Monday, November 14, 2011

Wannado Math at Educon 2.4

Climeguy and Math 2.0 will be participating in the conversations at Educon 2.4 in Philadelphia next January. Here's the description of the conversation I'm leading:

Title: Math 2.0 and the Wannado Curriculum
Description (short and extended): With todays push for college, students are forced to follow the Algebra-Geometry-Algebra II Royal Road to Calculus (RRtC) with most coming up empty about what math is all about. Web 2.0 offers the possibility of a new paradigm where students actually want to do the math.

The power of Web 2.0 is just beginning to become a part of the consciousness of the average math teacher. Historically, the potential of emerging technologies is usually tamed to fit in with the grammar (current paradigm) of school. How can we avoid the same pitfalls with Web 2.0? One response is to create math curriculums that kids actually want to do (i.e. via simulations & games). Lead discussant will pose potential pitfalls and barriers, which the group will explore and offer ideas for a path that will lead us out of the wilderness of the old "hafta-do" curriculum paradigm to a new one where students actively want to do it!

Note: I borrowed and edited the logo above from Wannado City* which was an indoor role-playing amusement center in Florida which closed earlier this year. (Maybe I can get permission to use it. Or just do a redesign.)

A recording of this event is available at this link.

*Where kids can do what they wanna' do. I hope Wannado Math will do better than Wannado City. Read article about the demise of Wannado City.
CLIME Connections #94