About WisWeb & Welp

Goals

The WisWeb-project started in August 2000 with three schools and added one more school later on. The project-team consisted of teachers from these schools and staff from the Freudenthal Instituut and APS-wiskunde. The project ended on August 1 2002.

The first goal of the WisWeb project was to publish existing applets (computer programs on the internet), to develop them and to try them out. For this purpose teachers tested applets, gave their comments, developed additional instructional materials and they tried applets out in the classroom. Also some new applets were developed, partly based on experiences from the classroom. The teachers also contributed to the development of this website.

The second goal of the WisWeb project was to constitute a network of webmasters of mathematics (education) websites in The Netherlands. This network has organised itself in a platform and is having several meetings each school year. Experiences are exchanged, appointments about who does what are made, and new services have been developed.

The WisWeb-project was continued in the WELP-project in which results (products, knowledge, experiences) from the WisWeb project were implemented and disseminated. The goal of WELP was to increase the use of applets in mathematics education.

Together with the publishers of the four most used mathematics textbook series in The Netherlands, WisWeb applets have been integrated in the textbook series. Texas Instruments (TI) adjusted a number of applets so that they can also run on a graphing calculactor.
Parallel to the implementation an exemplary collection of courseware and instructional materials on algebra with applets was developed and tested. This was developed for students in secondary education of 13 and 14 years old. All these materials (in Dutch) are available through the WisWeb-site.

Staff, schools and partners

Many persons contributed to WisWeb and WELP. Besides the listed names below, many others assisted in the developement, testing and implementation of materials.

Products and results

Products

Concrete products from WisWeb and WELP can be found on the WisWeb-site. Summarized are those:

• More than 100 applets that have mostly been tested in the classrooms.
• Accompanying texts about these applets (mostly in Dutch) about background, how to use, goals, experiences, etc.
• For many applets accompanying instructional materials (worksheet and problems and such).
• Observation reports (mostly in Dutch).
• The WisWeb-site that you are now currently visiting.
• Various memos, reports and (internal) publications about the use of applets and what we have learned.
• Publications in journals and books, contributions to conferences, and workshops.
• A network of webmasters of sites that are relevant for mathematics and mathematics education in The Netherlands, see also www.wiskundeonderwijs.nl (in Dutch)

What have we learned

Besides these concrete products, we have learned a lot on the use of applets in the classroom. The experiences have given us insight in the add-on values of applets for mathematics class. We assume some "basic" conditions like:

• No technical problems with computers or internet connection.
• Clear and good problems and instructional materials.
• Capable teacher who wants to invest and explore.

When these conditions are met, we can summarize the knowledge on the potential and power of applets with the following statements:

• Applets reinforce and enhance self confidence and creativity of students. They "dare" more, set high(er) goals for themselves, and they are more active.
• Working with applets is a - especially for younger students - different and motivating instructional mode. When students are working with applets, students can concentrate for a longer period of time than in a "regular" mode of instruction, and applets are a welcome addition to "standard" instructional materials.
• When using applets it is easier to address individual differences between students in a positive way.
• With applets you get a natural kind of feedback. An answer is not right, wrong or "almost right" because the teacher says so, but because you see it yourself.
• Applets (especially challenging ones) can serve as a frame of reference, where students can fall back on when they encounter more difficult problems.

Publications and presentations

This is an overview of publications and presentations that have been written and given because of the WisWeb-project and the WELP-project. Only non-Dutch publications and presentations are listed. See the Dutch WisWeb pages for presentations and publications in Dutch.

WisWeb-WELP various (scientific) publications

• Reeuwijk, Martin van (2004). School Algebra Struggle, what about algebra computer games?. Paper presented at ICME10, Copenhague, Denmark.
• Reeuwijk, Martin van & Margaret Meyer (2004). Dot Patterns and Number Strips. Investigating regularity with applets. Paper presented at ICME10, Copenhague, Denmark.

WisWeb-WELP presentations

WisWeb-WELP staff provided various lectures, trainings and workshops on schools and conferences:

• At the ICME conference in Kopenhagen (2004) WisWeb presented a number of workshops and sessions.
• Palha, Sonia (2003) "Applets as didactical tools for the learning of Algebra", in proceedings of the CIEAEM conference in Polen, 55th conference of the international commission for the study and improvement of mathematics education - CIEAEM, Plock Poland, power point presentation
• Boon, Peter (2003) "Ruimtemeetkunde op de computer", workshop during regional gathering De Lage Landen, Utrecht APS.
• Palha, Sonia (2003) "WELP-WisWeb, applets in de klas, ervaringen uit de klas", workshop during ICT conference 2003, APS, FI, Utrecht
• Workshop Building sith side views for Danish teachers, 12 mei 2003 (WORD document)

More information

There are many more publications and materials available from the WisWeb and WELP projects. Most of it is in Dutch and can be found through the Dutch pages of the WisWeb-site.