Assessment.

I have known for a while that I need to do more assessment. Today as my students used a couple apps, I realized I could use the data from the apps to determine how they are doing or use the results as the assessment. 
For my geometry class, I sent the students to IXL and had them take 5 questions for three topics dealing with triangles.  The results are an assessment and I can uses the results as a quiz grade because they are answering questions.  IXL is nice because you can access up to 20 questions per day per iPad without having to sign up for the service.  I can have 2 different classes do 10 questions on a certain topic and use the results as the quiz score.  I feel kind of stupid because I've used IXL before but never considered using it as the assessment.  <grins>  I think we all go through that.
I had my Algebra 1 classes do card clutter today.  Its a game where students get certain numbers they have to put in order.  If they do not accomplish it within a certain period of time, the app shows them the correct answer and asks them if they want to retry.  I noticed that many of my kids would just hit the move on button so they could brag that they completed level whatever without really paying attention to the information.  The assessment value I gathered from watching the students is that most are pretty good at ordering integers but they are not as good when they run into fractions, decimals or mixed.  I can use this information when I write their homework assignment up.  I can put problems that require them to order numbers so they can practice this skill.  I can also put one or two problems on the warm-up.  I like being able to scaffold by sliding in problems in both the warm-up and the homework.

Talk about a learning experience

I put a problem on the board for most of my classes to do and was shocked at the results.  I put 2(x+3)-3(x-2)=18 up and many of my upper level students had trouble doing this problem.  Only one student in the Algebra I class could do it.  I discovered this using the favorite bad assessment I talk about in yesterday's post.  It is a great assessment that takes all of 5 min and gives a good view of the topic.
Yesterday, I had students work on standardized problems alone on their iPads using gloss.  Over all it went pretty well but I think I'll have them help each other so each group gets all the correct answers.  If a student asked what perimeter is, I told them to look it up.  I think by helping each other, they will actually learn it better and it involves peer tutoring. 
Instead of giving finals, I am assigning projects to three  of my 5 classes using Haiku Deck.  I said they had to use their own words, make their own diagrams and they had to use complete sentences.  One of the students objected that this is a math class not an English class.  I laughed and told them there is English in Math.....LOL.
Next step is to figure out what type of flipping I can do with the limited or no internet my students have on their mobile devices.  Actually, I should think of homework assignments they can do using their mobile devices or assignments my traveling students can use mobile devices on.

Interesting perspective on teaching math.

I was doing research on the internet to find some real world math problems that I could have my students do and I stumbled across this blog http://blog.keycurriculum.com/2012/03/what-do-you-wonder-real-world-math-problems-are-everywhere/
In it, the author has a short video of Annie Fetter from the Math Forum in which she says we should use senarios with questions like What do you notice? and What do you wonder? You are not after the students to actually solve it just look at it and find information.  The class has a discussion on it and then for homework you have the students write about what they talked about in class that day.  Toward the end of the entry are three websites, one of which has some great things to use for that. 
This is a cool way to integrate writing into the classroom while being able to assess student thinking and understanding of certain math ideas. 
I am always looking for new ways to integrate writing and to assess student understanding.  My students due to cultural influences are afraid to make a mistake and want you to check all their problems.  I need to help them be less afraid of making mistakes and being willing to work independently.
If anyone has ideas or scenarios I could use in a High School math class, I would love to hear.

Middle school Algebra 8th grade.

