Homework #1 how I would use updated news/site feeds

I discovered a great math teaching resource on you tube a couple weeks ago called Khan Academy. A former software expert and funds manager had given up his career to focus on providing instructional videos on you tube. I came across one video demonstrating introductory concepts on logarithms that did an excellent job on showing students how to convert logarithms to exponential equations and vice versa. It was quick, short and very efficient. I was impressed enough with the video that I showed it to my class in the next few days. The entire class watched, a few giggled, and some seem completey enrapt. At the end a few kids asked me if I had made the video because his presentation was similar to how I present, down to the awkward handwriting.

Later I examined his site http://www.khanacademy.org/ and found that he had the curriculum of all of algebra II and other courses completely mapped out, with a short ten minute video demonstrating every essential concept. I think it would be good for students to know about this site so they can have an accessible and free resource to help them review materials. I feel a bit hesitant because I wonder if this would replace me as a teacher, but I think students will always want a human resource to help them with their personal needs.

How I use or want to use technology in my classroom

I wish to use the best and most useful technology to help my students learn math. The immediate uses that a website can be good for is to post homework assignments. If I can ever figure out how to set up an excel program where students can access their grades without violating the privacy of others, I would be happy to use that. Other uses is to set up a series of 'how to' videos or videos of math interest for students to access. I would also like to be able to set up a series of math applications where students can explore math. Another great use of technology is contact with parents. Overwhelmingly, parents wish to have more communication with teachers and the internet and email have been the most benign.

Their are limitations that technology seems to have. One scary thing is if a teacher's blog site became a flame war of anonymous critiques directed at other students or the teacher. Another limitation is the difficulty to read challenging text online. I've tried to read novels on computer screens and the experience is hard on the eyes. A number of students have asked for the address for the online textbooks but those have led to difficulties, especially when the publisher's website is down or clunky, which seems to be the rule and not the exception.

Perhaps I can create assignments that students can access from home, but there is the huge concern that not all students have access to technology.

So, to summarize my feelings, I think technology helps with communication of course requirements to students and parents, and can lead students to appropriate course content on the internet.

a late night addendum

I wonder what happened to the blog I created last Wednesday. I suppose it has been deleted. I'm adding this blog to have at least one blog entry for the full day class schedule tomorrow.

I've done some work for this class. I had used wordle in four of my classes on Thursday which went quite well. Prior to a geometry test, I had students volunteer topics that would be covered on the test, typed those into the wordle template, and generated a word cloud poster that I was able to share with the students. In my algebra II class, I had students write down three words on what logarithms met to them and they generated another word cloud poster with the most prominent words being Confusing, Complicated, and Boring. Sigh. I failed the students as a teacher. For my integrated math class, I had the students do a check in and the word cloud poster's largest word was "Tired". Figures.

I've added a couple of video clips to my Google sites page, one dealing with Abbot and Costello math and another showing the orbits of stars near the galatic center as they orbit a black hole.

Tomorrow for class, I need to rremember to bring my camera, my headphones and my cell phone. Hope the class is a success.