Dr. Kenneth Chelst, Professor of Operations Research in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Wayne State University, and Dr. Thomas Edwards, an Assistant Professor in Wayne State's College of Education, wrote the syllabus and developed it in conjunction with a diverse group of local teachers, including Rhonda Cooke from the Detroit public school system, Tom Evasic at Farmington High School, and Christine Langley at Detroit Country Day School (A group of teachers from the Fairfax County Virginia Public School System also participated). Dr. Chelst and Dr. Edwards are available for interview.
The two professors designed a math syllabus for high school algebra students that shows how math gets used in real life. It includes math problems that a fictional pizza parlor and shoe manufacturer would confront. It also includes real life examples from Nabisco, United Airlines, and McDonald's. "I believe the key to successful teaching at every level is to relate classroom concepts to students' personal experiences," said Dr. Chelst. "The challenge is to design a course and manage the classroom discussion to maximize what kids learn by bringing their experience into the classroom. I think our team has succeeded."
The team created the project as self-contained supplements to both a traditional high school math curriculum and one based on new National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) guidelines. The basic material is designed for introductory algebra and the extensions can be used for more advanced grade levels. The initial modules provide material related to linear programming, a mathematical method used in operations research and management science.
Dr. Edwards remembers the beginning of the collaboration. "Two years ago Ken asked if I'd be interested in the project. What grabbed my attention was that he took one of those typical algebra lessons that has been around forever and made it interesting by creating math problems about the kinds of sneakers that kids wear today. He gave kids an engaging reason to graph linear inequalities and analyze solutions."
The project was prepared by Dr. Chelst and Dr. Edwards and coordinated by Ret. Col. Frank Trippi. The program is a project of INFORMS and Wayne State University that was funded by a grant from the National Security Agency. The modules can be accessed on the Internet at http://mie.eng.wayne.edu/faculty/chelst/informs. Teachers can request copies by phoning Col. Frank Trippi at 703 922-6775 or calling toll-free at (800) 4INFORMS.
The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) is an international scientific society with 12,000 members, including Nobel Prize laureates, dedicated to applying scientific methods to help improve decision-making, management, and operations. Members of INFORMS work primarily in business, government, and academia. They are represented in fields as diverse as airlines, health care, law enforcement, the military, the stock market, and telecommunications.