Math Goes 1-1

by Colleen Worrell, Secondary Technology Integration Coordinator

Thinking about the 200+ brand new textbooks filling up what precious little closet space she has in her room, math teacher Carla Crisafulli has to wonder whether the print textbook has become obsolete. “I can’t give them away,” she lamented the other day. The math department was thrilled to have 275 copies of a brand new, beautiful Algebra I textbook ready for freshman on the first day of school. However, there have been very few takers. Now that the students have access to laptops 24/7, “they all use the online version,” Crisafulli explains.

Both students and teachers love their online Algebra I textbook and the myriad resources the publisher provides as part of the textbook package. Not only does the learning site give students access to the entire textbook online, it also includes video lessons, online tutors, guided work on problems, quizzes and other self-assessments where students can check their own learning through feedback provided by the site. Crisafulli, a 9th grade Algebra I teacher and the Curriculum Team Leader for the HS Math Department, was amazed at how the combination of the 1-1 environment and the new online textbook has allowed them to personalize learning for students. As she notes, “The online textbook includes formative assessments like mini-quizzes that helped teachers assess where individual students were when they entered our classrooms.” By two weeks into the school year, teachers were able to get a clear picture on each student’s ability, enabling them to tailor learning to meet individual student needs.

Yet as amazing as the new textbook might be, learning in the mathematics classroom is not contained by that one resource. Teachers are using resources like Moodle and Edmodo to extend learning, creating pencasts and video lectures of what they cover in class, sharing useful sites and resources, and having discussion forums and chats about homework or upcoming tests. Students are also using Gizmos, an interactive online simulation tool that, as the site explains, “helps students develop a deep understanding of challenging concepts through inquiry and exploration.” In short, the range of learning opportunities is varied and extensive, enabling to teachers to reach all types of learners.

What is the impact of all this on students? Ms. Crisafulli glows as describes how much more engaged her students are in the 1-1 classroom environment. She adds, “They absolutely love having their computers. The ease with which students can access all kinds of resources is amazing.” In particular, Crisafulli has been impressed at the speed with which this year’s freshman are learning responsibility and the value of time management. “They are really getting it,” she remarks, “and it’s only one month into the school year. Freshman are figuring out that they need to focus on getting their work done, and if they do that efficiently there will be time left over to play.”

Wanelo, anyone?