February 18, 2009

Alliance evaluators study innovative tool used for teaching math

The Education Alliance recently completed a Phase I evaluation study of the software application FluidMath, which is being developed by Fluidity Software Inc. and a Brown University Computer Science research team. The study was conducted as part of a Small Business Innovation research grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.

FluidMath enables teachers and students to create, solve, graph and animate math and science problems on the screen of a Tablet PC via their own hand-written math symbols and sketches. The feasibility of using FluidMath in classroom instruction was assessed based on the tool's technical functionality and usability, and the affordances that the tool provided to facilitate learning. Based on data and findings from the Phase I pilot study of the implementation of FluidMath in the classroom, Alliance evaluators proposed recommendations for improved functionality that will serve as a foundation for further development. To continue this work, the Alliance has submitted three additional proposals to extend the use of FluidMath in educational settings.