Sunday, October 20, 2013

Technology & Pedagogy

Throughout my experience of writing lesson plans I have found it hard to incorporate certain online activities in a math class.  However I have come across some that seem they would have a positive impact on the students’ learning.  The lesson I chose was called Exploring Equations and I got it from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics website.  The lesson plan used a web based activity that showed the balancing of an equation and the different affects each coefficient and variable can have on the entire equality of the equation.  Overall, I believe that the lesson is well planned and designed for the maximum comprehension of the material by the students.  It is very helpful that the students are exploring the topic of solving a system of equations with a familiar item, a balance, to represent that both sides of the equation need to be equal.  I do believe that it is necessary for some commentary throughout the students’ researching because it will encourage them to think more critically about the overall relationships they are trying to find.  The standards that were listed on the lesson plan online were from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards, but also do apply to the Common Core Standards of Mathematics as well.  The technology that is being used is the web based activity that represents the equation balance of an equation.  It is very useful in picturing a mathematical equation as a balance and the operations and numbers as objects that need to equal out on each side.  I do not think a different type of technology would be necessary in supporting this lesson because it seems that the online activity would be very beneficial.  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AgbQGzgMTUO_dFRmLXQ1M2RfSWM3bnRNYW44enYwQnc&usp=sharing

2 comments:

  1. Kristin, is this a single lesson, rather than a lesson plan that comprises multiple class sessions? (The assignment called for the latter, not the former). While your blogpost does a good job of rationalizing your choice of technology, the technology (web-based program) is not actually listed in the Technology column in your spreadsheet. As we move towards the final project in the semester, you'll need to do this type of mapping and alignment, so pay close attention to these details.

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  2. I agree it is very important to make sure the lessons we use as future teachers have the state standards that the students are required to learn. I sometimes find it hard to get standards in a lesson plan but I also know a well rounded lesson plan will adhere to multiple different standards. As future teachers is it our place to make sure the lesson plans are at their best.

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