Professional educators believe students who realize the practical applications of their studies perform better in the classroom and are better equipped to use their skills, both academically and professionally, in the future. This site provides real-world examples to challenge students to be competitive in today's technology-driven world.
The DIMACS Research Education Institute (DREI) is a three-week summer program which brings together teachers and researchers to exchange ideas, to share resources, and to enrich their understanding of each other's environment.
The DREI 96 Program brought together teachers, university faculty and researchers to explore cutting edge topics in Computational Geometry. The goals of DREI 96 were to:
- introduce leading edge topics in mathematical research.
- provide lesson plans for secondary school classrooms.
- provide an internet forum for teachers and students.
- share pedagogical techniques and resources.
This site introduces visitors to four areas of current research in computational geometry: Voronoi Diagrams, Art Gallery Problems, Tillings and Tessellations, and Topology. Although each topic is rich in research, the concepts can be easily adapted to the secondary mathematical curriculum. The web site also provides a forum for the development and dissemination of supporting materials for each of the topics listed. The lesson plans and resources were developed by the teachers who participated in DREI 96. After using these lessons in your classroom, your comments and feedback are welcome. Research update and comments are also encouraged.
Before selecting a lesson topic you may want to review the definition of Computational Geometry.