1
ON-LINE RESOURCES
Week 1 Assignment 1
Using On-line Resources for Teachers of Mathematics
Jannet L. Crawford
Dr. Lori Brooks-Wijbrandus
EDU522
October 12, 2012
Educators and instructors of today’s diverse population of learners face a daunting task in reaching students and guiding towards internalizing complex concepts such as one encounters in the area of mathematics. In this area in particular, students must see the value, or relevance of what they are being asked to attend to. The length of time and intensity of focus required must compete with a myriad of other entities vying for their attention.
Given the nature of young learners’ diverse population, materials and teaching methods must offer the students incentives far more relevant to them than a mere grade, which holds little value for a majority of the learners. No longer is it sufficient to assume that the student will want or be able to attend to issues simply because instructor is presenting it via lecture and/or simple black and white worksheets. In addition, there exists a far broader spectrum of knowledge than can possibly be conveyed by traditional classroom methods. For example, Holmes and Gardner (2006) point out that we face a future where there exists an inconceivable knowledge base, available anywhere, anytime through on-line technology.
Students can be taught using far more interesting and stimulating methods which are available to instructors through the use of technology. Moreover, greater understanding of material can be achieved through the use of electronic pedagogy which more closely matches the experiences learners encounter outside the classroom lessons. The idea of communal learning can take root as the learners are exposed to links provided by electronic sources for more exploration. Interest can be tapped more efficiently through the unlimited sources available to learners.
With the push for the teaching of higher level thinking skills over the last few years, many educators are wondering how to tap into these in addition to the basic content they are expected to teach. The answer is not adding to the heavy content burden, but to change the way the content is delivered. Technological advances are creating such a path. Using on-line resources in the classroom can be an avenue to tapping these higher levels on Bloom’s Taxonomy not so much as a specific dot on the lesson plan or SOL matrix, rather a part of the process of delivering basic content. This is especially true if the instructor shares with the learners that she is a lifelong learner. Sharing some of the process of how the programs being used were selected, and pointing out links that the learners can use for self-exploration helps them to develop synthesizing and evaluating skills in addition to the basic content being taught.
Along a more specific vein, a look at some specific tools found online will be discussed.
These are merlot.com, middle school.net, and ixl.com. The first of these is a site which offers all manner of teaching resources, assessment resources, as well as ways to implement them.
One source found here, Goal-directed Instruction Design Plan – Multiplying and Dividing Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers, for example includes a chart with specific outlines: A problem or need; A real-world performance, An instructional objective, A set of essential content, and An evaluation consisting of a test or observation. There are also resources for implementing assessment tools. On the middleschool.net site, a general category, such as mathematics turns up a host of topics in math, as well as websites offering practical practice formats such as games for use on the computer or SMART BOARD, lessons, activities and other types of media for addressing specific math concepts, in addition to sites for further research on math topics.
The ixl.com website is quite user-friendly. It offers a comprehensive array of grade level math topics with engaging activities and games for the students for every objective or skill. It also contains methods for assessment built in. Its series of game-format lessons has the tracking ability to take the learner to increasing levels of difficulty. There are also links from which the instructor may print out hard-copy practice set in an attractive format, should this method be desired, or required for state alternative testing purposes.
One final thought, students can and often will seek to learn from each other more readily than from a teacher or textbook. Bryn Holmes describes such a scenario in an article published in 2001. In the article, she relates how the school system in Japan has students helping other students with everything from walking to school to mastering concepts within the classroom. Allowing the tutoring of students by students, rather than being required to remain silent to avoid disturbing others, creates a learning environment where all move forward. This author has seen the magic which can happen when communal learning takes place, particularly when the task at hand involves the use of technology.
References
Holmes, bh, & Gardner, jg (2006). e-Learning concepts and practice. London: Sage Publications.
Holmes, bh, Tangney, bt, Fitzbibbon, af, Savage, ts, & Mehan, sm (2001). Communal Constructivism: Students constructing learning for as well as with others. Retrieved 10/12/2012, from http://www.scss.tcd.ie/publications/tech-reports/reports.01/TCD-CS-2001-04.pdf