Technology is shaking up math instruction on many levels. AI, augmented reality, virtual reality and gamification, as well as innovations in hardware and software, are all enabling new ways of teaching.
I’m a high-school math teacher in Arizona, and in my College Algebra and AP Calculus BC classes, we often use graphing calculators. One of the biggest ways this technology has changed my routine is by enabling me to make our lessons more collaborative. Instead of having students working by themselves, we can project the image from the calculator onto the whiteboard in my classroom, creating incredible opportunities for collaboration and teamwork and creating learning that goes far beyond a math lesson.
Vertical whiteboard surfaces can create a “magic moment”
I love when my students are working at the vertical whiteboard surfaces around the perimeter of my classroom. I can see their problem-solving processes, I can tell by their body language if they are frustrated or are getting it; students are collaborating and cooperating; and there is strength in the collective knowledge in the room. There is that magic moment when the teacher no longer needs to be there to deliver information. Rather, the teacher is the facilitator of learning. There is still a lot of work to be done, decisions to be made and discussions to facilitate.
Using technology for math exploration, visualization and understanding can be tricky when students are working at the vertical surfaces. There are a few things that I have changed in my classroom routines to blend the use of technology with working at the vertical whiteboards.
Strategies for success
Pair students up
I arrange students in random pair groups in order for the students to collaborate. They need to share the space, share the calculator screen and share the marker. It’s important to think about how to group students. My students most often work in pairs. Otherwise, if they are in groups of three, my students will turn to cooperative behaviors: One student will be the technology expert, one student will turn into the scribe and the last student turns into the person keeping everyone on track. For some activities, this is desired, but I have found collaboration between pairs of students more effective in encouraging thinking and problem-solving.
Let students present their work
I wirelessly connect students’ graphing calculators to my computer using the TI-Nspire Navigator system, which allows me to project the calculator screens onto the large vertical projection board. This lets me see how students are using their calculators. It also is another way for the collective knowledge of the room to be displayed. Student pairs will check the presentation board for verification or a hint with the calculators. Most of the time, it is to see how to do something compared to what the answer should be.
Being able to capture and project the calculator screens of my students helps to mobilize the knowledge in the classroom. This is one of the essential components of “Building Thinking Classrooms” and encompasses the strategies that move knowledge from the individual to the group, to many groups and to the class. It is an essential component of the entire learning cycle.
The best part is that a single student’s calculator can be selected so that student can be the presenter. As the teacher, I very rarely show or demonstrate anything on the graphing calculator. Everything is student-led. Although often there will be help and suggestions offered from peers or myself, the student is the one who is using the technology to demonstrate their knowledge.
Embed time for students to learn how to use the technology
For all of this to work, there must be individual time for students to master the use of the graphing technology. This is true of every technology. No one learns how to use a tool by watching a demonstration only. No one learns from having someone else do the steps for them. Recently, in my math classes, that skill might have been graphing piecewise functions and then transforming them on the graphing calculator. It is critical to allow students time to learn how to use the calculator to do this.
Create a plan to identify the technical skills students will need and teach them purposefully before they need to access the skill for visualization or exploration. Do a task analysis of the math content, as well as the technology skills related to that content. Careful planning of situations to use and practice technology skills must be built into the class culture. You can’t only use graphing technology once a month and expect students to remember what to do or think past what to do. It is important to provide time in advance to teach them how to use the technology so they can then focus on interpreting and analyzing what the technology is portraying.
Technology will continue to evolve, and with it, so will the way we teach math. But there will always be a need for tools and technologies that support collaboration. Collaboration is what mobilizes learning, generates deeper understanding of the content and teaches success skills that will serve students for life.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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