A new public/private partnership in New Jersey called MATHNext will provide professional development to educators from 20 school districts. The effort will include in-person training and the innovative use of new technologies using Webcam-enabled laptop computers donated by IBM and in-kind Web and audio conferencing services made possible by Global Crossing.
MATHNext will provide research-based, state-of-the art professional development to middle grade (6, 7, and 8) math teachers, curriculum leaders, and content-matter coaches in New Jersey aimed at deepening teacher understanding of math content and pedagogy. MATHNext is funded by the New Jersey Department of Education, in partnership with Rutgers-Newark and the Business Coalition for Educational Excellence at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.
The project will employ advances in teacher training and assessment that will help measure teacher growth and utilize advances in communication technology to enable teachers to attend scheduled professional development sessions from the convenience of their homes or schools.
Live and interactive training via Web and audio conferencing and other support technologies saves money on transportation costs and opens program access to districts located too far to make in-person training a reality.
