Interactivity #3- Generating a State of the Art Inventory

I was nervous about working on a group project for an online class, but in the end it turned out to be a great and successful experience. One of my group members, Justyna, took initiative and created the spreadsheet early on, so that we could all input our technologies by Monday night. This way, we had enough time to look over them and write our blog. We also decided to color code the different categories so the spreadsheet is nicely organized. We communicated through email, which worked out fine for us. When inputting our technologies, we had to look over the ones that other members put in so we would not repeat them. 

This interactivity has made me aware of how many technologies there are to use in a math class. Of course there are the obvious ones like calculators and computers, but we found some great ones that I never heard of before. For example, dream box learning, is a fun easy way to learn math through animations and examples. SchoolTube and TeacherTube are also great websites where students and teachers can share educational videos. Even a digital camera can be used in math as as a visual representation for finding the measures of shapes, their sides, angles, etc.

The spreadsheet can be a great reference tool for me, to use for my classes now and later in my teaching career. Since there are so many technologies, I do not always have to depend on one. Often student may get bored, but by trying different technologies, I can make each lesson unique and by using some of the websites I can give them additional resources to use at home. 

Mathalicious

Mathalicious is an awesome website that helps teachers teach standard base math through real world applications. The site provides lessons for teachers, as well as student handouts and multimedia presentations. According to the website, "61% of middle school students say they'd rather take out the garbage than do their math homework." They just don't understand it or do not know why they need it. With the lessons mathalicious offers, students learn to use math to explore the world around us. The lessons engage the students and help them understand how the world works.

These are some of the questions the students explore:

1. How long would you have to run to burn off a McDonald’s Extra Value Meal? (Equations and Expressions)
2. Do people with small feet overpay for shoes & should Nike charge by weight? (Unit Rates)
3. In the Olympics, do taller sprinters have an unfair advantage? (Ratios and Proportions)
4. Does “bankrupt” come up more often than it should & is the show rigged? (Percents and Probabilities)


These lessons help teachers promote problem solving and critical thinking skills. Students answer open ended questions that they are actually interested in and want to think about. And because they are standard based lessons, they will still be prepared for the standarized tests ate the end of the year. I know that I would rather do any one of these lessons than listen to a teacher talk for 45 minutes about unit rates. 

Push For Digital Transition

President Obama has set a goal for each child to have an e-textbook in hand by the year 2017. The government spends $7 billion a year on text books and often they are out of date. Therefore they are pushing for tablet computers, which may cost more up front, but students will gain more for the money. They want to push publishers, computer tablet makers and internet service providers to work together and lower costs, so that they can sell their products to the 50 million school kids.

The "web connected instructional materials help students learn more efficiently and give teachers real-time    information on how well kids understand material" (Toppo). It is essential to push for this transition, because the future industry depends on technology. Students would be able to research, check their work and receive instant feedback. Even outside of school students would be provided with an interactive and engaging environment.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-01-31/schools-e-textbooks/52907492/1

Interactivity #2- The History of Technologies in Schools

                           Knowing is not a destination, but a process.

source:

http://problemsolvingk-12.wikispaces.com/

Ti website- great tool for educators

Teachers who truly care about their students, often go out of their way to help their students succeed, spending their own hard earned money. Therefore, when there are free programs available, teachers should take advantage of that. It is important to be aware of what is available and use it in the classroom. The ti website, is one great example.  It allows teachers to choose which Ti product they are using, and then use different math apps. Also, the website provides different activities, ranging from algebra to statistics with notes for the teacher and student activity sheets. It lays out exactly what should be done before the activity, during the activity, and after the activity.

The website also provides special offers for educators such as the use of the new Ti-Nspire technology for free. They can try it online, download the software and use it for 90 days, or borrow it for 30 days.

The Ti website is also great with providing funding, research and support opportunities. According to the website "Research is the foundation for making Ti solutions an essential component of student achievement. Ti provides educators, schools and districts with a wealth of research and funding resources." Educators can find many resources for funding and research such as, showing how Ti educational technology is an essential component of greater student achievement. There are also multiple support programs available to meet the demands of educational policy.


The Ti website is just one of the many great tools available to teachers for free. As long as they become aware of this, they can take full advantage of these tools and make their lessons more exciting and interesting. In addition, the research and funding opportunities are great if the teachers would like some new supplies for their classrooms. 


http://education.ti.com/calculators/products/US/home/