Algebra 1B

Factoring when there is a number in front of x^2:

Relative Advantage of Technology in the Math Classroom

Some may beg the question, “Why should we integrate technology into a math classroom when the students struggle to learn the math?” Well, as a high school math teacher I would simply answer that the technology is not adding to what they need to learn but it is a useful tool in enhancing the learning process. When integrated properly technology can allow advancements never thought possible. It allows students to experience real world problems and simulations that they cannot experience through a textbook. According to an Edutopia article “Effective technology integration is achieved when the use of technology is routine and transparent and when technology supports curricular goals.” (2008) This point is so vital to the successful integration of technology. We cannot simply purchase computers and tech gadgets for our schools and call it technology in the classroom. We must provide our students with the skills to use these tools to create a more interactive learning environment.

In a pencil/paper math classroom the types of problems, that we as teachers are able to present to the students, are limited. “Some problems are too hard to be posed in a pencils-only classroom. Some lessons require students to experiment with certain mathematical objects and see how they respond. Some require visual representations — graphs, diagrams, geometric figures, moving images — that respond to students’ questions, answers, or commands. Computers can provide interactive ‘virtual manipulatives’ where physical devices do not exist.” (Goldenburg, 2000) Some people argue that students must first learn basic math facts and that technology has no place during this stage of learning. I beg to differ. During this stage of learning (knowledge or recall stage) computer technologies can be used in place of the monotonous routine of drill and practice. Instead, students can practice using computer math games, or math software, that creates a competitive and fun way to practice basic skills.

I feel that the real challenge of incorporating technology into our math classrooms is deciding what tech tools are right for our students and their cognitive level. The advantages of incorporating technology certainly outweigh the risks (mostly being financial). Technology gives our students: 1.) Real life simulations   2.) opportunity to see 3-D representations   3.) and most importantly – the chance to make math fun again! Students and some adults alike are terrified of mathematics. By using technology as a teaching/learning tool we can incorporate something they enjoy and are familiar with which will help make the “math” part a little less scary. I know it may be a little more time consuming and a little more costly, but the education of our nation’s youth is worth it. Technology provides us with the latest tools to make learning effective and enjoyable. Lee Iacocca once said, “”In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have.” Teaching is an honor, and we should treat it as such by putting forth our best efforts and wholeheartedly diving into the new generation of learning.

 

 

References:

Goldenburg, E. P. (n.d.). Thinking (and talking) about technology in math classrooms. Issues in Math Education. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from www2.edc.org/mcc/pdf/iss_tech.pdf

Roblyer, M. D., & Doering, A.H. (2012). Integrating educational technology into teaching (6th ed.). Pearson.

Why integrate technology into the curriculum?: The reasons are many | Edutopia. (2008, March 16). K-12 Education & Learning Innovations with Proven Strategies that Work | Edutopia. Retrieved July 23, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction

Internet-Enriched Lesson

Road Trip Project

Every year my Foundations of  Technology classes plan a road trip. This year we are planning a trip to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida! Since we have been studying types of transportation, including, space travel, this ties in to our curriculum seamlessly.

First: You will visit our class wiki to get an overview for this project and an opportunity to comment on it throughout your progress.

http://fondationsoftechnology.wikispaces.com/FOT

Then: You will use http://www.mapquest.com to map out your route to the Kennedy Space Center if driving by car. You will need to specify what make and model car you are driving. How many times you will need to stop for fuel. And how much it will cost – as you will be keeping a running budget of ALL expenses. You may also choose to use mapquest to find restaurants and hotels along the route you choose. **You’re starting point will be from our high school and you will end at the space center.**

Next: You will then use Google Earth to map out your trip. You will follow the route you chose in mapquest and follow it using Google Earth. You will be required to take at least 10 screenshots of your trip. The images will be used later in the project.

Next: You will then choose one featured exhibit from the Kennedy Space Center that has something to do with human spaceflight to research. You need to have several paragraphs of information about this topic. Choose something that you find interesting! Save this information to a Google Doc.

