Friday, August 18, 2017

Tech Use in Math Classes Continues to be Minimal

This year's edition of the "Technology Counts" survey from Education Week found 74% of eighth-grade math students "never or hardly ever" use computers in class, and just 1% of students say they use computers in math class daily, according to EdTech: Focus on K-12. (more)

While the percentage of students who use a computer in math class at least once every few weeks has been steadily increasing over the past few years, 74 percent of eighth-grade math students report they never or hardly ever use computers in class. (more)

Every once in a while I come across articles like this that remind me that we still have a long way to go in order to get school districts to get their teachers to use computers in teaching math. When teachers are asked why they don't, they usually come up with at least one of these reasons:
  • Lack of of necessary equipment and/or software
  • Not enough teacher training
  • Preperation for testing doesn't allow for time to "explore" with computers
And thus the beat continues.

I recently got a copy of NCTM's Taking Action: Implementing Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices for Grades 6-8 hoping to see how the guiding principle of "technology as a tool" would be highlighted especially in this grade band where using technology can be so effective. But alas there was almost no mention of technology until the last chapter (which has the same name as the title of the book). There they indicated that technology should be used appropriately. Even in the video vignettes there were no computers involved only graphing calculators mostly sitting on tables and not used by the students. Clearly the focus of Taking Action (6-8) is about effective mathematics teaching practices without computers.

I can see value for using this book with teachers involved in lesson study or at the university level. I don't think very many teachers will use it as a guide for teaching because it's too much like a textbook for teachers learning how to teach math. Anyone agree or disagree with me? Let's have a "conversation" at #climetech.


Monday, August 14, 2017

Remembering Sharon Dugdale & Don Cohen

Sharon Dugdale & Don Cohen
I've been amiss in not sharing earlier the passing of two wonderful educators (here and here) both of whom were influential in my thinking about teaching math (Don) and using technology (Sharon) to empower my students.  In the 1970's both Sharon and Don worked with Plato an early prototype of a computer-assisted instruction system that ran educational software. Don shared an example of software that was a part of the Madison Math curriculum with me at a conference in 1977. Sharon worked earlier on the Plato system to develop a fractions curriculum (including Darts and Green Globs - 2 of my all time favorites) which are still available today. Don went on to work with students (ages 3 to 73) for 38 years teaching them a variety of math topics including Calculus for 4th graders. My condolences to both their families.