Vendors at NCTM Conference

New! The speakers documents/handouts are now being posted on the NCTM site. Look for the folder or document icon next to the number of the session.

Speakers: If you are doing a technology related session, you can draw more attention to your session by updating your listing on our CLIME (technology sessions) website. Send me an email with what you like to include. Here's an example of an updated listing. (Click on image to see it on the web.)

Vendor Area - a Dynamic View

Click on image to visit the area

Can't make it to Philly?

For those of you that were hoping to present at the conference but either forgot to submit a proposal or were not accepted, there will be an online technology & math event on April 23rd sponsored by CLIME. Gary Stager will be one of the highlight presenter/discussant. You can join us at this time (exact time still to be determined) and share your ideas via electronic poster with the group. For more details contact Ihor at ihor@clime.org

CLIME Connections #102

Explore Dynamic Math Software at NCTM Conference

Cool Flipbook

In the last blog Karen Greenhaus commented: "Thanks for mentioning the Sketchpad Explorer for the iPad! There are a lot of folks from Key Curriculum and KCP Tech doing presentations (Nick Jackiw, Scott Steketee, Daniel Scher, Bill Finzer, Cliff Konold, myself) with Sketchpad, TinkerPlots and Fathom. As always, focused on dynamic mathematics and using technology appropriately to engage students in learning math."

NCTM agrees. They highlighted these two presentations that Karen suggested:

• Nick Jackiw, 
Key Curriculum Press Technologies, Inc.
 "Euclid’s Elements: An Interactive Geometry Perspective" - more
• Cliff Konold, 
University of Massachusetts Amherst.
 "Breathing Life into Data and Chance with Tinkerplots 2.0" - more

Here's the other three mentioned by Karen (including hers):

• Scott Steketee, 
Key Curriculum Press Technologies, Inc. has two sessions:

• "A Dynamic Number Approach to Mulitiplication" - more
• "Function Composition without Confusion: A Geometric Approach with Sketchpad® 5" - more
• Daniel Scher, 
Key Curriculum Press Technologies, Inc.
 "Dynamic Fractions in the Elementary School Classroom" - more
• Bill Finzer, Key Curriculum Press Technologies, Inc. "Data Games: Learn Math Achieve Victory through Data Analysis" -more
• Karen Greenhaus, "Using Appropriate Tools in Elementary Math: From Physical to Virtual" - more

CLIME is working on a dynamic list of the technology sessions that you can update by contacting the CLIME office. It will updated almost immediately!

Karen also points out that (in addition to the BuzzHub, and our CLIME Booth in the exhibit hall): "...Key will be doing a lot [in their booth], so [I] just wanted to pass that along so folks can come by and play with math and technology...we will have iPads and computers to explore." 

Sounds good. The exhibit hall will be a good place to discover vendors who are promoting this dynamic vision of exploration tools. I'll spotlight some of them in the next issue of this CLIME Connections blog.

For more details on the conference, check out NCTM's cool Online Preview flipbook.
The hastag for following comments about the conference on Twitter is #nctm12
  CLIME Connections #101

NCTM Conference Preview - Part 2

I’ve been going through the Philadelphia conference session descriptions and have some good news to report. Of the 745 sessions listed in the NCTM's online program 268 have a technology theme. That's almost 38% which is almost double the number of such sessions that were at last year’s conference in Indianapolis. Of course, it helps that technology is the NCTM’s 2011-2012 annual conference "theme of the year.”

A session is included if the title or description
contains a technology key word. 

Here's the list of keywords (in no particular order.)

Below is the frequency chart and a wordle of these terms. (Click on image for larger view.)

Click on figure for larger image.

This frequency listing gives clues as to what the NCTM math community thinks is important to discuss regarding technology. Here are some highlights:

1. As expected the “umbrella” word technology appears 225 times in 200 sessions.
2. Software is mentioned in 31 sessions. This includes a wide variety of types from web/cloud-based applets, Geogebra, Google Earth, etc. to those that have to reside on your computer which includes the long time favorite - Geometer’s Sketchpad.*
3. Next comes the TI-Nspire calculator with 30 sessions. There are also 10 sessions on using the TI-Navigator network.
4. In addition to calculators hardware (mostly in the form of Smartboards) is the attention grabber for many sessions. Also, and for the first time, there are several sessions about the "new wave" of handhelds (i.e. iPads) in the mix.
5. To see CLIME's full listing of tech related sessions (first draft) click here. 

If you are a speaker and would like to update your session description which is the same as the one you sent in last May to NCTM, I can update it for you on our site. Go to CLIME technology-themed sessions and review your listing there. Then let me know (by email) if you want to change anything, share more info or add some reference links. I will make the changes for you immediately.

One last thought: What's missing from the program?
A glaring omission for me is that there is no overt reference to the blogging that  math teachers are doing something that Dan Meyer** and others have popularized and what I consider to be the most important contribution to math education in recent years. Math bloggers (and tweeters) are changing the landscape of how we are learning about math teaching and learning. (More about this in my next blog entry.)

CLIME Connections #100

*There is now a sketch player (Sketchpad Explorer) available for the Apple iPad.
**Dan is speaking at NCTM (See his listing - session #474.)
See also the the 25 sessions in the Learn<->Reflect Technology Strand.

CLIME's Resolution is implemented!

