Technology Class at a New Hampshire Inner City High School

As part of my graduate studies at Southern New Hampshire University, I was asked to sit in on a technology class.  Since I teach high school math at CHS, I choose to sit in on a  technology class at my school.  I was excited to do this because I know how much children enjoy using technology and I was eager to see them doing fascinating things on the computer.  During my math classes, we get to use a graphing calculator. The students would much rather use this technology over manually graphing.  Outside of my classroom, I have seen students use the computer lab in the library to do research and write their essay papers.  I had the privilege of visiting three technology classrooms and got to sit down and speak to the teachers who teach the classes.  This is what I found out.  

Students and the staff at CHS really enjoy using technology.  The biggest challenge for the staff is getting the equipment in order to teach the classes.  CHS is an inner city school and is the oldest high school in the state.  Many of the technology classes have been cut due to budget constraints and the school lacks quality computer equipment. Although this makes it very difficult on the teacher and the students, the teachers and the students seem to persevere and learn in this environment.

I had the privilege of sitting in on Mr. C’s and Mr. K’s ICT (Information, Communication & Technology) class.  Mr. C’s classroom has about twenty five computers that are 15 years old and still use floppy discs.  I stayed in Mr. C.’s classroom for only a short time because he felt that I would get see a lot more if I visited Mr. K.’s classroom which had newer computers.  Mr. K’s classroom is similar but the computers are only three years old.  Although Mr. K’s equipment is relatively new, it was of poor quality and it took a long time for the students to actually do things on the computers. As time went by in the class, the students were getting frustrated using the slow computers and then access to the internet went down.  Both classes were writing a letter to a restaurant owner regarding a bad dining experience.  I ended up visiting the second ICT class because Mr. C. felt that his students were restricted on what they could do on the computer due to the age of the equipment.  Little did I know that Mr. K. was going to feel the same way.  Both of these classrooms had printers, but neither had ink.  Mr. K. was using a teaching method called “flipped classroom”.  This is where teacher instruction is done outside the classroom and homework is done in the classroom.  For further information on a flipped classroom, please visit the following link.  I also found this website that will help you setup your flipped classroom.

After visiting Mr. K., I found out that there was a really cool Computer Graphics class being taught in the Art Department.  I decided to visit Mrs W. in room 505.  She was teaching a lesson on Photoshop.  The computer equipment was new and it did not limit the student’s ability to learn.  I found students that were really engaged in the lesson and excited to be working on the computers.   The teacher began the class by demonstrating some of the tools that she wanted the students to practice during class.  Each student had their own computer and worked independently on their assignment. Photoshop allows students to edit and retouch images and photographs.  If you can imagine an image, Photoshop allows you to create it using digital painting and vector drawing tools.  

 

Change of Viewpoint 

Before After

Digital Painting

After school, all three teachers were able to sit down with me and answer questions regarding their technology classes.  Listed below are their responses.

1.What is the name of the course you are teaching and how long have you been teaching it?

Mr. C. - ICT (Information, Communication & Technology), 8 years.

Mr. K. - ICT (Information, Communication & Technology), 10 years.

Mrs. W. - Computer Graphics, 3 years.

2. How long does the course run and how many credits is the course? Is it required for graduation?

Mr. C./Mr. K. - ICT is half year course, half of a credit, Yes.

Mrs. W. - Computer Graphics is a full year course, 1 credit, No.

3. How do you assess the students?

Mr. C/Mr. K. Mrs. W - All three teachers stated that the students are given a syllabus and rubric at the beginning of the semester and that they assess the students towards the end of each assignment. They stated that since the students work independently, they are often at different stages of their assignment. All three teachers are engaged enough with every student to know what they are presently working on and where they may need help. As they walk around the classroom, they assess the students and let them know how they are doing. They often give instruction and feedback as they make rounds around the classroom.

4. What should the students be able to do when they finish the class?

Mr. C./Mr. K.- All students are required to have a digital portfolio when they graduate. All students will meet this goal.

