Geogebra... it's like magic

The Math CCSS of Oklahoma for geometry requires students to "begin to formalize their geometry experiences from elementary and middle school, using more precise definitions and developing careful proofs." (Oklahoma Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, pg 74)

A "must have" skill in geometry is the ability to manipulate objects mentally. Students need to be able to visualize congruence and transformations. In the classroom, students are restricted to the use of manipulatives and paper. It can be difficult to "see" these ideas.

"Geogebra" is designed to be a virtual manipulative. This software allows teachers and students to construct objects and explore the math that defines the objects. They can rotate, translate, scale, etc, the objects and provide visual proof geometry concepts.

The software is free to download or can be run in an applet window from any computer. It is compatible with multiple operating systems and formats. Constructs can be exported for use in Office products, virtual learning environments like Moodle and other third party editors.

The software seems user-friendly, but some advanced skills may be needed to use the export feature or other, less mainstream, operating systems. In order to make full use of the power of the software in every class period, each student would need a computer at their desk to participate with the lesson. The current version is not compatible with the Java script which runs on tablets, but revisions are being made to correct this issue.

You can find this program, along with a number of user-submitted lesson constructs, can be found at: www.geogebra.org.

Snake Oil and the New Medicine Man

Do you think that the integration of technology is really a racket to make money for business? Does movements to use more technology in classrooms have our students' best interests in mind?

"Who really benefits from putting high-tech gadgets in classrooms?"


This article highlights my own concerns over technology in the classroom. It is the very weakness I described in paragraph 1 of my "Man in the Mirror" post. I fear the use of technology if we are only integrating it for the sake of saying how "high-tech" we are. If there is a legitimate use for the tech, then count me in.

I think the author is a little harsh on Apple. I think it is important to remember that no textbook publisher is in the business solely of the joy of enlightening the mind. They are generating a product to sell to educators. I don't see the author bashing Houghton-Mifflin for making minor revisions to their product and selling it as "new and improved".

That being said, electronic text books have ups and downs. I think they are great for non-linear learning discussed in the Digital Divide (hyperlinks and the like). I don't think they are useful for studying. You cannot rapidly flip between pages, or hold the book open to two pages for comparison etc. I think they would be a distraction, used for games or social networks.

If we are willing to invest the kind of money needed to get every child a laptop or iPad, then we should be considering how we can use the money to improve the quality of the educators. The expectations for teachers to be mothers/ fathers, mentors, social workers, educators and be accountable to the public for their students' performance (without any onus on the parents) are approaching unreasonable. When you ask people to do unreasonable things, you are expected to pay them for it.

The Man in the Mirror

Part of becoming a better technology using teaching is doing a self assessment of your skills.. what are some areas that you need to work on to make more meaningful use of technology in your job. If you are not sure how to answer this.. ask your coworkers or fellow students - they might be able to tell you..

Make sure to tell me, why it limits you, or your teaching..


I can identify 3 areas where there is room for improvement.

1. Paradigm shift. As I wrote in my previous blog, I first need to change the way I see technology in the classroom. As a member of the "old school" 1st Gen, I have viewed technology as a gimmick. A gimmick that has no solid value in the classroom. The types of technology I tend to think of are games with cheesy story-lines which require students to use math to complete a puzzle.
Instead, I need see technology as more than games and social networks. The can be tools to be used to hone skills, reinforce topics presented in the classroom or facilitate discussions.

2. Knowledge is power. More often than not, I find learn about new tech via students or the evening news. Even after a new tech is more mainstream, I am slow to investigate it's mainstream uses. Add that to my lack of foresight (due to my opinion of tech in the classroom) and I advance my use of technology slower than the US government.

3. Think outside the box. Assuming I manage the first two changes ( I'm working on it), the next task would be looking beyond the mainstream uses for tech and think of ways to use the tech in the classroom. I'm not an experienced teacher (working on certification with M.Ed). With experience, as my teacher friends tell me, I will become more familiar with the tasks assigned in the classroom. With that familiarity, I can start to imagine how to incorporate tech into the classroom (or virtual classroom) in a way that isn't gimmicky or "just because I can".

I'm sure there are many other areas where I can improve. These will be revealed in my attempts to become more tech oriented.