Departmental Colloquium
Nicholas Jackiw
Chief Technology Officer, KCP Technologies
External and Internal Perspectives on Dynamic Geometry Software
Abstract: In considering the geometric figure, Kant distinguishes between image -- the
traditional visual diagram -- and schemata, the generalized concept of that
diagram that "never exist anywhere except in thought." Dynamic Geometry figures
produced by software such as The Geometer's Sketchpad bridge this divide through
flexible, "rubbery" diagrams that (under manipulation) transform into any valid
realization of their defining geometric constraints, but at any instant retain
the immediacy and tangibility of specific images. In this talk, Sketchpad's
author explores the implications of Dynamic Geometry visualization on
mathematical inquiry and pedagogic practice in the context of school (6-12)
mathematics, and describes implementation concerns in the design and development
of Dynamic Geometry software.
Nicholas Jackiw is the original designer and developer of The Geometer's
Sketchpad, and educational software environment for the creation, visualization,
exploration, and analysis of mathematical models. Sketchpad is a rare example
of effective educational software which has made a successful transition from
academic research lab to widespread commercial impact. He began work on the
software as an undergraduate at Swarthmore College, where he was part of the
NSF-funded Visual Geometry Project. Presently, he serves as the Chief
Technology Officer of KCP Technologies, the software affiliate of Key Curriculum
Press. In addition to designing software and directing the project's
programming staff, he is active in pre-service and in-service professional
development, conducting workshops and institutes across the country; and has
overseen the program's translation into more than a dozen languages. He leads a
number of NSF software research projects n Principle Investigator or Senior
Researcher capacities, and is a frequently invited lecturer to schools, software
and geometry conferences, and meetings of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics. If you would like to meet with Nicholas Jackiw, please contact
Phil Wagreich (wagreich@uic.edu).
Thursday October 18, 2007 at 3:30 PM in 1000 SEO