SmartGraphs activities run in a web browser; there is no software to download or install. SmartGraphs allows students to interact with on-screen graphs to learn about linear equations, the motion of objects, population dynamics, global warming, or other STEM topics that use scatter plots or line graphs. Teachers and students may also use and share existing activities, which are released under a Creative Commons license (see http://www.concord.org/projects/smartgraphs#curriculum).
Developing, Researching, and Scaling Up SmartGraphs
Project Email
smartgraphs@concord.org
Project Evaluator
Sigmund Abeles
Full Description
SmartGraphs is a project that studies the educational value of digital objects embedded in graphs that “know” about themselves and that provide scaffolding to students to help them learn about graphs and the concepts conveyed in graphs. As planned, digital Smart Graphs can be authored or customized by teachers and accept inputs from students’ responses, sketches, functions, models, and probes. The software analyzes the graphs for the kinds of features that experts recognize and then engages students in conversations that instruct and assess student knowledge.
The project is guided by collaboration between the Concord Consortium and the Pennsylvania State Department of Education Classrooms for the Future program, through which 140,000 laptop computers are deployed to serve 500,000 students. The development of Smart Graphs is based on extensive prior research about students’ use and understanding of graphs (TEEMSS II and Science Universal Design for Learning projects) at the Concord Consortium.
Project Materials
| Title | Type | Post date Sort ascending |
|---|---|---|
| New! Algebra Activities from SmartGraphs | Announcement | |
| SmartGraphs: Algebra | Resource | |
| SmartGraphs Authoring Tool | Resource | |
| SmartGraphs Contest! | Announcement | |
| Developing, Researching, and Scaling Up SmartGraphs | Poster |