PBS is working to increase their middle school math resource collection in order to help middle school math teachers across the nation.  They are looking for innovative digital education material that is connected to the real world and are even offering $1,000 prizes for the best submissions.  My favorite part?  NO TALKING HEADS.  You can read the summary below and then go to their website for more details.  I needed more explanation after reading the summary and talking to Erica Rabner (of PBS) really helped clear it up.  Tonight, Erica will be at Global Math to further explain this challenge and take any questions.  They are working on improving the summary (below) so it’s more easily understandable.  So, read up, develop your questions, and we’ll see you there!

From the PBS Innovation Fund Challenge Page:

The Innovation Fund is a challenge for educators, student teams, gamers, programmers, and anyone who has a great idea to create fun and engaging math educational media.

WGBH Educational Foundation is seeking up to 100 educational media digital resources (videos, games, interactives, infographics, and manipulatives) that are directed towards middle school students and loosely aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. The digital resources selected will be showcased on PBS LearningMedia as part of a middle school math resource collection.

WGBH is looking for content that engages a wide range of students by reflecting a wide range of culturally responsive perspectives and learning styles.

Digital resources should be engaging, rich in content and context, and go beyond strictly procedural teaching. In other words, no talking heads.