Mark Workman, the director of conference services at NCTM, sent me a letter in response to our proposal (see CC blog 92) which included the following: 

We are pleased to inform you new this year, we will be introducing a technology supported area called the “BuzzHub” at the NCTM 2012 Annual Meeting […] in Philadelphia.  This is in addition to offering speakers the most current A/V choices at no charge for their presentations. Also complementary wireless access will be provided in the concourses and Overlook Area in the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Some of the “BuzzHub” offerings include: 

• “Member Showcase” providing technology support to update your membership information and more.
• “Social Networking Lounge" is an area for attendees to sit, relax, access WiFi (paid for by NCTM), charge their devices (through electrical outlets), mingle and network with other attendees and stay connected with the latest NCTM social media. This large lounge will also feature live Twitter and Facebook feeds will be displayed on monitors.
• “Internet Station” computers provided for attendees to check email or access the line conference planner.
• “NCTM Presentation Spotlight Stage” is a place for attendees to stop by and listen to short sessions and to include NCTM journal editors discussing how to write an article NCTM journals and become a reviewer, technology supported short sessions on Coretools research, Online resources and Illuminations and many other exciting sessions.

We are excited to showcase this new area and enhancing NCTM and the technology experience for all. Thank you for submitting the proposed resolution. [See entire letter - PDF.]

This is very good news. I'll update you on details in future blog entries. I hope to see you either at the CLIME booth #1337 or the BuzzHub in April.

Clime Connections #99

Weekend in Philly - Educon 2.4

This weekend I'll be at the Educon 2.4 Conference where I'll be leading a conversation entitled "Math 2.0 and the Wannado Curriculum." Here's the description:

The power of Web 2.0 is just beginning to become a part of the consciousness of the average math teacher. Historically, emerging media is usually tamed to fit in with the grammar (current paradigm) of school. How can we avoid the same pitfalls with Web 2.0? My response is to create math curriculums that kids actually want to do (i.e. via simulations & games). Lead discussant will pose potential pitfalls and conundrums which the group will try to unravel.

A recording of this event is available at this link.

I'll be sharing about the conference on Twitter @climeguy as well as #educon.
If you are going to Educon let me know via this form.
CLIME Connections #98

New Buzzhub at NCTM Annual Meeting

Full page announcement

Look what's new this year. Does this mean the Cyber Cafe is no more? Will there be Wifi in the Buzzhub? Not sure yet. Will find out. [The answer is yes! Check out the latest from NCTM.] Here's the description from the announcement:

Get connected at the NEW BuzzHub 
Download, upload, and get connected at the BuzzHub. With a social networking lounge, Internet station and the Presentation Spotlight and CTM's buzz hub is the central place for attendees to network and connect - plus you'll be surrounded by exhibits with advanced resources and technology to test and explorer. Stop by the BuzzHub in the exhibit hall to:

• Network with teachers coaches supervisors and other educators. 
• Check out free online resources and activities for your classroom. 
• Surf the web and check your email.
• Learn how to make your membership work for you. 
• Stay connected with the latest social media updates. 
• Collect free resources and activity packets. 
• Hear special presentations from online resource specialists and journal editors.
• Charge your devices and relax- be sure to BYOD (bring your own device)!

Clime Connections #97

Technology's role in Math Education - A preconference discussion

This year (2011-2012) NCTM is focusing on technology at their regional meetings and the upcoming annual conference in April. CLIME will once again be actively supporting this initiative. In Philly, CLIME will be exhibiting, presenting, tweeting and waving the Math 2.0 flag as much as possible. As a friend of CLIME I hope you will join us in supporting this initiative whether you are attending the conference or participating at a distance. Here is the first of a series of preview blogs leading up to the main event during the week of April 23rd - Mathematics Awareness Week.

NCTM writes:

The intent of this yearlong focus on technology is to help teachers, school leaders, and teacher educators expand their view of how technology can be used as a tool to [1] support effective mathematics teaching, [2] enhance mathematics learning, and [3] influence what mathematics is taught. (Source: Strand Goals & Overview)

What are your views on these three goals? I'll be thinking about my responses between now and the end of the conference in April and I hope you will engage me in a blog-style conversation by posting a comment. (See my reply below that I added on 4/2/12.)

Tech sessions in Philly
In my last blog entry I put up a one page “at a glance” summary of all the sessions in NCTM’s technology strand. I now have a more detailed version of the sessions here. Unfortunately, these descriptions were submitted last May and do not include any links to more information about the session or the speaker(s). The CLIME descriptions are at the moment (1/6/12) rather "boring" since I have not as yet invited the speakers to update their listing. (Since I'm on the list, I'll invite myself first. Check out my addition here.) So if you are speaker or involved in some way with the learn/reflect technology strand I invite you to review your session description and send me more details i.e. a photo, links to relevant websites such as your powerpoint (or other) presentation, blogs and especially links to your handouts.

If you are doing a technology session at the conference and it's not part of the tech strand please send me details as well and I will include you in my next listing.

Technology's role in math education
NCTM has posted 4 questions for folks attending the Strand sessions to reflect on and share responses at the debriefing session (#283).  If you have any comments, answers or questions about these questions, please share them with a reply.

Coming soon in future blog entries

• There are a lot more technology related sessions than just the ones in the tech strand. NCTM has listed 99 sessions (if you search with the key word technology.)  I will have a dynamic version of those sessions and others that I find in my next entry.  

• NCTM has a personal scheduling planner that you can use to make a print copy of the sessions you want to attend or download  the listing to your smart phone. Next time I'll share my experiences with using it. 

• CLIME has sent a resolution to NCTM to present to the Affiliate Delegate Assembly at the NCTM conference. (See draft with comments in a previous post.) More about this later.

• CLIME is planning an online event on April 23rd. Gary Stager will be “keynoting” with his presentation on “Electrifying Children’s Mathematics.” If you are interested in participating in this event please let me know so I can personally respond to you about it.

You can subscribe to receive CLIME Connections by email here.
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