The emphasis of the C 4 L program is a pedagogical approach based on a constructivist theoretical perspective of how mathematics is learned. According to this emerging theory, students need to construct their own understanding of each mathematical concept. A critical aspect of our approach is a decomposition of each mathematical concept into developmental steps following a Piagetian theory of knowledge based on observation of, and interviews with, students as they attempt to learn a concept. Guiding Principles Research into how students learn is primary. Conceptual understanding is the most important, but calculations play a major role.
Technology can be valuable, and some ways of using it can be more valuable than others.
Cooperative learning is the right context for a mathematics course. Lecturing should be replaced by a task-oriented interactive classroom. Textbooks and course structure must support the pedagogical strategy. Each unit begins with students performing computer activities in a laboratory. In the lab, we insist that students attempt to discover most important mathematical results by performing certain carefully selected computer tasks that are designed to foster the mental construction of mathematical concepts.