Math 371 Technology for STEM Educators

          Flipped classrooms are starting to become more popular and advancements in technology are playing a factor in helping these stats continue to grow. Flipped classrooms are based on the idea of reordering or “flipping” the in-class and out-of-class activities students complete. Effective flipped classrooms utilize some form of lecture for students to do outside of class to better prepare them for what will be covered or demonstrated in class. Teachers can choose to create videos, assign readings, or combine both, and create some sort of comprehension check. With new ideas of technology constantly being introduced, the concept of flipped classrooms can become very beneficial for students, if used effectively. When students complete short videos or readings outside of class, it can allow for more collaborative learning inside the classroom. Students can work in groups and discuss what they learned from the assignment, complete problems from the mate...

     Productive struggle is often framed as something that happens away from technology, as if meaningful thinking only occurs when students are working with pencil and paper. In reality, struggle does not disappear in a technology-rich classroom. Instead, it changes shape. When digital tools are used thoughtfully, they can create conditions where students wrestle with ideas rather than bypass them.      Technology like Desmos, GeoGebra, and several others, have the potential to slow students down in productive ways. Instead of immediately confirming whether an answer is correct, dynamic visuals and interactive elements invite students to notice patterns, test assumptions, and reconsider their reasoning. They can help students work towards the correct answer on their own, rather than being only correct or incorrect. Students may adjust a slider, observe an unexpected change, and then pause to ask why the graph, shape, or simulation behaves the way it does. ...

I had thought about this since December, but didn't really work on it until the last minute. Yes, I am an extreme procrastinator. It helps me relate to my students! On January 7, as I was preparing the syllabus for the course management system, I decided to pull the trigger and gamify my course. It makes sense as the course is made up of projects that students need to complete, so having them earn a badge after each project is a good idea. I planned to give them digital badges, but the students were very excited about the idea of actual badges. Today I have been creating the badges in Canva, which really is a great program and easy to use. I got some advice from a friend who makes stickers and I just ordered them! They are supposed to arrive by Friday, and I am excited. While they have more than 6 projects, I decided to combine the first few assignments into one badge, called the Digital Citizen badge. Hopefully, you notice that the circle around the outside is two colors. This dar...