Math4Team/FAQ

Welcome to the Math4Team FAQ! The aim of this page is to provide an up-to-date list of common questions that we get about the Math4 Project. We encourage you to answer questions and keep these pages organized.
 * To ask the Math4Team a question, please post questions here.

See the Community FAQ for more answers.

What is the goal of the project?

 * The goal is to...
 * ...create a complete collection of modular educational activities...
 * ...consisting exclusively of free software and free content...
 * ...each targeted at a defined learning objective as defined by the curriculum framework for 4th grade math as defined by the State of Massachusetts.

What is the goal of a [Math4] activity?

 * What is *crucial* is the notion that activities -- regardless of how they are built and how they teach -- must be
 * aligned to quantifiable learning objectives (see curriculum framework above)
 * modular (ergo SWAPPABLE)
 * measure mastery of the learning objective.

Who is the target recipient of the activities we create?

 * Charter schools, Homeschool Associations, poor rural schools -- i.e., underserved markets who are willing to try to use computers to teach kids in nontraditional ways.

Can I work on a Curriculum Topic even if someone has already signed up?

 * Yes. What we're trying to do is create a dynamic learning system that will teach not just the majority of children, but all children. That means we'll need more than one activity covering each of the points in the frame work.  In fact we could need a minimum of 4 for each point on the framework before we'll have a comprehensive system to offer.  Visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles for info on why a minimum of 4.

I've never developed Open Source Software before. What is it like?

 * See this Welcome page for a short introduction.