Week 5 Report & Reflection

Week 5 Report & Reflection

            This week we immersed ourselves in the idea of blended learning. Blended learning is a combination of face-to-face and online learning that uses online tools to help students learn in differentiated ways. Blended learning can incorporate things like YouTube videos, Interactive Whiteboards, games and Gizmos. This is a huge shift from when I was in school learning math. Gone is the emphasis on textbooks and pencil-and-paper!

            Digital technology can enhance learning because there are multiple representations that make it clear to students and there are opportunities to discuss math. While it’s important to include technology in a mathematics classroom, teachers need to be sure that they are using it in such a way that is enhancing student production and thinking while at the same time it is increasing student motivation, interest and attention.

            We discussed earlier in the course that it is important for students to discuss math because students who talk about their math do well. Students discuss their strategies and their reasoning behind the problem. Their discussion starts a pathway that can later spark other ideas or understandings and gain greater insights in the problem. Thinking intuitively and insightfully was one of the main ideas we looked at this week. In addition, students can use representations and visuals to help them understand a particular concept.

            Using representations and visuals are things that I am confident with including in my classroom. However, using digital tools are things that I need to work on. I am not as confident in my abilities to seamlessly incorporate technology in the classroom in a meaningful way. At this stage, I am a person who ‘thinks big, but starts small.’ I want to move from the Substitution level of the SAMR model, to more of the Augmentation and Modification level. I want to be able to use digital tools in such a way that it has functional improvement and redesigns the task. Once I’m able to achieve these levels, I am able to achieve the Redefinition level.

H.L. (2017, October 30). SAMR Model. Retrieved from:
https://www.schoology.com/blog/samr-model-practical-guide-edtech-integration

            One thing I found useful in our blended learning class this week was the “PadagogyWheel.” I found the Padagogy Wheel to be helpful because it lists particular applications that apply to each level of the SAMR model and you can see how they can overlap each other. Depending on the activities that you want students to do or the overall outcomes that you want students to learn, the Padagogy Wheel has an application that can help. It certainly helps give ideas of technology to use with goals of what I want students to achieve.

            I often get a lot of inspiration and ideas for the classroom while I’m scrolling through social media. I recently watched a video on Facebook where students in a calculus class created an alternate version of Bohemian Rhapsody that they called “Calculus Rhapsody.” It showcases their knowledge of Calculus in a fun and entertaining way and this reminded me of when we used an application called “ChatterPix” to summarize out understanding in a 30 second animated video. I thought it was really engaging and it will definitely be something that I will include in my classroom for sure!

I have included the Calculus Rhapsody video below for your entertainment: 

Until next week, readers!