The app shows up as Math 8 on my ipad.  it is an app that has a lite version and a paid version.  It has a monkey on the face of it and is a game where you tilt the ipad to move the monkey to the right or left.  If you get the monkey in the right spot, it gives you a problem. After 8 problems it gives you a score.  Each of the 4 topics has 3 levels  and you can do all three levels to become quite familiar with the process.  The four topics that come with the free versions are 1.  Words to expressions, 2.  Evaluating Expressions, 3 solving 1 step equations and  4. 2 step equations.  If you purchase the paid version, you can get linear equations, multi-step equations, solving inequalities, systems of equations, rational equations and exponential functions.
I think the free app will really do lots of good in my class as I can see having my students practice changing words to expressions using this app.  Since many are ELL, this will allow them to practice the topic in a fun filled way.  Actually all 4 topics are ones that my students need practice in.  I can see even using this app in Algebra II as a review for solving one and two step equations.  I like what it has to offer and I can use it for Pre-algebra, Algebra I and Algebra II to reinforce the skills. 
I think my students will enjoy using this program and will practice the skills since it is a game and it will prepare them better to do the actual work associated with the topic when I finally hand out practice sheets.  The company that makes this also makes a middle school grade 7 and 6.  I looked at those and just looking at them, grade 7 has students practicing using negative and positive numbers. 
I plan to download the grade 7 free app to check it out.  I just discovered there is a way for students to e-mail scores to the teacher so that I can monitor their progress.  The full versions are 99 cents and allow you to access all levels, not just the first four.  Furthermore, they are labeled the same except with the word pro. 
I am going to recommend getting this for school in the fall and I am going to integrate it into lesson plans.

Thoughts on the volume app

I have given some thought to the best way to use the volume app I mentioned a few blogs ago.  The videos are well done but it has a mechanical voice which may make my students dislike the videos  I am going to create a set of questions to answer as they watch the videos  This way they have to actually pay attention to what is being watched.  I am also going to include some problems based on the material in the videos so they have to attempt to work some problems to see if they understand the process. When they are done, they can check a QR code to see if they get the answers correct.  I am going to use those QR codes more often beginning in the fall. 
I am now on holidays but will spend the summer actually writing lesson plans and units with more integration of the iPad.  As I come up with ideas and plans, I"ll share the information with my readers.  I will be starting Monday and hope to post something from then.

Infographics and learning

I am still working on lesson plans using the volume app but we recently got our state test results and they were not as high as hoped.  So I was thinking of a way to improve student understanding of their results and one way for me to increase my monitoring of their learning.
In regard to their understanding of their individual results, I am thinking of having each high school student I teach take their results and the state results and create a graph from that data to insert in an infographics they create of their data.  Right now we just review the data, talk about it and go on as before.  Maybe if they put the data into a visual display, it might make more of an impact on them.
As for monitoring their learning, I am seriously considering using some sort of weekly testing process.  If I set up a quiz on testmoz.com, I know I can get a download of how the students did on the quiz and on each question to provide me with data for my instruction.  My school is stressing data given instruction so this is one way to gather the data I need.

rewriting my plan of attack.

Last night I got to thinking that many of my students go through the motions of doing the problems without developing a deeper understanding of the math itself.  This means I have not spent enough time in my teaching helping them develop the understanding so I need to focus on making assignments so they require higher level of thinking.  I know too often I resort to the simple calculations. 
I've decided when we do linear equations, I am going to have them find real life examples that use slope along with providing an explanation of what slope tells us.  I think an infographic or similar activity would be good for this.  It is time to revisit what I need taught and how it will be done.  Up to know I've used previous plans with technology inserted as best I could but now I am going to rethink my plans and ideas to see if I can improve .
I need to consult Blooms digital taxonomy to see if I can utilize higher levels of thinking so maybe they will do better. 
Tomorrow and Thursday my ebook on "Teaching Math using an iPad will be available on Amazon for free.  It is a short ebook talking about certain types of apps and specific suggestions for using them in the math class room.  I admit this is geared for older students but you might find some things applicable in the elementary rooms.

Thoughts on mastery

I just got some of the results back from the state on my students.  One or two of the ones who should have passed did not.  I realized today one reason they may have had difficulty is they want every single problem they do in class checked to make sure it is correct and they want me there guiding them on each problem.  I think they are afraid to make mistakes.  So I am going to implement a weekly mastery test on the computer so they can do 4 or 5 problems once a week and they will select the correct multiple choice answer.  I hope this will help them prepare for the State Tests better and will give me a better assessment tool to use. 
I struggle to get the students past the "I can't do it so why even try" attitude many of them have.  If I can help them succeed, their attitude changes and many go from disrupting the class to actually working. 
I am open to suggestions.

