Student Teacher and Gizmo Success

One of the things we've been trying to do at ExploreLearning is get our Gizmos in the hands of student teachers so that they can begin incorporating Gizmos into their math and science teaching from the moment they start their professional careers.

One such student teacher, Diana Chau, in the bachelors/masters program for future classroom teachers at the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia, studying secondary mathematics education recently wrote of her experience with ExploreLearning:

My teaching with technology went well this semester. At the beginning when I was teaching matrices, I predominantly used the overhead graphic calculator projector to show students how to use their calculators to solve matrices. I used TI-connect to take screenshots of matrices to use in class worksheets and in guided notes. Because the students are extremely calculator dependent, it helped them to know what to expect when they entered information correctly into a calculator.

Once we started the quadratic functions chapter, our main source of technology was using ExploreLearning.com [view the Quadratic functions and inequalities Gizmos]. I used the graph screenshots from the factored, vertex, and polynomial form quadratic function Gizmos to create a sort and match graphs and their equations activity. [Note: We'll be making this worksheet available for download shortly -- ed.] Students rotated from a graphing packet station, sort and match station, and to an ExploreLearning.com station where they used the above mentioned Gizmos.

I created a worksheet that provided step-by-step directions. After using each gizmo and finishing its assessment, students using the ExploreLearning.com explanations would explain why they got a questions right or wrong and briefly state whether or not the gizmo was helpful. This was a great chance for them to explore information in pairs. … [The students] seemed to gain a deeper understanding of the topic. Many of them were able to infer patterns and rules from playing with the Gizmos. Since most of the students had been exposed to algeblocks in Algebra I, we used the Gizmo version as a class for discussing factoring. The kids seemed to enjoy it, and it reviewed the use of manipulatives for the SOL [The Virginia Standards of Learning test].

Overall, the use of technology was a great experience for me, Erik Gauss [the cooperating teacher], and the students. While the use of the graphing calculator had already been incorporated into the classroom, it did not impact the students as much as using Explorelearning.com. Using the Gizmos allowed students to discover mathematical relationship and develop their own understanding. Since it was interactive, it truly held their attention.

What I found is that even though technology is exciting to incorporate into the classroom, it presents a number of problems, including its reliability for working and students ability to understand how to use the technology. I also learned that technology cannot just be thrown into a lesson; the connection to the curriculum must be extremely obvious to the students.…

Excellent work, Diana. Thanks for the report. We all were impressed with the clever use of the Gizmo screen capture feature in the cut up/matching activity. That's a great way to make use of a built in Gizmo feature to follow up and reinforce the hands on, interactive work the students can do with Gizmos.