Module 4 Blogging Assignment

Module 4: Slopes and Equations of Lines

Promethean Planet: Slopes andEquations of Lines

This flipchart is made for grades 9-12. It goes hand in hand with most Algebra classes. This flipchart shows a lot of examples of graphing lines and equations. This would be very useful because it has so many examples to look at, it would save me as a teacher from having to make up a lot of examples.

Hardware\Software

Roblyer and Doering (2012) talk about the teacher’s hardware toolbox (pg. 11). You can download this flip chart without a problem, but for it to work right you would need to have the flip chart software. A classroom would also need to have a computer, projector, and some kind of interactive smart pens and tablets for the students.

Technology Use Based on Problem Solving

I chose this flip chart because it is very helpful in giving visual examples for a tough subject. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Highly abstract mathematical and scientific principles become clearer and easier to understand” (pg. 25). Another way to support students learning is to support effective skill practice (Roblyer & Doering, 2012). This flipchart does this as well by giving the students a lot of examples to practice with.

Essential Conditions for Technology Integration

There are a couple of essential conditions to be able to use this technology. The first is the school system has to have the funding. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Experts agree that adequate funding can determine the success or failure of even the best technology plans” (pg. 66). Without the proper funding a teacher can’t even think about integrating this technology in a classroom. Teachers also must stay up to date with how to use all the technology. “However, because technology resources and applications change so quickly, continuing professional staff development in technology resources and applications remains an essential condition for effective technology integration” (Roblyer & Doering, 2012 , (pg. 68)).

Software Support Tools

There is all kind of support tools out there for new teachers. A teacher can find all kind of generators that can be beneficial in a classroom on the web. From a test generator, quiz generator, to a rubric generator. Teachers now have the benefit of being able to use all the interactive whiteboard materials to keep the students involved in the classroom. Teachers also have access to interactive grade books that make keeping grades and printing progress reports very simply.

M5 blogging Assignment

Advantage of Integrating Technology

There are many advantages to using technology in the classroom. Virtual manipulatives are replicas accessed through the Internet (Roblyer & Doering, 2012). These are very useful because it allows the students to have a visual representation of what they are learning. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Obara (2010a) says that students have a hard time visualizing three-dimensional solids” (pg. 313). Technology makes this easy for students because it actually allows them to be able to see the shape. When talking about graphing calculators Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “ Research has shown that these tools can improve students’ understanding of functions and graphs” (pg. 313). Interactive or dynamic geometry are programs that allows users to manipulate geometric construction (Roblyer & Doering, 2012). This program is excellent because many students struggle in Geometry due to not being able to understand the visual imaging of some shapes.  Here is a link where you can get a Geometry sketch pad to be used to help students.

http://www.dynamicgeometry.com/

Disadvantages if Integrating Technology

Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Technologies are available to support either kind of method, but the approach teachers use to teach math definitely determines the kind of integration strategies they would consider (pg. 316). If not implemented right, technologies can be very harmful in the classroom. Some teachers teach certain ways and all technologies cannot be implemented into their classroom. If they try to implement unneeded technology it could just cloud the classroom and keep students from learning. Sometimes we can rely on technology too much as well. Now, some students have forgotten how to do simple math, because they just punch stuff in to a calculator. I think students should still have to do some math without technology so they learn how to do it. At some point in the future technology might not be there, and the students need to know how to do it without technology. Below is a website that talks about the downside of using technology

http://classroom.synonym.com/negative-effects-using-technology-todays-classroom-4130.html

Specific Activities and Programs

1.       Implementing data-driven curricula

2.       Supporting math related- communications via math forums

3.       Motivating skill building and practice

4.       Use graphing calculators

5.       Do some calculators based labs

6.       Principles and standards for school mathematics

Blog Assignment 3

Search Engines

Learning to use search engines can be very useful in the classroom.  There are two  common types of search engines (Roblyer & Doering, 2012).  Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Search engines can be used in two ways” (pg219). The two ways it talks about are by a subject index search or by keyword searches. Students can find information on just about anything on a search engine. A lot of this information is not creditable though. So learning how to really use the search engine and be able to pick the credible hits from the search engine is very crucial. Once students learn how to find the credible hits they will be able to use search engines while writing research papers or any school papers. It will also make sure that the things they find on the internet is correct information, so they are not learning the wrong things. 

Website Evaluation Video

This website is very simple and talks about some very good points in website evaluation. It is also not very long so the students want get lost and zone out. This would be a great video to play in class and sums up the main points.

