Solving Algebra on Smartphones

If North Carolina high school junior Katie Denton struggles with her Algebra 2 homework, she knows she's not on her own. Denton can use her school-issued smartphone to send instant messages to her teacher or classmates for help. She can use the same device to connect to the Internet and post an algebra question on a school math blog. Or she can watch student- or teacher-created videos demonstrating algebra concepts on her smartphone screen. Her math class is taking part in Project K-Nect, a grant-funded program that has adopted smartphones as teaching tools in some math classes in a handful of North Carolina school districts. Research on the program has shown a measurable effect on students' math achievement, and the organizers of Project K-Nect say students have driven the program to heights they never imagined.