[math4] FourthGradeMath Digest, Vol 3, Issue 3

[gabriel]

There seem to be different philosophies behind educational software.  There
are games where the educational content is tangentially related in an effort
to make the content itself more appealing, and there are quizes or programs
which try to explain and test understanding of material.

What I've found most useful/enjoyable as a student, however, were computer
programs that were integrated into a lesson in a way that allowed the
teacher to guide students in their own exploration.  My favorite examples of
computers coming into the classroom have been:

1. Using graphing calculators to get a sense of what polynomials look like,
to get a sense of what happens when you transform a polynomial (i.e.
pre-composition vs post-composition), asymptotics etc.
2. Using sketchpad to get a sense of Euclidean geometry, invariants, areas,
etc.
3. Using mathematica to program a Fibbonacci number generator.

These lesson-types involved a specific tool on the computer used by the
student to explore and compute.  I understand Sugar already has such a
calculator.  The question is, what kinds of lessons for the 4th grade
classroom could really benefit from using a computer.

What about a lesson that involves cryptography?  It would have to be able to
be significantly pared down to a 4th grade level--but I know of a friend (in
elementary ed) who's working on such a program at UIC.  The point is the
program would be a modified calculator that allows one to encrypt/decrypt,
or gives instructions to do so, etc.  Such a program is written with many
possible lessons in mind: the program itself becomes a tool for the
student's own learning/discovery.

It would also be great, as Stephen suggested, for us to highlight different
kinds of lessons that can be given with the tools that already exist on
Sugar.  Wouldn't it be cool to have a wiki devoted to lessons ideally suited
to Sugar? Teachers, students could update and give feedback and their own
ideas.  Does this exist already?

gabe

On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 9:29 PM, Stephen Jacobs <itprofjacobs at gmail.com>wrote:

> Some good resources and references on the Concord page...
> http://www.concord.org/publications/detail/
>
> 1.  The article on the "Broken Calculator" on this page, with web links to
> a
> flash version
>
> 2.  The Third White paper "1:1 Computing In Support of Science and
> Mathematics Education ‹ Recommendations for Large-Scale Implementations"
>
> References the need to provide support materials for teachers, not just
> software.  An "obvious" point that is often overlooked.
>
>
> Stephen Jacobs
> Associate Professor
> Game Design and Development
> Rochester Institute of Technology
> Building 70
> 102 Lomb Memorial Drive
> Rochester NY, 14623
> 0ffice: 585-475-7803
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> FourthGradeMath at lists.sugarlabs.org
> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/fourthgrademath
>
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