On-line Class

It's fun to brag to your co-workers that you would be going to grad class in your P.J.s. While I can be a slob while attending class, having class in the comfort of my own home, what a treat. Having the opportunity to participate in this unique learning environment was great as a teacher and as a learner. The implications to using streaming video in the classroom would allow some teachers to work on some interesting projects, as seen on the right.

I remember one of our more advanced computers at home. It had a microphone connected to it and since it was connected to a phone jack the computer was able to be used as a telephone. Skype is able to perform this function via the world wide web. We were only able to call locally because the long-distance charges would be too pricey, my parents said. Two years ago I was able to Skype my sister in London while she was studying abroad, for FREE! Can't beat that. While Skype has great implications for keeping you connected to friends and family, it could also be used to help teachers in their professional development. Some math functions are hard to explain through written word and would be much easier if it could be expressed through words. Being a part of a professional audio group could be an interesting forum.

A New Set of Ideas

This week for class we were asked to select and watch a video from inTime.  Luckily I was able to sort through them by subject and the website listed each of those in the math category by which grade level the lesson was geared towards.  I looked through the link for the lesson about modeling quadratic equation, which just happened to be the next chapter we would be talking about in my Honors Algebra 2 class.  I read through the accompanied materials and watched the video.  I liked how the teacher linked the factored form of quadratic equations to the standard quadratic form using both pencil and paper as well as graphing calculators.  The teacher's students were able to make connections between the two as well as write an equation for the general form of a factored quadratic equation.  The lesson continued with a "real world problem" as well as the use of the CBR, calculator based ranger, to have the students use the graphs collected to create the quadratic equation for and find the vertex to determine their vertical jump. 

I was able to use parts of this lesson today in class.  I re-worked how I would typically present this lesson and mimicked the lesson's student lead discovery of the relationship between the factored and general form of the quadratic equations.  Students in both classes worked very well with the material and seemed interested in their discovery.  When attempting to present the "real-world" problem the teacher lead her students through, my students griped about why all word problem had to do with creating a garden so we changed it to Clark G. wanting to create a swimming pool for his family with his Christmas bonus.  They worked through the problem very well, so just phrasing the problem differently I went back to the problem I had intended to do.  The students worked the entire hour with their graphing calculators discovering new ways to gather information as well as new ways to solve quadratic equations.  So thanks to Mr. L for introducing me to this site and reminding me that math can be discovered even at the high level of Algebra 2.

Math for Everyone

Finally, my day has come.  The day when the focus of an education class was on a mathematical technology.  In our graduate class we discussed the use and implementation of spreadsheets into the classroom.  For many people, spreadsheets are a way to express and organize data.  Spreadsheets allow the user to manipulate the information imported into a spreadsheet.  I believe that these are helpful tools for students to learn not only in their school career, but in the workforce as well as a tool to manage their own finance.  

For me, personally, there are many features of spreadsheets that can help students learn mathematics, but for older students a graphing calculator may complete the same task.  Graphing calculators are able to perform many task some spreadsheets can but in a more efficient, portable manor as opposed to going to the computer lab and interacting with spreadsheet applications.  I do see the value of having student interact with spreadsheets to organize and learn the material.  I should try to incorporate this technology more into my classes. 

Word Processing and Search Engines

While at conferences I was able to check out the class website and be instantly updated with what everyone was doing in class.  It was interesting to view the different links comparing the various search engines.  I have become a creature of habit and have been personally, addicted to Google.  This was not always the case for me, but I have found that Google is the best search engine to fit my needs.  I have found that there are not many search engines geared towards high school students.  For some students there is too much information to sift through to find valuable, reliable sources.  Others don't have the maturity or knowhow to be exposed to all the information the web has access to.  While it is our job to educate students, sometime it would just be nice to have a search engine that is pushing the students in the right direction.  From talking to people in class, they were very excited to tell me about the ability to create your own search engine within Google.  I feel that this would be a very usefully tool.

Another aspect that was looked at in class was word processing.  This year I gave my Honors Algebra 2 students a writing assignment.  Students were asked to write a position letter to me about how they feel the role of calculators should take in class.  Students were asked to use a word processor to complete the assignment and were given a variety of options to turn this letter in; printed off copy, e-mail attachment, or a Google Document.  There were a couple of students that did use the electronic word processor, and many that were impressed by the technology.  In math class word processing is important for the creation of worksheets and notes which are nice and neat.  Word processing can be difficult and time consuming to use in the mathematics world however, I use it very often when working with colleagues or on grad school projects.