Stats and sports

Today, I had a warm-up question where I asked the students to come up with three stats used in sports and how are they calculated.  The students promptly replied average, mode, and range.  It showed me that they were missing a basic concept in how they have a disconnect between the terms of mode, range, median, and mean.  Since we won't be doing much next week, I am going to find a website with either activities or with stats to have the students look up stats for either basketball, NYO (native youth olympics), volleyball or wrestling. These are the major sports played in our school.  If anyone has suggestions on websites for doing this I"d love to hear about it.
Maybe I can have them find certain stats, how the stats are calculated and have them write up a compare and contrast between at least two players so they can practice analyzing and writing.  My students are not good at synthesizing information and this could be turned into a good activity to help with that.

iphoto

On Monday I am going to assign my seniors a two day project where they will use iPhoto and the camera to create a short 1 to 2 min project on where and how logs and ln are ussed in the real world.  We have doodle buddy they can draw things on, notepad to type and a couple other programs to use.  I believe they can use iPhoto to create a slide show of sorts and that will be awesome.  I have to figure out the parameters of the project and write the rubric for Monday.  I will tell them they can use what ever apps are on the iPad and make sure they know how to do screen shots so they can use those to help make the presentation.
I am looking forward to the results and I will be sure to share them.  I found an app to animate things but it has limited uses unless you register at the website.  So I need to investigate that.  I know their attention is much better when they do things on the iPad, I just need to make sure they are learning the material rather than using it as a toy.
I think I might have found an animation app that is free.  I am going to download it tonight and hopefully try it out.  I will report back on it.

Guided practice

I find that I waste way too much paper when I have students do their first few problems on paper.  Most of my students throw the paper out rather than use it as an example for later, so I have them use an app like doodle buddy or SAS gloss.  Doodle buddy is more of an art program where students can use their fingers to try the problem.  It allows them to choose the background, the ink, insert text, etc.  I usually walk around the class checking their progress, answering questions, etc.  if they have done the problem correctly, I draw a smiley face, if not, they get a frowny face.  They can save the image and email it if desired.  The other program offers a bit more.
Gloss offers the drawing surface but it also allows you to choose graph paper, wide ruled or college ruled paper as a background.  This program also allows you to add shapes, write or insert text and is easier to use in a math class room.  I am going to install this program in a day or two and try it out.  I am thinking it might offer me a way to increase the amount of writing I have them do in class.  I will keep you posted on how it goes.

State mandated testing

Since these tests seem to. Take over the curriculum, I am thinking of beginning the first day of classes by setting up an online test with practice questions.  I figure that I can use the data as a starting point for what I teach, the starting point, and where I start.  Since the push is for data driven teaching, using testmoz.com or other site, I can have ongoing data to refer to.  This opens up lots of good possibilities.

More on yesterday's QR experiment

I was able to export the results of the 10 question protest I gave my students on scientific notation.  The information provided includes all 10 questions, student names, their answers and their score for the quiz.  Now I can take the information, analyze it , and have a place to start teaching rather than just teaching by the shotgun effect.
I plan to use this with other classes and I am going to make it a regular part of my arsenal for next year. The site again for building your own test is testmoz.com  
I love finding places like this that I can use with the iPads.

After spending the past couple of days, I set up an opening activity with my 9th grade class using the QR codes.  The first code simply told them the order of things we were going to do on the iPad.  The code showed up on the notepad app.  It worked better than I expected.  The second QR code sent them to testmoz.com to take a pretest quiz on scientific notation.  I like this site as it allows me to set up the type of question and I set this quiz up as a multiple choice.  Once they finished, I can go back to the site and look at the report on the results.  It gives me the name of the student, their scores and the time it took them to take the quiz.  Below that is a grid that shows me how each student did on each question.  Both charts can be exported in CVS format so I can carefully analyze the results to help me design the unit better.
I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went.  I am going to try this method in other classes and will use this as one of my regular assessments.  This can help me monitor how well the students are learning the material so I do not have to retest.
Next step is to use the QR code on a homework assignment which I think I"ll try in a couple of weeks.  Please feel free to leave comments or suggestions on QR codes.