Experiences Learning and Teaching Mathematics with Technology

[Keith]

What kinds of experiences have you had learning or teaching
mathematics with technology?

As a teacher I have used calculators, graphing calculators, CBLs and
computer programs. I find computer programs most powerful and graphing
calculators most accessible. This is something of a conundrum for me.

I remember taking a "Technology and Education" class in college where
we had assignments like "create a transparency" and "create a bulletin
board". Our final project involved creating a slide presentation. I
kept thinking, "There has to be some way that technology can be used
to get students more involved with mathematics itself".

In my first year of teaching high school mathematics I was introduced
to Geometer's Sketchpad. I love it. I started using it in my own
preparations for class and, once I procured a projector and a computer
for my classroom, I started using it with my students.

[sdbr...@mathed.byu.edu]

I actually don't have many experiences teaching with technology. I
have more experience with learning how to do some of the math on a
graphing calculator. Which has been fascinating. I wanted to learn
in this class some ideas or programs that can help bring out the
mathematics more dynamically for students.

I was so impressed in Problem Solving Class with everyone's use of
Sketchpad. I want to learn more of how to do things in Sketchpad.

[ohsow...@comcast.net]

During Geometry I was exposed to investigating with GSP. I was amazed
at what I learned when the parameters were changed, when I chose a
point to move or grabbed a line. When there is understanding it
becomes evident when what you anticipate should happen does, and when
it does not.

I look forward to using technology in meaningful ways in my classroom.

On Jan 9, 8:15 am, Keith <LethaLeat...@gmail.com> wrote:

[erin...@byu.edu]

Testing, testing, one two three...

Just kidding :) I feel like I have had experience learning or
teaching mathematics with technology, but I'm having a really
difficult time recalling it. In high school we used graphing
calculators at times, and I remember using a computer lab once or
twice for something math-related. Our teachers always tried to let
technology be supplemental, to help expand or deepen our
understanding. Once I got to college, I actually got used to not
using a graphing calculator b/c I never bought one. In our
undergraduate technology course I learned how to do amazing things on
excel and sketchpad and LOVE what you can do using those programs!
During my own student teaching experience I was able to use smart
board a little bit and was able to see what great things Todd Vaudrey
(I forget how to spell his last name) was doing with smart board and
have since wanted to become an expert. I definitely think technology
can be so amazing and allow students to explore different perspectives
that they would never have come up with on their own. It also allows
them to not get stuck on stupid algebraic (or other) mistakes and
focus on the big concepts or ideas they're discussing.

T - totally rad
E - especially when we get to blog during class
C - could we do this daily?
H - how to make web pages is something I have no clue how to do, but
I'm sure I'm about to learn...
N - nobody else did this (I bet)
O - our class is going to be so fun...
L - look at how lame these are getting b/c I'm running out of ideas
O - oh I love technology... but not as much as you, you see
G - goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
Y - yay for technology!!!!!!

On Jan 9, 8:15 am, Keith <LethaLeat...@gmail.com> wrote:

[christine....@gmail.com]

Well, Keith, in 7th grade I used a graphing calculator to graph a
line. I think we may have made a table and possibly a line of best
fit. However, I'll admit that the AlgeBlocks made more of an
impression on me than that graphing calculator. I graduated from high
school a couple years before the math teachers there began requiring
that students buy graphing calculators, and to this day I have never
owned a graphing calculator. I remember once in Math 315 I borrowed a
classmates graphing calculator to approximate a value on a graph or
something. I was worried I was going to fail that homework. I don't
really know how I know how to use a graphing calculator, but as I
teacher we had nice classroom sets of ti-73s and some other fancy
model. I learned a lot there, but would like to know more . . . hence
my enrollment in this class.

On Jan 9, 8:15 am, Keith <LethaLeat...@gmail.com> wrote:

[tenille...@gmail.com]

I received my first introduction to the potential of graphing
calculators as a tool for teaching mathematics in my high school pre-
calculus class were we spent time exploring graphs of polar equations
rather than just graphing polar equations with our calculators.
However, at the time I was more interested in drawing flowers than
learning mathematics. This high-lights what to me can be the most
difficult part of using technology in the classroom as a teacher --
managing how the students use the technology.

As a teacher I used Sketchpad and a projector to help me teach algebra
and geometry. However, because of the accessibility of Sketchpad in
my school, Sketchpad was used primarily as a presentation tool. This
bothered me. I wish that my students were the ones exploring
mathematics using Sketchpad rather than just seeing what I as the
teacher had done. I learned a lot of mathematics as I prepared my
presentations, but I regret that my students didn't have the
opportunity to learn the mathematics in the same way.

On Jan 9, 8:15 am, Keith <LethaLeat...@gmail.com> wrote:

> What kinds of experiences have you had learning or teaching
> mathematics with technology?
>
> As a teacher I have used calculators, graphing calculators, CBLs and
> computer programs. I find computer programs most powerful and graphing
> calculators most accessible. This is something of a conundrum for me.
>
> I remember taking a "Technology and Education" class in college where
> we had assignments like "create a transparency" and "create a bulletin
> board". Our final project involved creating a slide presentation. I
> kept thinking, "There has to be some way that technology can be used

> a hihto get students more involved with mathematics itself".

[rachel...@gmail.com]

I feel a lot of trepidation in personally using technology as a
student and as a teacher. I didn't have a lot of opportunities to
experience technology in mathematics classrooms growing up, and I feel
a little behind. I'm sure I could catch on if I had more experience.

When it comes to teaching math with technology, I'm doubly worried.
Not only am I lacking the skills to use technology effectively myself,
but I also don't know of many activities that use technology to elicit
powerful mathematics. I believe that there are many benefits to the
appropriate use of technology in the classroom, and I want to engage
in more activities so that I know more.

Yay for this class!

On Jan 9, 8:15 am, Keith <LethaLeat...@gmail.com> wrote:

[janelle...@gmail.com]

Starting in 6th grade, we always used calculators for certain problems
in mathematics. It wasn't until calculus in high school that I became
somewhat familiar with a graphing calculator. We did not use any
other electronic technology in mathematics. However, in my high
school Physics, we used calculators, Excel, CBLs, etc. At BYU, we
were not allowed to use calculators in math classes, so my next
encounter with technology was teaching with technology (Math Ed 308).
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in that class and learned a lot,
yet have not had much of a chance to try to use these skills in
teaching a class. I feel adequate in my Sketchpad skills (and other
programs), but when it comes to effectively utilizing these skills in
teaching STUDENTS, I feel totally and sadly ignorant.

[Keith]

Thank you so much.

[erin...@byu.edu]

am I still yellow?