Favorite Website #1

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2014/01/20-great-math-websites-for-teachers-and.html

This website is a collection of some math websites that would be very useful for me in my classroom. Roblyer  and Doering (2012) stated, “ when developing a website, keep in mind that it should take no more than three clicks to find content (pg 255). This website lets me get to the link I need within three clicks so it is user friendly.

Favorite Website #2

 http://fhsmaths.wikispaces.com/

This is a math wikispace for a high school. I really liked this space because it has multiple classes that you can find. The other cool thing is there was a place for parents to sign in as well. There was also a tutorial for the parents. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Pages and designed for good readability and aesthetics” (pg 255). This page was very simple but appealing to the eyes. The first page on the site was also very clear to navigate with the arrows showing where to click. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “the first page of the site indicates clearly how to navigate (pg 255).  I would create one like this for my class because it not only allows students to collaborate, but lets the parents see the progress of their kids and make sure their kids are getting their work done.

Blog Assignment 2

Commericial Hypermedia Product, Reference Material

I chose to talk about reference materials.  Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “…; in addition there is increased availability of reference materials on the Internet for little to no cost.” (pg 175).  Then, Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Some materials have simulations, animation, videos, and\or Internet links to still more materials.” (pg 176). My link goes hand in hand with the online and has more links to yet more material. I found a website that has a collection on math journals on various different topics. I could see myself using this is a classroom as a back-up. If used in a higher math class the links could be helpful for students to dig deeper into something they are interested about, or a topic that they may be struggling with to grasp. It would be difficult to incorporate this into a low math class, because the math lingo in the journals can be quiet confusing. In this case I would use the link for myself to brush up on topics before presenting to the class. So either in an upper or lower class this website would still be useful to the students either directly or indirectly.

http://www.mathontheweb.org/mathweb/mi-journals5.html

Chosen Multimedia Authoring Tool, Type 4

I chose to talk about virtual environments. Roblyer and Doering (2012) stated, “Through various visual and tactile devices, VR can represent real or imaginary worlds in which the user interacts through multiple senses: a true multimedia environment” (pg. 193). I believe this can be very useful in the classroom. VR is getting more and more popular as a tools for many instructional needs (Roblyer and Doering, 2012).  Birchfield and Megowan- Romanowicz (2009) report that use of and immersive environment for teaching science concepts increased achievement of high school students (Roblyer & Doering, 2012, pg 196). I found a link that allows you to perform a virtual knee surgery. I think this is very helpful in the classroom. Especially in anatomy classes. Teachers can allow students to perform the virtual surgery as a learning tool. Things such as these would also be very helpful for pre-med students. http://www.edheads.org/activities/knee/

The video embedded Shows how students can use the virtual world to watch surgeries 

References
Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A. H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Blog Assignment 1

Word Processing Software

I believe word processing is very useful tool in education today. It makes it very simple and easy for students to practice their typing skills while also helping with their grammar. Teachers can use this when assigning writing assignments for the kids. Word will show them where there mistakes are and the students may be able to fix it before turning in the work. The biggest issue that I can think of when it comes to word is that it is taking away from students handwriting skills. The more students use Processing the worse their handwriting gets because of the lack of using it (Roblyer & Doening, 2011).

Spreadsheet Software

Spreadsheet is a tough one for me, I don’t really have a clue when it comes to using it. I know it can be very impactful in the classroom though. I think students would enjoy having a visual of the changes in numbers and how it might affect things like there grades (Roblyer & Doening, 2011).  The issue with it is if students get too good at using excel they may forget how to actually do the math, instead they would just plug it into the program to get answers. “Teachers usually have to allow time for students to become comfortable with the software” (Roblyer & Doening, 2011, pg125).

Presentation Software

Presentation software allows teachers to think through what they will be presenting and what they will say during the lesson when they are making the PowerPoint (Roblyer & Doening, 2011). I think if used in the right way presentation will make more of an impact on your lesson, especially enhancing the key thoughts that need to be driven in. There is some down sides of presentation as well. “Young (2009) cites a British study that reported students perceived use of PowerPoint- based lectures among the most boring”(Roblyer & Doening, 2011, pg130) . I agree with this statement, we all know that those dreaded history PowerPoints are terrible to sit through.

Classroom Use

I am going to talk about the classroom use with presentation. Presentation can be very helpful in a math class. I believe my students will enjoy seeing graphics and real life examples of the problems they are working on. The thing I would like to do with presentation the most is, have interactive quiz or practice problems on some slides. I can get little clickers that can be linked to my computer that shows what each student thinks is the correct answer. This will give me real time results so we can talk through problems that the kids got wrong to try and find their error. I just have to be very careful not to become too reliant on presentation in my class, because too much will bore the students and I will lose their attention.

                                                            References

Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.