Extracurricular activities such as music, drama, art or yearbook club are engaging activities for all students. According to Csikszentmihalyi (2002), engagement diminishes in a hierarchy from classes which involve team projects, independent projects, and then lastly, lecture-based classes. Csikszentmihalyi (1975) defines high engagement (1975) as “flow”, which is the balance between a task that is challenging and the possession of skills to carry out that task. Vygotsky’s similarly refers to optimal learning while in a zone of proximal development (ZPD) which is the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she cannot do. Unfortunately mathematics usually resides at the bottom of places a student would choose to be in school. Not only are most math classes defined by a lecture-based instructional format, students also find math challenging which makes it one of the least enjoyable activities in schools. In 2016, I was awarded an innovation grant to turn my middle school mathematics classroom to 1:1 with chromebooks. My first year was spent learning to manage the physical devices. The simple integration of technology was desirable to students which led to increased student engagement. However, after a year of instruction using technology, my traditional classroom has shifted from a utilitarian use of technology to more engaging, relevant, and authentic instruction. Engagement through Differentiation In mathematics, the relative advantage in using of technology is to capitalize on the ability to differentiate instruction. Differentiation supports student engagement by providing flow and supporting a student's’ level of ZPD. With the incorporation of technology, my role as a teacher has naturally shifted to that of a facilitator of information. Technology offers the ability for independent choice which is important for providing every student a learning pathway. For example, rather than completing a worksheet for procedural practice, students can use games, or complete formative assessments utilizing technology which supplies feedback to encourage self-monitoring of learning. Authentic Experience An authentic experience is one that offers an opportunity to engage in a real-world situation. In mathematics, technology can support students’ authentic experience by integrating simulations into lessons. Simulations or real-world problems can be initiated through situated videos, apps to help students visualize difficult mathematical concepts. Use of social media can present opportunities to investigate real-world situations that are only solvable through problem-based inquiry and collaboration. “Students who feel passion for a subject willingly invest time and energy in it” Relevance Teaching 21st century relevant skills is ubiquitous across all disciplines. Technology offers students the opportunity to write both independently and collaboratively. The U.S. Department of Education (2014) reports a positive relationship between use of technology for writing and student performance. In a study of eighth-grade students’, the frequency of use of technology for drafting and revising assignments positively correlated with student test scores. Through the use of blogs, wiki’s and basic-suite type of software, students can elaborate on their mathematical ideas and connect meaning and understanding to difficult concepts. Moreover, technology offers an advantage to write, collaborate, and publish their thoughts and ideas to an audience. Useful Resources Differentiated Instruction: Content
References
Harmer, A., & Cates, M. (2007). Designing for learner engagement in middle school science, Computers in the Schools, 24(1), p.105-124. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: Experiencing flow in work and play. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002, April 11). Edutopia - Motivating People to Learn. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-motivating-people-learn#graph2 U.S. Department of Education. Office of Educational Technology. (2014). Learning technology effectiveness. Washington, DC. Retrieved from https://tech.ed.gov/learning-technology-effectiveness/ Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Mind and Society (pp. 79-91). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
2 Comments
Rachael
11/2/2017 06:28:17 pm
Great post! I think you really nailed the benefits of technology in a math class. I definitely agree that the differentiation potential is so valuable. And you're right-- the real world applications really help increase student buy-in and engagement. What are some of your favorite tools for creating real world math applications?
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Ben Fisher
11/2/2017 10:50:33 pm
Hi Pepper! I enjoyed reading your blog post. I think you did an excellent job explaining how technology integration in math classes can benefit students. What tools do you use for math differentiation? Our school is looking into a program called MathSpace, which give adaptive homework assignments and tutorials for students based on their level of understanding. The part of your post that interested me the most was the use of blogs for writing about math. I can't recall a time where I "wrote" about math, so I would be interested in hearing what you have done to engage students in blogging about math concepts.
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