Cisco, MIND Partner To Bring Math Program to Arizona Schools

The MIND Research Institute has received a $250,000 grant from the Cisco Foundation to provide its visual math education program, ST Math, to 4,000 students in Arizona.

ST Math, for spatial temporal math, is a neuroscience-based approach to teaching math concepts visually and without language. The state standards-aligned program uses games to engage students in multi-step problem solving at their own pace.

Twelve schools in four Arizona districts, Yuma Elementary School District, Roosevelt School District, Balsz Elementary School District, and Paradise Valley Unified School District, will begin using the software this fall. The participating schools primarily serve disadvantaged students with limited English language skills.

The Cisco grant will support implementation of the program for two grades through 2014, and provides perpetual licenses for ST Math so that the schools will only need to pay renewal fees if they choose to continue using the program. According to Julie Gates, communications specialist at MIND, most of the schools will be using the program in grades 3 and 4, or grades 4 and 5. As part of the implementation, the schools will receive:

  • Teacher professional development;
  • Access to ST Math instructional software for teachers and students;
  • Technical and curriculum support from MIND; and
  • Reporting and analysis tools.

Cisco has supported MIND since 2004 with more than $3 million in cash and in-kind donations. "They have enabled a couple of schools in different regional areas to pilot our program," Gates said. "Diamond Elementary in Santa Ana, CA, was one of our first pilot schools in the Santa Ana Unified School District. The school did very well and our program is now almost district-wide in Santa Ana elementary schools."

Gates said, "Cisco has also been very supportive of MIND’s product development." The company has provided donations to support the creation of online resources for teacher professional development and curriculum development, among other things.

More information on ST Math is available at mindresearch.net.

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Indianapolis Public Schools Adopt DreamBox Math

    Thanks to a new partnership with Discovery Education, all Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) K–8 students and teachers will gain access to DreamBox Math, which blends curriculum and continuous formative assessments that adapt to student needs to boost achievement.

  • The First Steps of Establishing Your Cloud Security Strategy

    In this guide, we'll identify some first steps you can take to establish your cloud security strategy. We'll do so by discussing the cloud security impact of individual, concrete actions featured within the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) and the CIS Benchmarks™.

  • Google Brings Gemini AI to Teens in the Classroom

    Google is making its Gemini large language model available for free for students ages 13 and up in the United States (age minimums vary by country), via Google Workspace for Education accounts.

  • A top-down view of a person walking through a maze with walls made of glowing blue Wi-Fi symbols on dark pathways

    Navigating New E-Rate Rules for WiFi Hotspots

    Beginning in funding year 2025, WiFi hotspots will be eligible for E-rate Category One discounts. Here's what you need to know about your school's eligibility, funding caps, tracking requirements, and more.