Mrs. W. - The students should know how to use the major software tools produce Computer Graphics.

5. Do you follow the Common Core Standards or ISTE Standards?

Mr. C/Mr. K/Mrs.W. - No

6. Are you familiar with the ISTE Standards?

Mr. C. - Yes.

Mr. K./Mrs. W. - No.

7. What are the biggest challenges you face when teaching a technology class?

Mr. C./Mr. K. - Both teachers are very frustrated with the school district’s lack of funding towards technology. Both teachers mentioned that the following topics are no longer being taught because of budget cuts and the lack of proper equipment: Networking, Web Development, After Effects, Programming, Movie Making, Networking, and Social Media. They feel that the equipment provided is insufficient and prohibits them from doing their job. They both explained that many of the students do not have access to a computer outside of school.

Mrs. W. - Mrs. W. feels that the biggest challenge is her students do not have access to the computers/software at home. The work that they do must be done in school.

8.Do you have an annual allowance to purchase the equipment necessary to keep your classroom up to date?

Mr. C./Mr. K. Mrs. W. - No. Each teacher annually puts in their request for new equipment. The District decides who gets new equipment.

9. How do you teach the ESL students?

Mr. C./Mr. K. Mrs. W. - The ESL students are treated like everyone else. They are responsible to meet the same course requirements as everyone else. Most ESL students are not allowed to take the class until they are cleared by their ESL teacher. Once they feel that they are ready, they mainstream the ESL students as soon as possible. The ESL program is very strong at CHS and they can always get additional help from their teacher or the ESL Department.

10. Do you feel that children have a harder time learning how to communicate because of cell phones and computers?

Mr. C.Mr. K/Mrs. W. - All three teachers felt that technology has affected the students writing skills. The most common mistakes are capitalization and punctuation mistakes. They all felt that the children have lost that personal touch by hearing the person’s voice on the other end of the phone. They see children affected by what they read or see online. They all said that children often misinterpret what they read or see. The children forget that what they are posting may not be the same as what is being seen or interpreted by the reader. The teachers stated that they feel the kids communicate even more than they did prior to cell phones. The teachers said it is real easy to send a text and it is even easier to say stuff in a text that you may not have said in person.

11. Do your student’s understand the word Digital Citizenship?

Mr. C./Mr. K. - Both teachers responded that they teach Digital Citizenship. They noted that the students that come to the high school from outside the district as paying students, seem to better prepared for the ICT class. The students understand the responsibility of using the computer.

Mrs. W. - Mrs. W. stated that she goes over digital citizenship at the beginning of the year and most of her students seem to understand the concept.
12. Are your students able to do research on the computer and properly cite their sources?

Mr. C./Mr. K./Mrs W. - Yes. This is a skill that they all master.

13.What types of digital media do you teach to the students so they can communicate and work collaboratively?

Mr. C/Mr. K./Mrs. W.- All three teachers mentioned that they do not teach forms of digital media and that almost all of the students have been exposed to sharing music files or videos. They stated that most of the students have been exposed to a MP3 player and have used video games. The children that have not been exposed to various forms of digital media seem to be able to pick it up quickly. All three teachers stated that the classes they teach really do not promote working collaboratively.
14.How do you feel about social media? Do you give your students access to any of your social media accounts.

Mr. C/Mr. K. Mrs. W. - All three teachers stated that they support various forms of social media such as Facebook, Youtube, bookmarking sites, and Twitter as long as they are used responsibly. They stated that most of the high school students have already been exposed to social media. They remind the students to act responsibly when using these sites. All three teachers refrain from engaging in social media sites with their students.

15.Who do you feel is responsible for teaching children how to use the computer and at what age do you think children should be allowed to use a computer?

Mr. C/Mr. K. Mrs. W. - All three teachers stated that they felt it was the responsibility of the school district to educate the students on how to use a computer. They stated that since computers are part of the workforce, they felt it must be included in a students education. They all agreed that with proper adult supervision, there should be no age restriction on when a child should be allowed to use a computer.

