[IAEP] maths instruction

[Maria Droujkova]

On Thu, Apr 30, 2009 at 10:34 AM, Kathy Pusztavari
<kathy at kathyandcalvin.com> wrote:
> I'm of the direct instruction camp.  If skills and concepts are not build
> upon each other correctly, you will get kids that either learn a concept
> wrong (then they have to unlearn it) or fail and then feel like they are
> stupid.  Having a kid with autism, I've seen both.  Unfortunately, I've seen
> both with typical kids or even smart ones under poor teaching practices.
> This is especially true for teaching reading - Project Follow Through showed
> that direct instruction was by far the most effective in teaching period.
>
> What I'm suggesting is taking effective practices and putting them in a
> computer model.  Using short videos or whatever (flash like animation) to
> teach concepts.

Strongly systematic approach is a good general principle for sciences
and math. In my mind, the strength of computers is in helping kids
tinker, construct, interact with microworlds and with each other,
remix, tag, and otherwise be active. Learning happens through doing.
Nobody learns anything deeply enough the first time they are exposed;
understanding keeps growing and growing through time, as learners are
ACTIVELY DOING something related to that concept.

In math in particular, you need to have a very healthy balance of all
levels of learning activities (see Bloom's Digital Taxonomy
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy), which
computers definitely can support. Good math learning software should
combine three things: the ability to create your own mathematical
objects in scaffolded environments (with videos or animations that can
be a part of scaffolding); the ability to share these objects with
other learners in your local community of practice; and tools for
connecting these "example spaces" or "lesson environments" with
mathematics at large, including other topics and past traditions of
doing math and other local communities - that is, with larger
communities of mathematical practices.



-- 
Cheers,
MariaD

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