Episode 6: Teching up Math

How often do classroom teachers hear the sighs from some students as soon as math is mentioned? It is not uncommon for students to disengage from math instruction and the reasons are many: they just don’t get it, they do not understand the why for their learning, or maybe they are inundated with worksheets. Whatever the case, it is important we change strategies often to engage students and promote their learning of math. This is where technology opens up many possibilities.

Today’s episode will focus on technology resources for use in the math classroom - Extensions/Add-ons and Websites, the question feature in Google Classroom, and Google Forms.

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💫 Extensions, Add-ons, and Sites: 

​Extensions, Add-ons, and websites are not all created equally. Things to consider when looking for these tools include but not limited to:

• Do they enhance the learning process for students
• Do they help promote learning of the math concepts
• Do they help with student and teacher workflow
• Do they promote the 4 Cs

On the podcast, we mentioned several of the following items. Look through them, explore with your students, and decide which ones will offer the most impact for learners. Also, if you have others that you are already using, add them to the comments so we and others can benefit!

EquatIO

• Chrome extension
• Inserts mathematical symbols and expressions
• Dictate mathematical formulas out loud and have EquatIO convert those to written expressions

GeoGebra

• Interactive website and Chrome app  
• Graphing, drawing, transforming graphs and more
• Easy to use  

Pattern Shapes  

• Chrome app
• Virtual block patterns
• Manipulate to investigate symmetry, patterns, angles, and fractions.

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Number Rack (also known as Rekenrek)

• App found in Chrome Web Store
• Virtual learning space for students to explore grouping possibilities as well as a variety of addition and subtraction strategies.
• Eureka Math - small group rotations

Open Middle

• Website offers problems with the same beginning and same answer but the ‘middle’ is open
• Students can solve in many different ways
• Choose one, post in Google Classroom or project on board, and have students reasoning and investigating questions with a higher DOK or depth of knowledge.

🎓Google Classroom -
If you are not a user of Google Classroom, you are missing out on some simple but effective ways for monitoring student learning and understanding. No, Google Classroom alone will not fit that bill but what you add to and create in the classroom will!

• Creating a Question within Google Classroom - create button, select Question, type, and assign
• Quick formal assessment - multiple choice question to poll your students
• Check for understanding? -  respond with a short answer.

❓Question feature overlooked but powerful:

• Quick glance for completion - teacher
• Students respond to each other
  • Opens the lines of communication
  • Chances to learn from each other
  • Endless possibilities 

📝Google Forms

Google Forms is a great tool for gathering information from large sets of individuals and organizing the information in a way that is easy to view and analyze. They can also be effective in the math classroom for quizzes but let’s think outside some of the more popular ways and be creative.

• Describe or explain a math concept?
  • Insert an image for a question
  • Select either Short Answer or Paragraph
  • Reflect on learning by creating a paragraph style question.

 

• Create surveys and collect responses.
  • Analyze the data, create graphs, tables, charts, etc.
  • Ask questions based on data

 

• Questions or Issues
  • Have students complete with any questions or issues from assigned homework 
  • Creates a record of where to begin the next day with groups of learners

 

•  Create a Scavenger Hunt
  • To introduce a math topic or possibly to review the topic -
  • Different sections with links to information for the students
  • OR have students create scavenger hunts for each other

• Conditional Formatting
  • Create different sections and based on student answers determines what their next question will be.
  • High student interest!

  



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