Interactive Mathematics Program: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:30, 15 October 2021

Revision as of 04:35, 22 January 2023

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On the other hand, some IMP students describe the program in positive terms. "It's fun, but it makes you really think," according to Ziouck Gonzalez, a student at Wells High School in Chicago, Illinois. Looking beyond student response, IMP was one of five mathematics education programs designated "exemplary" by the US Education Department in 1999, for "outstanding quality and demonstrated effectiveness."<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_puca/is_199910/ai_2981414283] "Expert Panel Selects Exemplary, Promising Mathematics Programs," US Education Department Press Release, October 6, 1999</ref> It's About Time, the publisher of IMP, points out “the IMP first edition was published after more than 10 years of research, pilot testing, evaluating, field testing, revising, and detailed reviewing.”<ref>[http://www.mathimp.org/downloads/IMPWhitePaper.pdf] “Research Supporting the Interactive Mathematics Program”</ref>

Supporters point to statistical studies that compare the performance of students enrolled in IMP courses with their peers enrolled in traditional high school mathematics courses. Merlino and Wolff, two such researchers, report that in their several studies IMP students consistently outperformed traditionally taught students on both the math and verbal sections of the [[PSAT/NMSQT|PSAT]], as well as on the SAT-9.<ref>[http://www.gphillymath.org/StudentAchievement/Reports/SupportData/Part1Intro.htm] Merlino, J. and Wolff, E: ''Assessing the Costs/Benefits of an NSF “Standards-Based Secondary Mathematics Curriculum on Student Achievement'', Philadelphia, PA: The Greater Philadelphia Secondary Mathematics Project, 2001</ref> Kramer reported that grade 12 IMP students in his study performed better on all areas of mathematics tested by the NAEP test,<ref>[http://lmt.mspnet.org/media/data/IMP_block.pdf?media_000000002049.pdf] Kramer, S: “The Joint Impact of Block Scheduling and a Standards-Based Curriculum on High School Algebra Achievement and Mathematics Course Taking” (doctrinal dissertation), University of Maryland, 2003 [DEAD LINK]</ref> and Webb and Dowling reported IMP students performed significantly better on statistics questions from the Second International Mathematics Study, on mathematical reasoning and problem solving tasks designed by the State of Wisconsin, and on a quantitative reasoning test developed by a university to administer to entering students.<ref>Webb, N. and Dowling, M: “Comparison of IMP Students with Students Enrolled in Traditional Courses on Probability, Statistics, Problem Solving, and Reasoning,” ''Project Report 97-1'', University of Wisconsin – Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research, 1997</ref> Taos High School began using the Interactive Math Program (IMP) in the 2006-072006–07 school year. After three years of IMP classes, the initial cohort of 134 Taos High School juniors took the state mandated 11th grade Standards Based Assessment (SBA) in April, 2009. The SBA places students in one of four groups: Beginning Steps, Nearing Proficiency, Proficient and Advanced. The test results were compared with the SBA test scores of the previous two cohorts of juniors who had taken the SBA test after three years of traditional math instruction. The state test placed 53% of the 2009 IMP cohort in the proficient or advanced categories while the 2008 traditional math cohort’scohort's proficiency rating was 43% and the 2007 cohort’scohort's was 38%; roughly a combined 12% less than the IMP students (p < 0.025). The performance of the 2009 juniors was also analyzed over time. In 2006, the 2009 juniors were in 8th grade and 40% tested proficient or above in the 8th grade SBA. After three years of IMP, the percentage of these same students who now tested proficient or better had risen to 52% (p < .05). Students from the IMP cohort subsequently attended colleges and universities such as Stanford, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, University of New Mexico and New Mexico State, among many others.

==See also==