This, the 5th Annual Survey of Learning Tools, was finalised on 13 November 2011. This year’s list was compiled from the Top 10 Tools lists of 531 learning professionals worldwide – from education, training and workplace learning.
What is a “learning tool”? This could be a tool you use to create or deliver learning content/solutions for others, or a tool you use for your own personal learning.
GeoGebra ranked #6 on the New entrants on the list.
BigBlueButton ranked #74 overall. For those who aren’t familiar with BigBlueButton, it’s used for web conferencing and distance learning – the future of much of education, and the future is now.
For complete statistics and more information, please visit:
My favorite math teaching software, GeoGebra, just got a nice boost. The GeoGebra Institute of California has a new website. The mission of the International GeoGebra Institute (IGI) is to empower students and teachers at all levels to learn and teach mathematics with our easy-to-use and freely available software and interactive materials. The IGI is a rapidly growing network of non-profit organizations around the world. Our California GeoGebra Institute will support local users in the following activities:
face-to-face workshops for teachers
online support for GeoGebra users
presentations at California conferences
publications in California journals
GeoGebra supports free learning materials (applets) which have interactive graphics, algebra, and spreadsheet components. These materials are available from elementary school levels through university levels. We wish to show California teachers and students how to use GeoGebra so that it can be used as a major curriculum force in the classroom. GeoGebra is very easy to use, with a point and click interface. You can quickly create interactive applets that illustrate concepts in all of the major school mathematics curriculum areas. GeoGebra is a free program that can perform geometric constructions, graph functions, create sliders that can be used to define functions, find derivatives and integrals and change everything dynamically. It is also straightforward to create html files that will be available online to anyone with a browser. Since GeoGebra is a java program, Mac or PC computers both work fine. Come join us in celebrating this terrific software!
A big thanks goes to Andy Hammons, our website creator/guru, who made this possible. Andy is the 2011 Hesperia USD District Teacher of the Year.
Guillermo Bautista, who is the host of Mathematics and Multimedia, recently posted a terrific article about GeoGebra, in which he summarized reasons why this incredible open-source software has been so successful. I asked his permission to reprint his post for my readers and he readily accepted.
Michael Borcherds, lead developer of GeoGebra, asked why GeoGebra is successful in the GeoGebra Forum; I summarized the responses and came up with 15 reasons. Here are the reasons why GeoGebra has been so successful all these years.
It is FREE.
It is open source – meaning, it is developed collaboratively by us:programmers, teachers, mathematicians, and users not just a few people.
It runs in multiple operating systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.).
It runs in different devices (computers, mobile phones, tablets).
It promotes mathematical connections (algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, etc.).
It highlights multiple representations (equations, graphs, tables).
It is intuitive, user-friendly, and easy to use.
Its files can be easily uploaded to the web as applets.
It can be exported to different file formats (png, pdf, eps, etc.).
It supports Latex typesetting.
It supports spreadsheet, CAS, and 3D (GeoGebra 5.0).
It has an elegant appearance and dynamic colors.
It has excellent support community.
It can be used by elementary school students up to graduate schoolstudents.
It is updated frequently.
Thank you, Guillermo, for this post and many others from your excellent site.
Friday Afternoon Lifesavers – Math Videos from Bill Lombard is the PowerPoint presentation I gave at the California Math Council – South section in November, 2011.
Algebra Problem Solving with the new Common Core Standards is the PowerPoint presentation I gave at the California Math Council – South section in November, 2011.
Ring a Bell Numbers is one of my favorite game-type activities in the classroom since it allows numbers from outside the classroom to enter my students’ lives in a fun, engaging way. Here are some reasons to use this activity:
Good for class game by teams
Excellent way to reinforce the importance of numbers
Shows numbers as part of common knowledge
Great way to review vocabulary
Provides segue into lesson
Engages all levels of learners
Relates mathematics to the real world
Some great pedagogical information from M. B. Rowe. Wait, Wait, Wait. . . .School Science and Mathematics:
Length of students responses increases
Number of unsolicited, appropriate responses increases
On my mathvideouniversity site on youtube, I’ve begun a series of videos intended to bring FUN into the math classroom while still teaching sound mathematics. My coauthor, Brad Fulton, and I have created literally thousands of pages of activities on Microsoft Word and PowerPoint that are currently residing on our hard drives. Prior to making these videos, the only people who were able to take advantage of these resources were our students and the folks who attended our workshops/conferences or bought our books and DVDs.
We want to make this exciting mathematics more available to a wider audience, and have decided that creating online videos will do the trick! Our goal is to create videos of 5 – 10 minute duration that are tightly focused around one topic that show some fascinating aspects of mathematics. Here are some ways/reasons these videos can be used:
It’s possible to do things on a video that are not able to be done in a classroom
Students can watch these videos any time – pause/rewind any part of video
Parents/tutors can watch with students to give help as needed
They allow parents to keep in contact with what’s going on in the classroom
A new model: Instruction can happen outside the classroom & tutoring can happen inside the classroom
Students need to see that education/training is available to suit their schedules
Allows educators to view video to improve instructional strategies
Can be used for teacher inservice training at workshops/faculty meetings
Can be used for individual teacher enrichment/education
Can showcase teachers at their best – without having to deal with daily issues
And lastly, a substitute can show the video so that instruction can take place in a teacher’s absence
After working with a concept for awhile, students need to be able to think clearly about the process. This series of worksheets and videos concentrate on asking students to determine HOW MANY solutions exist for particular situations.
Student Directions:
For the given questions, circle the number of solutions. Then state clearly how you determined your answer. NOTE: You may refer to the actual solution, but we are looking for the number of correct solutions.
Explain the reasoning you used to determine your answer. You may use diagrams and symbols, but should explain in words how you arrived at the answer.
I’ve asked for the information download link for the conference handouts and other information from the presenters below. I’ll post the link as soon as it is available. I’m glad to see so much interest in this fabulous puzzle.
KenKen is now the main topic at two independent presentations at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics(NCTM) 2011 Annual Meeting & Expositionin Indianapolis, April 14-16
KenKen: A Logical Marriage between Sudoku and Arithmetic
April 14, 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Sagamore Ballroom 2 (Indiana Convention Center)
Pamela D. Martin & Kathie O. Smart, Instructors of Mathematics, University of Louisiana at Monroe
Description: How the simplicity and effectiveness of KenKen allow young learners to quickly excel, while challenging their logical thinking.
Using KenKen to Enhance Students’ Learning
April 14, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Room 124 (Indiana Convention Center)
Harold B. Reiter, Professor of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Description: Using KenKen with children and teachers. Professor Reiter will talk about his experiences using the puzzle at a camp in Bangalore, India, and at various teachers’ workshops.
Here’s Part 2 of the Reverse the Math Puzzle: Using the numbers 1, 3, and 5, and mathematical operations, create expressions that equal the numbers from 1 through 10. This puzzle increases number sense and reinforces the concepts of exponents, factorials, and operations. You can see Part 1 here.
Do you have a conference or staff development activity coming up? Find out why you should