16.What ways has technology made your job easier?

Mr. C/Mr. K. - Mr. C and Mr. K. stated that technology has made their job very difficult. They are not able to teach the technology class the way they would like to because the district has not kept up with replacing the equiptment. All three teachers agreed that the school district is doing a poor job replacing the computer equipment and that they cannot afford to keep up with the pace in which technology is moving forward.

Mrs. W. - Mrs W. stated that technology has really changed the world. Computer graphics is now an industry and degree programs are offered at many colleges. Students are able to incorporate their love for art with their love for technology. Mrs. W. stated that graphic art can be produced quicker and cheaper. This impacts advertising and what we pay for products. Mrs. W. states that she is able to do accomplish more today using the computer than she did thirty years ago. She states that her life is a lot easier today because the computer is like a big teaching tool that everybody can learn from.

17.Where do you see technology going?

Mr. C./Mr. K./Mrs. W. - They all responded by saying that they feel that technology will have an even greater impact in the next ten years. They stated that the industry is so strong that they predicted that it will continue to grow. They predicted that computers will be used in places that were never imagined. They gave examples of how computers are now being used in drones to do surveillance and are used to map major weather patterns.

18.What is the most valuable skill that your students will learn when they leave your class?

Mr. C./Mr. K. - Both teachers stated that they hoped that the children would be able to do the following; understand digital citizenship, be proficient using word processing software, be able to research and properly cite sources using the computer, and be comfortable using the school computers.

Mrs.W - Be proficient at using Photoshop and realizing that the computer is a great art tool.

I had the great privilege of visiting three technology classrooms at CHS. I was welcomed by the teachers and the students. I learned that providing up to date computer equipment is always challenge for the school district. Although the equipment was far from perfect, the teachers were still able to instill a sense of excitement when it comes to learning about computer technology. All the students were engaged and excited to be learning various computer tools. It was a great experience and I can only imagine what other new technology tools may be coming in the future.

Introduction to Radians

This is an eleventh grade lesson and it can be viewed at khanacademy.org.

Big Idea:

To help students understand the definition and motivation for radians and the relationship between radians and degrees while using the computer.

Standards:

GSE Framework:

M(G&M)-AM-7  Uses radian measure appropriately when solving problems;  converts between radian measure and degree measure; and understands why radian measure is helpful.  (K-12 Mathematics NH Curriculum Framework)

Common Core Math Standards:

F.T.F.1: Understand the radian measure of a circle as the length of the arc on the unit circle subtended by an angle.(Common Core Math Standards)

ISTE Standards:

1. Creativity and innovation - Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

   a.  Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products and processes.

   b.  Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

4.  Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

   a.  Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigations.

   b.  Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

   (ISTE Standards)

Lesson Objectives:

• Students will understand and be able to explain the math lesson: Introduction to Radians using the computer.

          (Lesson - Introduction to Radians)

• Students will be able to recognize that there are three different ways of expressing angle; degrees, radian decimals and radian fractions.
• Students will be able to calculate arc length from radian angle measure.
• Students will be able to create the ratio of concentric arcs.
• Students will be able to describe an angle and convert to radian and degree measure.

Materials:

• Laptops or computers
• Earbuds
• Internet Access
• School gmail accounts
• Link to (Lesson - Introduction to Radians)
• Link to Google for the circle worksheet circle worksheets and rubric
• Slips of blank paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Printer

• String for each student (enough for the circumference of two circles of different sizes)

Anticipatory Set:

In order to get the students attention on the upcoming lesson, the teacher will ask the students the following questions.

• Have ever used the computer to learn math?
• How they would describe and measure an angle?  
• What professions may have the need to measure and use angles?
• Do you know what degrees and radians are?
• Does the word radian sounds like radius?
• Tell the students that they are going to study trigonometry which is made up of three Greek words.  Do you know what the greek words are and what they mean?  (Tri-three, gonya - sides, metron - measure.  Trigonometry - the measure of triangles)

Procedures:

1. Tell the students that they will be learning about the degree and radian measure of angle and how to convert between degrees and radians. Tell the students that they will be using a computer to access the lesson Introduction To Radians.

