TV in-service mathematics programs for elementary teachersAuthor(s): Leslie A. DwightSource: The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 12, No. 8 (DECEMBER 1965), pp. 644, 656Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41185276 .

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way that the spots in the program where the children do not learn can be identified. This is usually handled by individual tutoring. Then the program must be revised and retried until an acceptable learning instrument is produced.

Accomplishing this assessment, revision, reassessment, and further revision is prob- ably the most difficult and most important area of producing teaching materials, particularly in media other than pro- grammed instruction, but it can be done.

It is not the responsibility of the teacher to do the research and develop- ment needed to make every media presen- tation an effective teaching instrument. However, it is the responsibility of the teacher and the administrator to see that

these developments have taken place be- fore students are exposed to this mode of instruction.

The statements made in this paper must be classified as opinion. Few of the many media presentations now in existence have been designed as an integral part of an instructional system. Those that are well done are mostly short sequences of pro- grammed instruction material and per- haps some of the single concept 8 mm. film loops. It is considered possible to develop effective instructional-learning material in school mathematics through the use of media; in fact, it is necessary that this be done if there is to be an improved use of newer educational media for school mathe- matics.

TV in-service mathematics programs for elementary teachers

In September, 1962, approximately forty ad- ministrators met on the campus of Southeastern State College, Durant, Oklahoma, to discuss the possibility of organizing a TV mathematics training program for elementary arithmetic teachers. Time, lack of trained personnel, and the large number of elementary teachers pre- vented local in-service programs from providing the immediate needed in-service program in mathematics needed by elementary teachers.

A TV in-service mathematics program for elementary teachers was organized. The TV program was conducted over KXII-TV, Channel 12, Sherman, Texas, with fifty-three school sys- tems supporting the program by contributing $5.00 for each elementary teacher. The cost of producing the films was supported by the Na- tional Science Foundation. Ninety thirty- minute films were produced for the series. Thirty lessons were televised in the fall of 1963, the second thirty lessons were televised in the Spring of 1964, and the last thirty lessons were televised in the fall of 1964.

The filmed lectures elaborate on the content of the text Modern Mathematics for the Ele- mentary Teacher by Professor Leslie A. Dwight, Department of Mathematics, Southeastern State College, Durant, Oklahoma, who also was the lecturer for the filmed lessons. The content of the text is primarily a study of the rational number system - the mathematical system of the grade school curriculum. New concepts and approaches, including "structure" and "dis-

covery," are emphasized throughout the study course.

The some 1000 teachers who participated in the program were strongly urged to read and study each assigned lesson before viewing the lecture on television. Many of the supporting schools set aside at least one hour each week for participants to meet and discuss topics and compare understandings. Approximately 450 of the teachers enrolled for credit on the content of the TV lectures. More than 400 received credit for the course while about forty either withdrew or failed to make satisfactory grades.

Station KTVC-TV, Channel 6, Ensign, Kansas, began televising the series of films in November, 1964, for approximately 600 teachers and 500 parents and other adults in the South- western Kansas area using a plan similar to KXII-TV. Twenty-nine school systems sup- ported the program by contributing $5.00 per teacher to help defray the cost of TV time. It will be completed in the fall of 1965. Mr. Eugene Luse, Superintendent of Schools, Meade, Kansas, was responsible for organizing the program.

Sixty school systems registered for another in- service program using the same set of films be- ginning February 1, 1965, over KAUZ-TV, Channel 6, Wichita Falls, Texas, for 800 teachers and 300 parents and other adults. The officials of KAUZ-TV gratuitously offered TV time for the

(Continued on page 656)

644 The Arithmetic Teacher

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Mathematics for Parents. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965.

*d) Kempf and Barnhart, Modern Ele- mentary Mathematics. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1965. (Also pub- lished in a Dolphin Book edition.)

*e) Layton, A Parenťs Introduction to the New Mathematics for the Elemen- tary School. Jackson, Miss.: Office Supply Co., 1964.

*/) Matthews, Modern Mathematics: A Primer for Parents. Sacramento: Graphic Center/West, 1965.

*g) Rosenthal, Understanding the New Math. New York: Hawthorn, 1965. (An earlier paperback version was published by Crest.)

*h) Sharp, A Parenťs Guide to the New Mathematics. New York: Dutton, 1964.

TV in-service mathematics programs for elementary teachers (Continued from page 644)

program as a public service. The series of ninety films is to be televised during the spring of 1965, the fall of 1965, and the spring of 1966.

This fall a similar program has begun in Oklahoma and is being televised on the Okla- homa City-Tulsa educational television channel.

The filmed lectures on the content of the text cover the topics: the changing school mathe- matics curriculum; objectives of teaching mathe- matics in the grades; sets and operations on sets; sets, one-to-one matching, number, numeral; numeration systems; operations addition and multiplication on numbers; laws governing the operations on numbers; the basic structure of the rational number system; the basic structure as a means of deducing the skills of elementary mathematics; operations subtraction and divi- sion; addition and subtraction processes; multi- plication and division processes; composite numbers and primes; fractions and fractional numerals; the complete decimal numeration system; ratio and per cent; problem solving.

Here are some comments from a few adminis- trators about the program:

Mr. M. B. Nelson, Superintendent, Bon- ham, Texas:

"Your TV program has almost worked miracles for our teachers this year. As I visit with other teachers and administrators who have not had access to this aid, I realize even more clearly how much our teachers have benefited."

Mr. Wilson McDonald, Superintendent, Atoka, Oklahoma: "The TV mathematics program has had considerable effect on the thinking of our elementary teachers. . . ."

Mr. Eugene E. Luse, Superintendent, Meade, Kansas: "The program is affording splendid background material for both teachers and parents (around 500 parents are taking this course). The program has nearly eliminated community dissatisfaction with modern mathematics." For further information about the series of

films and textbook or about the TV in-service mathematics programs, write to me. - Dr. Leslie A. Dwight, Department of Mathematics, Southeastern State College, Durant, Oklahoma.

656 The Arithmetic Teacher

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