SmartGraphs
In this project, we're creating and disseminating "SmartGraphs," digital objects that "know" about themselves and that provide scaffolding to students to help them learn about graphs and the concepts graphs convey, in mathematics, science and other subjects.
SmartGraphs Contest Winner!
Congratulations to Jessica Ulcickas for her mathematics activity, Translation of Functions which wins her an iPod Nano and $100 gift certificate.
SmartGraphs runs directly in a Web browser. It is free, and there is nothing to download or install (except Java is needed on a user's computer in order to run activities that use a Vernier GoMotion! Sensor).
Activities lasting one class period or less are available in a variety of subjects, including physical science, algebra, and social science. Click on the Curriculum "tab" above to find and use the existing activities with your students.
The Research "tab" above provides information about research on the use of SmartGraphs conducted with thousands of students and dozens of teachers. Students in a large randomized experimental group outperformed students in the control group at a statistically significant level.
In addition, an authoring system allows teachers, curriculum developers, or others to create and disseminate new SmartGraphs activities. No special programming knowledge is required; instead, authors fill in online forms. When an activity is ready, it can be shared easily by providing students or other users with a URL. Click on the Authoring "tab" above to find out more about and to use the authoring system.
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Activity Spotlight
Motion Toward and Away
Explore different ways of describing motion on a graph.
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DRL-0918522. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
In the fall of 2011, SmartGraphs conducted a randomized experimental trial in 29 Pennsylvania schools. In 14 schools, 17 experimental teachers used SmartGraphs activities with 49 8th and 9th grade Physical Science classes studying the motion of objects (such as position-time and velocity-time graphs). In the other 15 schools, 18 control teachers taught the same topic using the same textbooks, with 42 Physical Science classes. This study sought to answer two research questions. A summary of findings is provided below; for additional information see the paper posted "Being Smart About SmartGraphs."
The first research question was: What do teachers using SmartGraphs physical science activities believe about the software, including how well the software matches important learning goals for the motion unit of study? Based on the 203 sessions when experimental teachers used a SmartGraphs activity with a class, teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the SmartGraphs activities address important learning goals and help students meet those goals. Also, in 99% of the sessions teachers reported they would use the activity again, either exactly as is (63%) or with only minor changes (36%).
The second research question was: Do students who use SmartGraphs activities learn more than comparison students studying the same topic from the same textbooks, but who do not use SmartGraphs activities? To answer this question, nearly 1,700 students completed a pre- and a post-test that included multiple-choice and constructed-response items assessing students' understanding of about a dozen learning goals. The experimental students showed greater gains than the control students on all three measures: multiple-choice items, constructed-response items, and total score (see table below). In each case, the results are statistically significant.
Gain Scores from Pre to Post Test
| Experimental | Control | Significance (p) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 5.07 | 4.30 | .008 |
| Multiple-Choice | 1.16 | 1.07 | .049 |
| Constructed-Response | 4.19 | 3.64 | .043 |
Answers to both research questions were positive, which is encouraging. In addition, we are continuing to do additional research in Pennsylvania in the fall of 2012.
Note: The SmartGraphs project has made use of existing research about students' understanding of graphs and graphing. Two articles that we have found especially useful are "Making sense of graphs: Critical factors influencing comprehension and instructional implications" (Friel, Curcio, & Bright, 2001) and "Representation in school mathematics: Learning to graph and graphing to learn" (Monk, 2003).
SmartGraphs Activities
SmartGraphs activities require the use of an up-to-date Web browser, such as Google Chrome, Apple Safari 4 or above, Mozilla Firefox 3 or above, or Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and above. Click on the activity name to start the activity.
Activities (below) are available for Physical Science, Algebra, and Social Science and Other. In each activity, data persist during the browser session but are not otherwise saved. If you wish there were activities covering additional topics, you may want to create new activities of your own using the authoring system (see the authoring tab).
Physical Science Activities
Motion
Five activities are designed for use in a standard motion unit in Physical Science classes. These activities focus on position-time graphs, velocity-time graphs, and acceleration due to gravity. Each takes 30-40 minutes for students to complete. Portions of the first three activities require use of a motion sensor; the last two do not.
Maria’s Run
Shows that the motion of an object can be described by its position, direction of motion, and speed. (The activity requires a Vernier Go!Motion sensor, an inexpensive device that plugs into your USB port.)
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Motion Toward and Away
Explores different ways of describing motion on a graph. (The activity requires a Vernier Go!Motion sensor, an inexpensive device that plugs into your USB port.)
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
How Fast Am I Moving?
Uses the position of an object at several times to determine the direction and velocity traveled during different time intervals. (The activity requires a Vernier Go!Motion sensor, an inexpensive device that plugs into your USB port.)
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Describing Velocity
Connects the motion of an object to the corresponding position- time and velocity-time graphs to determine the velocity during different intervals.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Was Galileo Right?
Explores the effects of gravity on light and heavy objects during free fall.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Phase Change
Boiling Water
This demo illustrates users’ interactions with graphs in a SmartGraphs activity.
Algebra Activities
These activities are designed for a standard Algebra 1 course. Each one takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Fence Painting
Students investigate the effect of a worker’s work rate on job completion time. Linear graphs are used to display rates over time.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Biker Betty
Students use their knowledge of linear equations to interpret a graph, with a focus on rates and slopes.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Driving to Grandma’s House
This activity was used by the SmartGraphs team to conduct research about student’s understanding of slope, based on three graphs of increasing difficulty.
Translations of Functions!
In this activity students find out what happens to the graph of a function when a constant is added to it, or subtracted from it.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Social Science and Other Activities
Activities can focus on graphs used in social science courses, for example in a Psychology course. College Debt, which focuses on financial literacy, takes about 45 minutes to complete.
College Debt
This activity explores the impact of borrowing varying amounts of money to pay for college and helps students understand financial implications of their plans.
» Lesson Plan and Student Assessment documents are also available.
Activity Spotlight
Motion Toward and Away
Explore different ways of describing motion on a graph.
Learn MoreThe SmartGraphs Authoring System was built using software called Hobo. Just as is the case for the use of a SmartGraphs activity, there is nothing for the user to download or install. The authoring system works directly in a Web browser.
The authoring system allows anyone to create a new SmartGraphs activity consisting of as many pages as the author wants. Creating an activity requires filling in online forms that specify, for example, text that should appear on each page, the graphs that should be displayed when a student runs the activity, the questions to be asked, the correct answers to those questions, and hints that appear if students provide an incorrect answer. Sharing the finished activity with students or colleagues is achieved simply by providing them with the URL for that activity.
A Smartgraphs activity called Authoring Demo demonstrates the features available to authors who want to create new activities, or revise existing ones. By running this activity you will see each of the "building blocks" that can be combined to build an activity.
An online SmartGraphs Authoring Manual provides instructions on using the authoring system. New users can become familiar with the system by copying and modifying an existing activity, allowing them to see how an activity looks "under the hood." No special programming knowledge is required.