Then: You will visit the Kennedy Space Center website. Here you will have the opportunity to ask an astronaut a question about the topic you have chosen. I will proofread your questions before you submit them!

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/1763.aspx

Next: You will experience some of the things found at the space center. Although we cannot afford to take all of you on a field trip to Florida, we can still make sure you get to see some pretty cool things. Here, you will take a virtual tour of a NASA Space Shuttle.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-90/vrtour/checkpoint.html

Finally: You are asked to  create a Google Doc or edited the one that you have already started. Write a brief reflection of the assignment, include your road trip plans, photos, budget, places to stop, and what your most looking forward to at the Space Center. Include the information you researched and any new information that you learned. What were your favorite and least favorite parts of this assignment? Publish the Doc so that your classmates can rate your assignment with the rubric I created on Rubistar. Take the time to rate 5 other classmates projects as well!

I hope you enjoy your trip to the Kennedy Space Center!

Safety on the Internet

In today’s internet based society, the internet is often the number one resource that comes to mind when researching a topic. This is also true for today’s students. Not only do students use the internet for research but also class projects, social networking, e-mailing, etc… While the web provides us with a vast variety of information and tools, it also poses a threat to our students. These threats may vary from compromising students’ physical safety, identity theft, online predators, misinformation, commercialization, pornography, and other dangers. We must help our students/children to stay safe while using the internet as a positive tool. I have created some guidelines to follow below.

STUDENT GUIDE TO INTERNET SAFETY

Basic:

1.) ALWAYS ask for/have permission to be online

2.) Follow the established AUP

3.) Once something is put online it is there FOREVER

4.) Treat others with respect as you would face to face

5.) Use common sense – if you think it might be wrong, it probably is!

*For more information check out:  livestrong.com or  iVillage

Personal:

1.) NEVER share your username or password with anyone

2.) DO NOT pretend to be someone you are not

3.) DO NOT lie about your age

4.) DO NOT give out personal information (address, phone number, etc..)

*For more information check out:  iSafe

Misinformation:

1.) Recognize educational websites vs. entertainment sites or editable sites.

Good: (.edu), school based sites, government based sites

Bad:   Wikipedia, biased/opinion blogs, gossip (The Enquirer)

2.) Check multiple sources to support your claims

3.) ASK a teacher or parent/guardian if you are unsure about validity of content

*For more information check out:  Better Read That Again or Validity on the Internet

Commercialization:

1.) Determine what an ad might look like and stay away from them

(Pop-ups, flashing windows, Includes words like: win, contest, enter, download)

2.) If it pops-up or asks you to download something – DO NOT open it

3.) If it asks your age/birth date to enter a page DO NOT continue

4.) If an ad says you’ve won something or something is free – it IS too good to be true, navigate away from the page

5.) If you are ever unsure about a pop-up or any form of ad ASK a teacher or parent/guardian

*For more information check out: Common Sense Media

Following these tips will certainly not end web-based crime, but by educating our youth we can certainly make it a safer environment.

Social Networking & Walled Gardens

Check out this Voice Thread on Social Networking & Walled Gardens…

http://voicethread.com/share/3229827/

 

Multimedia Vlog

This vlog is designed to examine the advantages of multimedia in the classroom.

Instructional Software

This presentation is designed to examine different types of instructional software and their relative advantages.

Instructional Software

Acceptable Use Policies (AUP)

In some ways today’s students are very fortunate to have so much information at their fingetips with just the click of a button. On the other hand, having all of this information readily available can be dangerous. Students may not fully understand the global power of the internet. According to Education World, “Many educators and parents fear dangers that the uncensored Internet might hold for children: inappropriate or obscene words and images; violence; and people who pose an online threat.”

One way to put these fears at ease is to develop a clear and concise Accepatble Use Policy. These policies are necessary for schools and other businesses. Network users must agree to appropriate terms of use in order to protect themselves and others on the network. An effective AUP should serve as a legal document, protect students, inform parents, and be: complete, adaptable, and unique for your school or business.

