In 1998, the Rochester Public Schools/IBM Reinventing Education partnership launched with the goal of improving student learning in mathematics and science. The project centered around the implementation of Visual Venture, software that uses image-processing technology to provide students with computer-based images and videos of scientific phenomena -- not available in traditional science classrooms. Students use the technology to manipulate and measure "real world" images as a way of more readily leaning abstract mathematical concepts. Working with the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Mayo Foundation and SciMath MN, the partnership provided staff development and technology to expand the project into six additional school districts, which are part of the Rochester Area Math/Science Partnership Schools.
In a second phase of the grant, the project was expanded to support improved teacher instruction. Teachers in Rochester are using Riverdeep Learning Village to create standards-based lesson plans, which are juried by peers to ensure their quality and effectiveness before they are shared with other teachers through a district-wide database. Teachers also are designing their own Web pages to provide information to parents and students on homework, upcoming tests, and other classroom and school events.
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