Mid-South Instructional Technology Conference
Teaching, Learning, & Technology
The Connected Classroom
April 7-9, 2002
Elementary Algebra + Student-Written Web Illustrations = Math Mastery
|
By: Bette Veteto |
Abstract
This session focuses on how students in an elementary algebra class constructed a tutorial web page, how they carried out projects to further explore the topics they studied in class, and on how they published their work onto the class web page(http://www.people.memphis.edu/~brveteto/grant.htm). The rational for the project, the teacher's planning and organization of the project, the students' work to carry out the project and the uses of the tutorial web page wil be discussed. A demonstration of the Sony Mavica digital camera wil be provided.
Description
The value of using web technology to supplement or to deliver instruction is becoming apparent. Teachers and students can produce learning materials and publish them on the web for their own use and for the use of other students. The asynchronous aspect of this method of delivering tutorial services is a very valuable option to offer students. This instructor's university is encouraging students and teachers to become involved in delivering or supplementing their learning and teaching with technology. Grants are awarded each spring to deserving projects. This project was funded by a technology grant awarded by the university. After considering ways to use technology to imporove teaching and learning, this instructor decided to plan a project in which one section of her elementary algebra would construct a tutorial web page covering selected topics in the course.
This project incorporated reading, writing, and active learning into regular algebra course work, so that students were able to process the math topics studied in more depth and were able to connect topics to specific applications. This holistic approach to studying mathematics--computation, application, illustration, reading, and writing--offered several approaches to mastering the content of the course which honored the diversity of the students' learning styles. Small-group, active learning projects were published to the class web page. The learning of math was enhanced by the group work, and technology skills were learned by these freshman students.
The instructor outlined the textbook onto a web page constructed with Netscape Composer (http://www.people.memphis.edu/~brveteto/grant.htm). The students in one elementary algebra section were divided into 5 groups of 5 students each. Each of the student groups was assigned five active learning, collaborative projects (one from each chapter studied) which were published onto the class web page. Five, 20-minute planning sessions were allowed in class, but each group had to make 5 appointments with the teacher outside of class to get help in putting their work into a format which could then be published to the web page. The technology used was Netscape Composer, Power Point, MSWord to html, web search engines and links, scanner, and digital camera.
The conference session will focus on the rational for the project, the teacher's planning and organization of the project, the students work to carry out the project, and the uses of the tutorial web page. A demonstration of the Sony Mavica digital camera will be provided.
Twenty-five elementary algebra topics were published to the class web page. Further work will be done in subsequent semesters to complete the page.
Proceeding