Math in 3D!
To many people, mathematics is seen as a topic of study, a course or content that they remember as problems they saw in textbook- A 2D experience – Flat and unrelated to their real world or daily lives. One of the paradigm shifts needed for many, is Math in 3D! What does that mean? Math in 3D has depth of understanding as it relates to and exists in the real world.
How can we help students see themselves as mathematicians using mathematics in the real world to many everyday decisions?
In this way, mathematics, should be seen as 3 D: a) mathematics conceptual understanding , 2) Procedural Understanding and set in a 3) real world context.
So for examples, 1) math concept of area—–> 2) relate to the procedure of A=L*W and is 3) used in the real world to figure out the square footage of houses. It is this third dimension, the context in the real world that takes the often experience mathematics to the 3D level!