Digital Learning with Desmos Calculator

GRAPHIC MATH ART

Twenty First Century instruction should be relevant, involve an authentic audience, encourage collaboration, and develop essential research skills.  Students today must learn to navigate the internet and use information to create projects which demonstrate depth of understanding. 

The Graphic Math Art digital learning experience is designed to meet math standards, art standards and technological standards. Beginning with the essential question: "How can I use Geometric shapes to create a logo? students use the resources found on the internet to explore conic sections as they design a logo for a company in a foreign country, then audio record instructions to recreate the logo using digital resources and mathematical discourse. Other students will play the part of the company receiving the logo and recreate the logo on appropriate materials.

As students reflected on the project they remarked on gaining deeper understanding of interval notation, inequalities and writing functions. One student graciously allowed their logo to be included.  This student created a logo for a Japanese company. In the creating of a fan, they used linear functions and parabolic functions with interval notation.  Later, they realized by using absolute value functions, they could have decreased the number of functions. Listening to students discuss the projects and evaluate and analyze their work has been an exciting part of the process. Although the project was written as a digital learning unit for conic sections, it could be adapted for multiple levels of math.

In a effort to explore a different learning tool, I used wiki spaces to create this project rather than Google Sites, Weebly, or my own website. While wiki spaces does not offer the creative imagery that using a personal web site affords, it does offer predictability.  For students with special needs or who are new to digital learning, straight forward navigation is essential.  Additionally,  wiki spaces provides the ability to embed all materials into the space and often is allowed in schools with strong filters. 

Click the link below to go to the Graphic Math Art wiki space.

https://graphicmathart.wikispaces.com/

Engaging with Games

My time at Boise State is coming to a close.  I have learned more than I thought is humanly possible. One class that has had a profound impact on my teaching and will shape my summer is Edtech 532 Games and Simulations.  To give a glimpse of what I have learned in the class I have created a 777 second video.

The other students and Dr. Haskell have been an inspiration and I hope to return in the near future to complete a Graduate Certificate in Games and Simulation!

My research and other products can be found on My Gaming Adventure Blog



What does 21st Century teaching look like?

I was challenged to compare 20th Century and 21st Century teaching using creativity.  One of the differences I see between the two centuries is pedagogy. Teachers today are using technology to redefine how they teach. Students are being challenged to solve complex, authentic problems and learn content as they pursue these endeavors. Although I have always been a proponent of the constructivist theory of learning, the Common Core State Standards are challenging all teachers to move away from procedural understanding and provide the opportunity for students to learn through inquiry and experiential learning.

Using Web 2.0 tools for collaboration and providing an authentic audience is one approach to engaging students in their learning. For younger students using tools like Symbaloo provides the links to resources that students need to explore without subjecting them to the tedious task of searching. However, as students grow in maturity it is important for instructors to teach strategies for discerning the validity of information found on the internet.

Of course Google Apps for Education is an essential tool in every educator's tool belt. It is very easy for educators to become overwhelmed with the wealth of resources.  I suggest teachers begin by looking at the standards they are teaching and the technology standards they want to students to master by the end of the year. Once they have these goals they can look for 2 to 3 resources for students to use and master over the course of the year. If they find students are hungry for more, then they can add more to their class.

Above all else, remember to keep everything student-centered.

Move over Word Problems

Mathematical modeling is one of the conceptual categories for the Common Core State Standards,
but how do we engage students in mathematical modeling?  It is often a challenge to overcome students attitudes toward challenging problems, but by using games and simulations teachers can create engaging lessons that pull students into a real world situation.

I have created a lesson plan to accompany a simple game, Shopping Street, which can be found on multiple websites as well as downloaded as an app.

FORMative Assessment workshop

In previous posts, I have provided a Google Apps Gamified Professional Development plan as well
as a FORMative assessment example.  I have created a workshop which leads participants through the steps to

1. Create a Google Form
2. Add the Flubaroo Addon
3. Grade a quiz using Flubaroo
4. Analyze the results to make informed decisions
5. Use Snag-it Add-on to add images to quizzes
6. Use the g(math) Add-on to add equations to quizzes
7. Different instruction using the quizzes

FORMative Assessments

Some teachers are fortunate enough to have 1:1 devices in their classroom either because students have devices or the districts have provided these devices.  One tool teachers can use to quickly assess student understanding is a Google FORMative assessment.

Using Forms and Flubaroo teachers can create assessments. However, one draw back is the apparent limit to text questions. However, with a little ingenuity teachers can add images through the Snag-it Chrome extention. By using a few cool tips, assessments can also be used to different instruction or reteach concepts using You-tube videos.

Check out this quiz for examples:

Evaluate Your GAFE Roll Out

Any successful program has a evaluation tools built in.  There are several rubrics for evaluating a successful rollout of a technology based program. Based on the definition that educational technology should be used to improve learning outcomes and improve efficiency, this rubric covers infrastructure, budgets, administration, training and evaluation.  Additionally, it has been reviewed by technology leaders from Colorado.

Google Apps Rollout