According to the US Department of Education’s online Alphabet Superhighway AUPs should include:

• A description of the instructional philosophies, strategies and goals to be supported by Internet access in schools
• An explanation of the availability of computer networks to students and staff members in your school or district
• A statement about the educational uses and advantages of the Internet
• An explanation of the responsibilities of educators and parents for students’ use of the Internet
• A code of conduct governing behaviour on the Internet
• An outline of the consequences of violating the AUP
• A description of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable use of the Internet
• A description of the rights of individuals using the networks in your school/district (such as the right to free speech, right to privacy, and so on)
• A disclaimer absolving the school district from responsibility, under certain circumstances
• An acknowledgement that the AUP complies with provincial and national telecommunication rules and regulations
• A form for teachers, parents and students to sign, indicating that they agree to abide by the AUP

As I mentioned above, AUPs should be unique to each school district or business, but by including the above items and respectively enforcing their AUP, schools (and businesses alike) can be confident that their network is safe and secure.

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Examples of school AUPs:

1. Washington County Board of Education Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for Telecommunication

2. Virginia Beach City Public Schools AUP

3. Rocky Point Schools AUP

4. Worcester Public School Internet Safety and AUP

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References:

Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use. (n.d.). Media Awareness Network | Réseau éducation médias. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://209.29.148.33/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_teachers/backgrounders/acceptable_use.cfm

Education World: Getting Started on the Internet: Developing an Acceptable Us… . (n.d.). Education World: The Educator’s Best Friend. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml.

Web 2.0/Mobile AUP Guide . (n.d.). CoSN Home Page. Retrieved June 17, 2012, from                http://www.cosn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=8139

Vision Statement

Our education system today seems to be changing from year to year, maybe even more often. We have new standards and goals to meet each year as individual states adopt new curriculums. Some educators find this to be a burden because they are constantly being asked to change their resources and even their methods. However, we must ask ourselves: if our education system didn’t change as the world around us changes, then would it be education at all? This brings me to another constantly changing subject – technology. Technology, in its own right, is evolving constantly. If, we as educators didn’t use one to help the other, we would be gravely amiss.

As education and technology advance, so do our expectations of those who are entering our workforce. According to the National Education Technology Plan Executive Summary our nation’s goal is “that 60 percent of our nation’s population holds a two-year or four-year degree by 2020.” The Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the US Department of Labor states that, “the US workforce will become more diverse by 2020” and “demand for these workers will increase as technology advances.” It also states that, “jobs requiring a master’s degree are expected to grow the fastest, while those requiring a high school diploma will experience the slowest growth.” Today’s goal in education is to focus on college readiness for each and every student; this includes technological literacy.

Although today’s conventional student has been surrounded by technologies for the majority of his/her life, we must remember the latest in technology is changing on a second to second basis. As educators, our goal is to produce a productive and successful member of society to the world. Therefore, in order to give our students an edge, we must be able to provide them with the capabilities to access the latest in technology which will help to provide them with the latest information which is the essence of education. Since we will be holding our students to higher standards of technological capabilities, we will need a way to measure them. NAEP is developing the first ever NAEP Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) assessment. “In 2014, eighth-grade students who are selected to take NAEP will participate in the assessment.” The assessment will focus on three main areas: technology and society, design and systems, and information and communication technology.

As you can see, our nation is becoming more and more focused on technological growth within our educational atmosphere. We owe it to our youth to provide them with every possible opportunity to better themselves academically, socially, and of course – technologically. As Nigel Willetts once said, “When faced with a steam-rolling technology, you either become part of the technology or part of the road!” As an educator, I want success for my students. I want them to become part of the most current technology — not part of the road. We must dedicate a part of our education system to guarantee that they have every opportunity to succeed, and this can partially be done by helping them to become technologically literate.

References:

“NAEP-Technology Literacy.” NAEP-Technology Literacy. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 June 2012. http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/techliteracy/.

“National Education Technology Plan 2010.” U.S. Department of Education. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 June 2012. <http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010&gt;.

“Occupational Outlook Handbook.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 09 June 2012. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/About/Projections-Overview.htm.