Spring 2010 Presentation

The Prensky Discussion

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Beware of over generalized claimsShow me the studies. Read the background literature.Nothing is ever as good or bad as it seems.Read with a critical eye and listen with a

critical ear.

Problems with Prensky

The Digital Divide

The technology and its implementation are very impressive.

This seems to have Prensky’s fingerprints on it.

The old ways are the Betamax ways. i.e. Obsolete

anachronisms.Writing is replaced by videoTraditional learning is important, but so is

new learning.How or does any of the traditional learning

get evaluated?

Re-Imagining Learning in the 21st Century

Millennial Score

I Blogged!

What did you learn? I am learning that having my students write

about their learning is a helpful exercise both for them and for me.

Why is this learning important to you?The learning is important to me because I

want my students to have as deep an understanding as possible. It is also important to me because I want to use different approaches to teaching math to my students.

Learning Statement #1 (Field Study)

Topics: How do we feel about math?When was the last time you felt that you

understood math?   - Describe what you mean.What part of math do you feel that you need

help with?

Journals

“Personally, math isn't one of my strongest subjects but I like to do math because it makes me think. Unlike other subjects, the answers to a math question is either right or wrong, there's never a maybe. Math to me is really fun especially when I feel like I understand it and know how to solve the questions that are in the homework. I really understood math 9 well. Math 9 wasn't hard for me except maybe at the end of the semester, the final gave me some problems because i mainly forgot the beginning of the semester which caused me a lot of trouble in my final exam. Sometimes in class, I don't always feel comfortable raising my hand saying that i don't understand how to do a question or how did this answer become this. Parts of math that i think i need help with is the latest 2 day lesson. I don't exactly understand the conjugate part, so other than that, i think i can manage. I also need to review my roots more often. “ 

Student Journal Entry

15 out of 22 students found journal writing to be sometimes or always helpful.

What did you learn?

I have learned that technology can be an impediment to students completing writing assignments and wiki postings. This learning is associated with my pursuit of fulfilling my NETS-T goal of promoting student reflection using collaborative tools.

Learning Statement #2 (Field Study)

The learning is important to me because I want my students participate in my class activities. I want my students to have the benefits of writing in math. Through reflection I would expect that my students would gain a deeper understanding of their own thinking and reasoning processes.

It is also important to me because I want to use different approaches to teaching math to my students. By having my students learn to write effectively in math I would hope that they would have a better appreciation of what math has to offer.

Why is this learning important to you?

“I do not agree with the wiki and journal assignments because I have to do it with a computer. I actually am not ding any assignment related to the computer because I do not have a computer at home. I know I can do these in the library or somewhere else but it is too much trouble. I would appreciate it if I could hand in written journals.”

Student Comments

“Over the past couple of weeks I have been growing concerned about the participation rate of my class journaling.  I am feeling as if the requirement to do it using Google Docs may be counterproductive.  Having read the action research paper on journaling in math class I have come up with an idea that I would like to implement over the next few weeks. ” Also, “I overheard two of my students talking about doing their journal statements and saying how it was just too much of a bother to go home and do it. This makes me think that it would be better to have the assignments done in class.”

My Journal Reflections

What Did You Learn?I am learning that using student writing

journals is giving my students a deeper understanding of how they think as they try to solve problems in my math class.

Learning Statement # 3 (Field Study)

Journal Topic: Write out your steps and thoughts as you solve #17b on Pg.429.

When solving this question, I noticed that the m-4 on the top could be part of m^2-8m+16 after I factor it, and it was. I also noticed, after I took out the 3 from 3m+21, that (m+7) could be cancelled after I factor m^2+12m+35.

How did I learn it?

Journal week 2 February 25, 2010 Jason

When i approach factoring a quadratic expression I start off with looking for the GCF (greatest common factor). If there is no GCF I look at the coefficients. I try to find the factors of the constant and calculate which factors add up to the linear part of the equation. For example: 2xto the power of 2 plus 7x plus 3 I would follow all my steps and finish by putting the x's in both brackets like so (2x+_)(x+_) I then insert the factors of 3 I have chosen and put them into the spaces. I will then end up with (2x+3)(x+1). I can check my answer using FOIL which is First Outside Inside Last which will bring me back to the original form 2x to the power of 2 plus 7x plus 3.

Student Journal

My goal will be to promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes. 

I believe that by having my students reflect and write about specific topics, write out how they solved math problems, and share these writings with me and other students I have moved towards achieving this goal.

ISTE Goal and Growth

The learning that I have done this term falls into all of the program capacities. I have participated in a math listserve. I got a few good ideas from the discussions. I also was trying to have my students working as a learning community by contributing to a class wiki site. Over the course of my field study I have continually evaluating my journal prompts to the students and their responses.

I attempted to integrate technology into my class journal writing by having them first submit their writings by email and then by using Google docs. This was of limited success. Some students were reluctant to use the technology due to the amount of time involved.

I read several articles all relating to the advantages of having students write in math class. The articles covered the use of writing at elementary, high school and college levels. It was difficult to find articles involving the use of technology and writing were scarce. My use of Google docs and wikispaces allowed me to interact with my students and the technology in a new way. It was not totally successful however.

Programme Capacities

Programme Capacities 2009

Spring Capacities Spring 2010

I have grown as a Reflective PractitionerI have grown as a Critical PractitionerI have re-evaluated my standing in several

other categoriesI feel that I have progressed in all of themAnd unfortunately, I have just plain grown

Where Have I Grown?

References“Journaling in Math” http://www.teachervision.fen.com/math/letters-and-journals/48947.html 2000-2010 Pearson Education Inc.Borasi, Raffaell. Rose, Barbara, J. “Journal Writing and Mathematics Instruction” Educational Studies in Mathematics Journal. Volume 20, #4. November 1989Gopen, George D. Smith, David A. “What’s an Assignment Like You Doing in a Course Like This? Writing to Learn Mathematics.” The College Mathematics Journal, Vol. 21, No. 1 Jan. 1990MacIntosh, Margaret E. Draper, Roni Jo. “Using Learning Logs in Mathematics: Writing to Learn.” Mathematics Teacher, October 2001Menk, Brian D. “Will Journaling While Going Through The Executive Processes Improve Students’ Performance In Problem Solving?” Anthology of K-12 Action Research Papers, Winona State University 2005-2006Nickerson II, Lloyd Emery. “Journaling as a Test Preparatory Measure in Secondary Mathematics: Successful Student Strategies” Cedarville University 2007 Petti, Wendy. “Writing About Math” Education World. 2008Pugalee, David K. “Writing, Mathematics, and Metacognition: Looking for Connections through Students’ Work in Mathematical Problem Solving” Journal of School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 101. 2001Seto, Bethany. Meel, David E. “Writing in Mathematics: Making it Work” Primus Vol. 16 No. 3 2006