classroom video case studies. The resulting case studies can be used to stimulate reflection on teaching strategies. (For additional information on VPB2, see "Reflecting on Monday's Lesson Using VideoPaper Builder 2" on page 6.)

This list will expand, so please return to the CC Resource Center regularly for new software. Additional materials - including NetLogo activities, molecular biology models, and a system dynamics package - are under development. Members can request email notification when additions or updates are available.

All our software is open source, which means there will never be a charge for it and others are welcome to improve on it. As a result, many people will be able to support the software into the future.

Please use these materials and share them with your colleagues. They are all based on solid instructional theory and most have been tested in classrooms. The materials share an educational vision that uses student exploration of models and tools to revolutionize learning. Help us realize this dream.

Robert Tinker (bob@concord.org) is President of the Concord Consortium.

The projects described in this newsletter are supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the Noyce Foundation and others. All opinions, findings, and recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies. Mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations does not imply endorsement.

All Contents Copyright © 2002 The Concord Consortium. All rights reserved.