The story begins in 1992 with the Geometry Forum at Swarthmore College, one of the early efforts to use the emerging internet to build communities around mathematics. Expanding into the Math Forum in 1996, it became a gathering place for students, teachers, mathematicians, researchers, and families.

Through programs such as Ask Dr. Math, Problems of the Week, Teacher2Teacher, and an extensive collection of mathematical resources, the Math Forum created opportunities for people to ask questions, explore ideas, solve problems, and learn with others.

Of particular importance was the Forum's approach to mathematical mentoring. Students were encouraged to explain their reasoning, make their thinking visible, and engage in conversations with mentors who sought to understand their ideas and help move their thinking forward.

The Math Forum's work also extended beyond individual mentoring. Through professional development, online communities, and initiatives such as Virtual Math Teams, it explored how collaborative mathematical inquiry could be supported by emerging technologies.

The Math Forum joined Drexel University in 2001 and later became part of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 2016 before standalone operations ended in 2017. 

EnCoMPASS, Emerging Communities for Mathematical Practices and Assessment, built on the Math Forum's extensive experience with students' mathematical work and the interactions between students and mentors.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, EnCoMPASS explored how teachers could learn together through the careful examination of authentic student thinking.

The project developed an online environment in which educators could investigate student solutions, share observations, ask questions, and consider how different interpretations of student work might inform instructional decisions.

An important feature of this work was the emphasis on noticing and wondering. Rather than immediately judging a student's solution, teachers were encouraged to examine what the student appeared to understand, what was uncertain, and what mathematical possibilities might be emerging.

EnCoMPASS brought together research, professional learning, and technology development, supporting communities of teachers who learn from students' mathematical ideas and from one another.

ORCIDS, the Online Reflection and Community-based Instructional Development System for Mathematics Education, extended the EnCoMPASS work by investigating the relationships among teachers' own mathematical experiences, their interpretations of student thinking, and their instructional practice.

Supported by the National Science Foundation, ORCIDS developed online professional learning experiences that invite teachers to engage deeply with mathematics, collaborate with colleagues, and reflect on the connections between their learning and their students' experiences.

The project emphasized perspective-taking and the opportunities that arise when teachers consider mathematical ideas from multiple points of view. It also explored how thoughtfully designed asynchronous environments could support sustained professional learning and collaboration.

ORCIDS continued the development of the EnCoMPASS platform, extending its tools and activities to support teachers as mathematical learners, collaborative inquirers, and reflective practitioners.

MENTIR-AI, Mathematics Education Network for Teaching and Instructional Responses, brings this history into a new period of technological innovation. Supported by the Gates Foundation, MENTIR-AI explores how artificial intelligence can support teachers in interpreting student mathematical thinking, providing meaningful feedback, facilitating classroom interactions, preparing for instruction, and engaging in ongoing professional learning.

The project's initial development draws on the Math Forum's extensive archive of student solutions and mentoring responses, together with the professional knowledge and experience of contemporary teachers. It explores how AI might support responses that attend not only to mathematical correctness but also to students' reasoning, developing ideas, and opportunities for further inquiry.

The vision is broader than automated feedback. MENTIR-AI investigates how AI-supported tools might help teachers anticipate student thinking, make instructional decisions, reflect on classroom experiences, and continue developing their mathematical and pedagogical knowledge.

Teachers are essential partners in this process. Their interpretations, judgments, experiences, and critiques inform the design, testing, and refinement of the tools being developed.

As with the projects that preceded it, MENTIR-AI is guided by a commitment to technology that extends human possibilities for teaching and learning, rather than replacing the relationships and professional expertise that make those experiences meaningful.