justmathj

[justmathj]

Global awareness using technology.

Have you ever wondered what games are played around the world? Or does everyone play games the same way? We are going to answer these questions as we go through a unit on probability. We started by talking about a game we all knew in class, Uno. Even in our class, we found that not everyone played the same way or used the same rules. Most students had not read the rules, when asked they said that's just the way my family plays. So that got us to thinking now each day when we are learning about probability and playing our games of chance using spinners, dice, and cards, we can also learn about games from other cultures.

Using Nearpod for each lesson, we would have slides showing games played by other cultures and in other countries. Using those games, students will decide which are games of chance and which are games of skill. From there, they can use the games of chance to find the outcomes and likelihood of winning. Each day we will use a different game from around the world.

By the end of the unit, we had planned to have students create their own game of probability but we shifted this when thinking about global awareness and cultural diversity. Students are now being given the choice to create a game of their own or to teach other students about a game they have researched or play at home.

Students can use digital or physical dice, cards, spinners, etc. They can also choose to show their game by creating a presentation of the game or having the game in class to demonstrate with.

I can't wait to see what we are calling Games around the World.

[justmathj]

Is it Fair?

We are ending the year with probability and needing a fun way to wrap up the unit as well as the school year. What better way than to play games while learning. Students are able to move around the classroom going from station to station trying out different games involving cards, dice, spinners, and coins. For those that want to actually roll, flip, spin, and pull we have the physical manipulative but if that is not for them, them they can let the calculator or chromebook do it for them.

We played a game of Skunk to start off the unit and boy was it exciting. We learned how sometimes you get more than what you expected when rolling dice and everyone lost all their points. It was a great experience in the difference between luck and fairness.

No matter your ability or disability everyone is able to engaged in some way when playing with a little help from a partner or little extra time to think. At the end, every one was given the chance to add their results to the big board so that we were able to see how the experimental probability approached the theorethetical probability with the more simulations we conducted. Once we gathered all the data, we could reflect on which game rules were fair and which were not.

[justmathj]

Learning Styles Analysis

Learning styles are not a prescription for teaching students, but they help a teacher recognize the preferential way in which a student processes and retains information (Grand Canyon University, 2020). Learning styles can be connected to student development in many other ways and below we will discuss some of the connections and how this can be addressed in our classrooms.

As lessons are developed knowing where students are currently in their cognitive, linguistic, social and emotional, and physical development is just as important as knowing what learning style is preferred by the student. If a student is not linguistically ready to hold a conversation then having them discuss questions with a group will not help them even if their learning style is auditory. It would be better to modify by having them practice with sentence starters.

It is also important to know in what areas of holistic development is a strenght for each learning style to help continue growth and building confidence and competence in the learning. For a kinesthetic learner, preferring the active motion of learning would be a great way to also help a student in the physical development of small muscle skills.

Knowing all of this for individual students is important for the planning of lessons and assessments, if we want to know what a student knows the best way to find out is to let them show us in their preferred method.

After using an learning style inventory of a class of 27, it showed that 8 students are kinesthetic, 5 are visual, and only 3 are auditory learners prodominately. The other 9 students were very close in 2 categories, 7 were close in kinesthetic and visual and the last two were close in visual and auditory. The inventory had 18 questions on it and the ones that we considered multi-styled had a score within 2 points of each other in 2 or more categories.

By seeing that most of the students inventoried were predominately or partially kinesthetic having assessments that allow students create something to show what they have learned is best. For those that are not giving options such as giving a report or writing a report would help them express what they have learned.

Enhancing Learning Through Understanding: Analyzing Student Learning Styles. (2023, November 8). https://thelittleyellowclassroom.com/2023/11/08/enhancing-learning-through-understanding-analyzing-student-learning-styles/

Grand Canyon University. (2020, May 28). How to Recognize and Support Learning Styles in the Classroom. Grand Canyon University. https://www.gcu.edu/blog/teaching-school-administration/how-recognize-and-support-learning-styles-classroom

Yadav, K. (2019, November 22). Definition, Types, and Other Insights into Learning Styles. Evelyn Learning. https://www.evelynlearning.com/introduction-to-learningstyles/

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[justmathj]

Technology that enriches the school day.

When considering the introduction of a new digital tool for a student, it is imperative to remember that the innovation is actually the learner being able to utilize the right digital tool to engage, collaborate, learn, create and increase opportunities to think and share in a way that works for that student, not the digital tool itself (Martin,2019).

I have found 3 types of technology to help engage students in learning. These can help in differentiating instruction to meet the different learning styles our students have in our classes.

The first one is adaptive learning platforms that use algorithms to personalize the learning experiences to meet each student where they are and help to get them where they need  to be. Then there is virtual reality which lets us go places and have experiences we would not otherwise be able to do. Lastly, we have multimedia creation tools that allow students to express their understanding and creativity through a diverse group of tools such as videos, animations, and digital presentations.

Let's look at a program from each type of technology:

First, adaptive learning platforms there are many programs out there such as IXL, DreamBox, KhanAcademy, and ALEKS. I have used all 4 of these in the past and know of teachers in other subjects that have used both IXL and KhanAcademy to help promote growth in their subject as well. The one my district is currently using is DreamBox. When students begin they are given a Launch which determines their approximate grade level then helps them build from there. As teachers, we can go in and easily assign them lessons on any skill they have not mastered whether it is below, on, or above grade level so no one is left out of the learning. It is game based so for the students that it is hard to keep their attention, this works great. It will show  and speak to the students so that they can see and hear how to play. The only con I have is sometimes the games are hard to figure out and sometimes when talking with students who are having difficulty, it is because they know the answer but do not understand how to play the game, these are my kinesthetic learners who need to interact with the game instead of listening and watching at the beginning. This is a program that lets the students decide what skills they want to work on which in turn lets them feel as if they are in charge of their own learning. They are not aware of the grade level of each skill so no matter where the student is they have a feeling of great accomplishment when a badge is earned. 

Virtual Reality can provide visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners with interactive simulations such as virtual field trips, and hands-on experiences for science. Discovery Education has virtual field trips that include a wide range of topics so any subject or grade level can be found. It includes learning about other cultures, math, history, science, just about anything you can imagine. The great thing about Discovery Ed is that it provides immersive videos, interactive activities, and other resources for the teacher as well. Classrooms are not restricted or confined by the walls of their class or school anymore. This is especially useful for schools that do not have the funds to go on fieldtrips and students who would otherwise not be able to go anywhere outside of their community. Different field trips can be assigned to different students so that as a teacher you can find the ones that peak your students interest while still teaching the same skill. The activities can be modified as needed as well.

Lastly, is Multimedia Creation tools these tools allow students to create and is great for allowing students to shine and show their strengths in whatever way they can. The tool I use with my students mostly is Canva. Canva allows students to create brochure design posters, and much more. Canva leans toward the visual learner but due to being able to embed links to social media and other platforms the other learning styles can find a place as well with videos and interactive links.

References

Martin, K. (2019, December 2). Technology for Inclusion with Diverse Learners. Education Technology Solutions. https://educationtechnologysolutions.com/2019/12/technology-for-inclusion-with-diverse-learners/

‌News, eSchool. (2024, January 3). What Technology is Used in Teaching and Learning? ESchool News. https://www.eschoolnews.com/digital-learning/2024/01/03/what-technology-is-used-in-teaching-and-learning/

Virtual Field Trips Bring Educational Experiences Home – Connections Academy®. (2022, September 23). Www.connectionsacademy.com. https://www.connectionsacademy.com/support/resources/article/virtual-field-trips-bring-educational-experiences-home/

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