computerbasedmath.org announced that Estonia will be the first country to make use of its revolutionary and widely praised rethink of math education in a project to build a new school statistics course.
“Since the start of computerbasedmath.org, I’ve been asking, ‘Which country will be first?'” said Conrad Wolfram, Founder. “Now we have the answer: it’s Estonia.”
Jaak Aaviksoo, Minister of Education and Research, Estonia, said, “In the last century, we led the world in connecting classrooms to the internet. Now we want to lead the world in rethinking education in the technology-driven world.”
Central to the worldwide mission of computerbasedmath.org is the creation of new curricula and materials from the ground up that, for the first time, reflect fundamental changes in the application of mathematics outside education—changes brought about by computers doing most of the calculations, not humans.
“Computers have the power to liberate math from calculating, raising its use to new levels—exactly what’s happened outside education,” said Conrad Wolfram. “Mimic this real-world of math, and your education will become more conceptual, more practical, and more motivational.”
Rather than topics like solving quadratic equations or factorizing polynomials, Computer-Based Math™ focuses on using the power of math to solve real-world problems like should I insure my mobile, how long will I live, or what makes a beautiful shape, with all their rich and challenging context.
Estonia has been blazing a trail of world-leading technical educational reform, notably its integration of programming as central to the primary curriculum from age seven. With leadership from the University of Tartu, many schools are keen to volunteer for the pilot projects.
“We believe in the enthusiasm and potential of the internet generation—they are ready for computer-based mathematics. It will also give them a competitive advantage in the labor market,” said Jaak Aaviksoo.
This project is the start of what is predicted to be a complete shift in the world’s math education over the coming decades to be computer-based. The change promises to empower students with abilities to do high-level problem-solving, apply math, and gain experience way beyond what traditional STEM education has delivered—crucial both to twenty-first century economies and the enrichment of each and every student’s life.