One aspect of the VITAL: Early Childhood Mathematics Education approach to be studied and assessed is related to the design, development, and use of digital video cases and their impact on students' understanding of content and methodological issues. Video allows viewers to examine interactions repeatedly and in slow motion, permitting close scrutiny of interactions. The project evaluation will determine whether digital video cases as used in the context of the VITAL environment's online community workspace are an effective tool for improving early childhood mathematics instruction. The evaluation will also inform the VITAL: Early Childhood Mathematics Education implementation strategies for different settings. In order to support a broad-based dissemination, it is important to assess how the VITAL: Early Childhood Mathematics Education instructional strategies can be modified for different educational settings. This will allow the project investigators to adjust the VITAL: Early Childhood Mathematics Education curricular plans for different contexts.

During the first three years of the project, while the curriculum and the learning environment are being designed and produced, the Center for Children and Technology (CCT), which is part of the nonprofit Educational Development Center, Inc., will conduct formative research to determine whether the environment, as interpreted by users, reflects the goals of the project. During the last two years of the project, CCT will conduct a summative evaluation based on the field test of the learning environment.