I hope to learn many more technologies in this class and am excited to implement them into my every day teaching world.

Readings

Chapter 1 and 2 discussed what teaching technology means as well as what teachers need to do in order to support learning with technology.  The information provided in these Chapters were very interesting.  The literature brought up some good points about how technology can be used as a tool to facilitate learning.  I think some teachers try to us different technologies just to say they are using a variety of technologies, which just negates the entire purpose.  When you are teaching you want to use the most relevant efficient way possible.  Sometimes it involves using technology and sometimes it just means using simple technology such as an overhead. Part of my undergrad program was a course devoted to math specific technologies.  I believe that it an important part of being a teacher who is interested in using technologies within your classroom to be informed and comfortable using a variety of technologies, both specific to your discipline as well as to the basics.  Students look to us as teachers to prepare them for the future and working in the 21st century.  I full-heartedly believe that this includes showing students how to work and struggle with learning new technologies.  I look forward to learning many more things in this class and from the book.

CEDU 510 Class #1

Welcome to the Ning... All these great names for social networks.  Class today was very exciting with the introduction of graphic programs.  All of these programs could be a creative way to let students express themselves, teachers too.  Sometimes they don't all turn out the way you want them to like my little Donny who's belly won't show, but that is also what interests me to figure that out.  It was also interesting spending the time examining different presentation software.  It took a couple minutes to get used to the speed of saving and operating, but it was different.  I am assuming that within the next couple of years they will create the on-line presentation software to mimic more of the functions that PowerPoint has such as animation which will make them just as comparable to the traditional software with the benefits of on-line saving.  I believe that on-line presentation software could be very helpful for this class as well as when working with co-workers.  

Calculator Papers

Last week I gave my Honors Algebra 2 students their first BIG writing assignment for the year. Write me a letter expressing your view on a calculator's role in our math class. Are there any limitations as to when it should and shouldn't be allowed? Are students using their calculator without understanding the material? Do students reach for their calculator first before trying it themselves? These are some of the questions I asked them to think and write about. They were asked to write it in a letter format. They had the option of printing it, attaching it as an e-mail, or using google docs. I was surprised the number of students that still printed it out. Half of the students printed it and another three eighths attached it to an e-mail and a the rest used google doc. I was pleased to see them use a technology we (Joe, Jenny and myself) taught them. I also had some student come during their lunch for a mini technology class to learn how to use the google docs. It was interesting seeing them get excited about the implications of the technology. We shall see how the number differ on the next writing assignment.

What's Your True Color

So today during our group meeting time we had to figure out what type of people we are based upon our "True Color."  Well, I'm RED!  Good thing I went to Madison and not Michigan! Red are know for their "Just do it" attitude which I can totally see.  My little sister is getting married next year and since I just got married she thinks I'm this unlimited resource of experience.  I've only planned one wedding and that was my own, doesn't make me an expert.  She wants to know how everything works before she gets started or even thinks about making the first move while I just jump in and deal with it by landing on my feet if the water is shallow enough or start to tread water if it's too deep.  Well, I guess I just have to accept her for the color she is.  I'm thrilled for her and am happy she is asking me for help!  

Augemented Matrices

Monday we get to start my favorite section of Algebra 2, augmented matrices. I guess right now I am overly expressing my nerdness by this declarative statement, but who cares. All the left brain people of the world would love solving systms of equations with augmented matrices. All it is is a giant puzzle you need to manipulate until the right pieces fall into the right place. It's an algebraic, 2-d rubix cube. Hope my kids are getting excited! If they can solve a quizzle, they can solve these! :)

Google Docs

Who know how much e-mails were hindering the completion of a task? I never realized how much I disliked the back and forth aspect of mass e-mails. CEDU 523 has made me realize the errors of my past ways. Google Docs allow my co-works and I to work collaboratively at a common location without the cluttering our mailboxes. Recently I have shown the math department the best way to all add our input without another 50 minute department meeting. Hopefully they'll join me in my love for a common place to go and work. WOO HOO!