2. Have the students log into their school account. The students will go to the link titled Introduction To Radians which was emailed to them prior to class. The teacher will pass out a piece of white paper for each student and will read the instructions to procedure 3. The students will begin to watch and listen to the tutorial titled Introduction to Radians. Remind the students to use their earbuds as they use the computer.

3. The teacher is to instruct the students that as they navigate thru the lesson, they must answer the two problems under the sub-headings; Radians and arc length and Degrees to radians. Each student will show all their work on a separate piece of white paper that they recently received from the teacher. Each student must put their name and date at the top of the paper. All answers must be circled. The students will be graded using 1. Tell the students that they will be learning about the degree and radian measure of angle and how to convert between degrees and radians. Tell the students that they will be using a computer to access the lesson Introduction To Radians.

2. Have the students log into their school account. The students will go to the link titled Introduction To Radians which was emailed to them prior to class. The teacher will pass out a piece of white paper for each student and will read the instructions to procedure 3. The students will begin to watch and listen to the tutorial titled Introduction to Radians. Remind the students to use their earbuds as they use the computer.

3. The teacher is to instruct the students that as they navigate thru the lesson, they must answer the two problems under the sub-headings; Radians and arc length and Degrees to radians. Each student will show all their work on a separate piece of white paper that they recently received from the teacher. Each student must put their name and date at the top of the paper. All answers must be circled. The students will be graded using the attached rubric. This rubric can also be found in a link emailed to them prior to class. The teacher will collect each students work when everyone is done answering the questions.

4. When the students are done the computer lesson, have them form small groups of three to five students. Each group must create a challenging mathematical problem relating to the lesson and provide a solution key. The groups must be creative and come up with a challenging problem that addresses the following four questions:

1. How do you find the arc length given the angle in radians and the radius?
2. How do you find the ratio of concentric arcs given the radius and the distance between the two arcs?
3. After finding the ratio of concentric arcs, how do you find the angle in radians and the length of the second concentric arc?
4. How do you convert an angle in radians to degrees? 

5. Each group is to exchange their problem with another group and they are to work together to solve the problem. Each group will go back to the group who originally gave them the problem to check to see if their solution to the problem is correct.

6. ACTIVITY: Upon completion of the group work, the teacher will ask the students; What is the relationship between the circumference and the diameter? The teacher is to create a classroom discussion revolving around this question. The teacher will then give each student two pieces of string. The students will then access their circle worksheet that was emailed to them in a link prior to class. The students will cut the string to the length of the diameter for each circle shown on the circle worksheet. They will see how many times it will go around the circumference of a circle. It should be able to go around approximately 3.14 times on each circle. This exercise will show how the diameter and radius are related to the circumference.

7. The teacher will pass out another piece of white paper and each student will put their name, date and title of the lesson (Introduction to Radians) on the top of the paper. The teacher will ask the students to reflect on todays lesson and list all the important aspects of the lesson. Encourage the students to show formulas and list definitions along with mathematical drawings. The teacher will collect this paper as the students leave the class.

8. As the students leave the class, the teacher will tell the students how wonderful they are and wish them a great day.

Closure:

1. Students will be assessed on their response to the two problems titled: Radians and arc length and Degrees to radians that they were required to complete during the computer tutorial. The students are required to show all work and circle their answer. The attached rubric will be used to assign a grade.

Modifications/Accommodations:

1. Students who struggle with the lesson will be allowed to work with a partner who demonstrates higher academic abilities.

2. Students that struggle during the lesson will be allowed to ask the teacher for help or ask a classmate for help. This will be allowed throughout the lesson but not while the students are answering the two problems that are presented on the computer.

3. Students that may need more time or extra help can come after school for further assistance.

4. All IEP and 504 modifications and accommodations will be followed.

An avatar is a personalized graphic that represents you online. I created my own avatar at http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/websites-to-create-unique-avatar/. Pretty cool! You can also create other graphics here.

