So You Want Me to Write With My Mittens On?

 

As a future instructional leader, I have been charged with the task of finding ways to incorporate and spend monies earmarked for technology to benefit all students whether traditional or virtual. Can I utilize www.mathway.com into my lessons? The main representations of the aforementioned and others, often categorized as “the big three,” are graphical, algebraic, and numerical representations, but there are others as well (Garofalo & Trinter, 2009). Students for the most part enjoy using the interactive features of Mathway because of its many integrated features. It has features on utube that will assist them understanding the concept of mathematics. The address is: https://youtu.be/kRE8JnS3bC0 which incorporates ways to get help to solve math problems, view an example, watch a related video, try a similar example, and ask my instructor. There is also integration with graphing calculators encompassing the use of the TI-83. Studies about what students have to say about the use of multiple representations in College Algebra found that students were better at approaching problems with the use of multiple representations and felt it deepened their understanding. However, many students maintained the belief that symbolic manipulation is the mathematically correct way to solve problems while graphical and other uses of the calculator and software should only be used for checking purposes (Hunsaker, 1997). In a balanced mathematics program, the strategic use of technology strengthens mathematics teaching and learning (Dick & Hollebrands, 2011).

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics states that “technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning” (NCTM, 2011, position statement). Moreover, technology can provide students with opportunities to explore different representations of mathematical ideas and support them in making connections both within the area of mathematics and other related major of studies (Cavanaugh, 2006).

Some students no matter what methods you try are hard to motivate. As a math educator of 21 years, I have found these transitional times to be more of a reason to give students my all. If that means takingan extra two hours to plan, then that is what I will do. You can see in a student’s eyes whether they understand or not. I don’t need 100 problems to tell if my students are lost within the first few problems. It is imperative to focus on connections—both conceptual and interpersonal— which helps teachers work well together to create engaging math work for students. Whether you are in a school building or teaching remotely, student thinking—including connections they make among ideas—needs to inform your teaching decisions; collecting student thinking and making it visible informs teachers’ planning for the next day’s lesson.

The following websites have been beneficial for my students: Jamboard, Classkick, Padlet, Pear Deck, and Nearpod are all platforms that both promote student engagement and capture student thinking. They also allow teachers to watch their whole class, on one screen, in real time, so that students can engage with each other and build on each other’s ideas to arrive at a richer understanding of mathematics. With these tools, students can show what they know; teachers are then armed with the information they need, and, just as important, students feel seen. Jamboard, for example, allows students to work collaboratively on the same page and offers options for students to share their thinking by text, drawing, dragging images, and inserting photos of their work into the page. Envision for a moment second graders studying the difference between two numbers: on a Jamboard, students or teachers can insert images of two people and visually compare the heights. From there, students can see that subtraction is not just a removal but the distance between two numbers—a subject for robust in-class analysis. Based on what they see in Jamboard, the teachers can offer immediate feedback to the whole class or to an individual student.

References

Cavanagh, S. (2006). Technology helps teachers home in on student needs. Education Week, 26,10-11.

Garofalo, J. & Trinter, C.(2009). Multi-representational approaches to equation solving. NCSSSMST Journal, 14(2), 26-27.

Dick, T. P., & Hollebrands, K. F. (2011). Focus in high school mathematics: Technology to support reasoning and sense making. Reston, VA: NCTM.

Hunsaker, D. (1997). Ditch the calculators. Newsweek.

Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
or reload the browserDisable in this text fieldEditEdit in GingerEdit in Ginger×Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
or reload the browserDisable in this text fieldEditEdit in GingerEdit in Ginger×