The Digital Footprint

Have you ever googled yourself? Did you know that you leave a digital footprint every time you go online? Your digital footprint is a collection of all the places you visit in the electronic world. All your online activities are being tracked by other people and are in a digital dossier. A digital dossier is a collection of all your online data. The data can include your private records and your online identity.

It is very important that you manage your digital footprint by never posting anything that may be hurtful or embarrassing to you or other people, including pictures. Take care when disclosing personal information. Whatever you put online will never be erased, even if you deactivate your accounts. Information can always be retrieved by others.

This is what my digital footprint looks like. I developed it using a word cloud webapp called www.Tagxedo.com. If you would like to learn more, there is some great information at http://etec.ctlt.ubc.ca/510wiki/Digital_Footprint.

Technology in Mathematics - Week 3

Literature Review: Learning Outcomes relating to the use of technology

Learning Outcomes met through this review:

1. Demonstrate the understanding of how technologies can effectively promote student learning.
2. Evaluate and use a variety of current technologies to enhance content instruction and to advance students’ technological literacy.
3. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of safe, ethical, legal and moral practices related to digital information and technology.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of adaptive technologies and other digital sources to personalize and differentiate learning activities for every student.
5. Evaluate, adapt and reflect upon emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities and by reviewing current research and professional literature.

Technology in Mathematics:

Steve Jobs once said:

“What a computer is to me is the most remarkable tool that we have ever come up with. It’s the equivalent of a bicycle for our minds.”

Technology has made a major impact on the way mathematics is taught and the way students learn. Teachers and students have access to more advanced graphing calculators, computer programs and smart boards. Technology can be a great asset if teachers and students are properly educated on how to use it. The article Smart Use of Technology in Mathematics discusses the pros and cons of using technology in math class and evaluates the factors that must be considered to make a successful online math class.

Technology is used by school administrators and teachers to promote learning and can be seen throughout our schools. Teachers use technology to record and calculate grades, record absences, communicate with parents and colleagues, and to create and teach lessons. According to Abida, Azeem and Bashir, technologies have changed the way we develop assessment tools. Assessments can be done online and teachers will often create their own assessments using the computer. Teachers can access their books online along with exams, worksheets and answer keys. They are able to engage students by using smart boards. Administrators use computer software to create student schedules, keep track of discipline records, and use email to communicate with other administrators, teachers and parents.

Personally, I find it really difficult to make the switch to using technology such as the computer and graphing calculators, but once I do, I look back and wonder why I did not do it sooner. I realize how powerful technology is and all the great tools it provides in life.

Technology Promotes Learning:

Technology promotes student learning by allowing students to experiment with math concepts while using technology. For instance, Sketchpad allows students to create geometric shapes and learn new mathematical terminology. Computer software allows students to evaluate statistical data and draw conclusions. Graphing calculators allow students to compare the graphs of different equations and make conclusions about what is causing a graph to shift vertically or horizontally. They also allow students to see two dimensional shapes that would be hard to visualize without a graphing calculator. Students can use their iphone as a calculator and can get immediate answers to challenging and difficult mathematical problems.

As a parent, I constantly see my own children do a google search on a math concepts. They are able to research the concept and will often find a youtube video that explains how to solve the problem. This helps parents who are unable to help their child because they are unfamiliar with the concept. This is such a powerful tool for students.

Technology, such as email and ASPEN, has allowed parents immediate access to administrators, teachers, and their child’s grades. The use of email and grades posted online in ASPEN can be both helpful and detrimental. It is helpful because it keeps students and parents informed regarding progress. It can be detrimental because most parents want answers immediately and most administrators and teachers are so busy that they need at least 24 hours to respond. Administrators are busy running the school and teachers are busy prepping for the next class and teaching.

The Negative Side of Technology:

Technology can also have a negative impact on learning if it is not properly used or accessible to all teachers and students. Calculators and other forms of technology can speed up the lessons such that students may not be able to understand what is being taught. I was recently teaching students how to use the calculator to find the zeros of a quadratic function. The lesson went really well but when I asked them to calculate the zeros on their paper and pencil exam, most of them were unable to demonstrate the concept. I found that unless they physically do this using pencil and paper, they will often not understand what the zeros actually mean.

Using technology such as the computer and the iphone can cause problems in education if they are not properly used or monitored. I often collaborate with other teachers on lesson plans. I realize that it is so easy to get a worksheet online that many of my colleagues will choose standardized worksheets that are not completely aligned with the lesson, thus causing students to become confused and frustrated. Although the iphone has picture taking capabilities and a calculator on it, teachers must be careful during exams if they choose to let the students use their iphone. I have had students that have tried cheating the system by texting their friends for answers during exams and this is why I do not allow iphones to be used during exams. Iphones also have picture taking capabilities which becomes a liability in the classroom. Teachers have to be careful that students are not taking a picture of the exam and giving it to other students. For this reason, I stress the importance of no picture taking in my own classroom and no iphones during exams.

The Importance of Training Teachers in Technology:

Teachers who are not properly trained in the use of technology may not understand when and how to use technology. This can adversely affect the students and teachers. Recently, a teacher who was not properly trained on how to use email, mistakenly sent out an email to the entire group of people on the return address, when it was intended to only go to one person. This was very embarrassing to the teacher and hurtful to some of the other colleagues on the e-mail list. I also had another experience where a guidance counselor accidentally attached a student’s confidential, legal document in an e-mail to me. This became a great liability to the guidance counselor and the school district. Technology is expensive and some teachers and students may not have access to technology outside the classroom. This puts them at a disadvantage in a technology driven environment.

Technology and Online Learning:

Technology has made it possible for universities and colleges to offer online courses. Online courses engage students and teachers by promoting group interaction. This collaborative educational effort promotes learning. Taking classes online works well with non traditional students that are working towards getting their high school, undergraduate, or graduate degree. 

According to Fital and Akelbek, students often find online math classes challenging because they must learn how to write mathematical equations using an equation editor. This is time consuming and often requires additional training. My son recently called 15 schools throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire trying to sign up for an online Linear Algebra Math class and found out that very few schools offer online math classes. The few schools that do offer online math classes only offer a few select math classes. When he asked why they were not offering online math classes, their primary response was that students find it difficult to learn math online.

According to Fital and Akelbek, there are five key factors to a successful online math course. They are:

1. Easy, clear navigation throughout the course with a clear time frame.
2. Recorded lectures with lots of clear examples.
3. Homework submission every two weeks with work shown.
4. Quality feedback on homework in a short time.
5. Quick teacher response to student questions.

Fital and Akelbek did a two year study comparing the percentage of students who completed and passed a classroom course versus an online course. The data showed that the passing rates for an online class can be as high as a course offered on campus.

Conclusion:

Technology is here to stay. It is everywhere we look. Cell towers are seen from major highways, phones are in our pockets and computers are seen throughout places of employment. Most important, use of technology is being taught in our schools to prepare students for future employment opportunities. Technology allows math students to visualize new concepts, speed up the computational process and discover new theories. They will be able to successfully take online math classes that are designed for all students that may come from different math backgrounds. The online lectures will be slow paced, detailed, recorded lectures that easily can be navigated and have lots of great examples. It is a wonderful addition to education when students of all backgrounds and learning abilities can take an online class and successfully learn mathematical concepts.

References:

Abida, K., Azeem, M., Bashir Gondal, M. (2011). Assessing Students’ Math Proficiency Using Multiple -choice and Short Constructed Response Item Formats. International Journal of Technology, Knowledge and Society, Volume 7, Issue 3, pp. 135-150.

Fital-Akelbek, S., & Akelbek, M. (2012). Smart Use of Technology in Mathematics. International Journal Of Technology, Knowledge & Society, 8(4), 65-72.

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/20-most-memorable-quotes-from-steve-jobs.html/?a=viewall

Slope-Intercept Form