EDLT 523 Presentation

1. EDLT 523 Presentation Justin Gigler Debbie Seeboerger

2. Instructional Goal (Design) Our goal is to have students utilize Camtasia to create video tutorials to learn the proper usage of an online graphing calculator. In doing so, the learner will be able to visualize the actual equation and solution, and manipulate and experiment the data so different hypotheses may be explored.

3. Theoretical Framework (Design) The project began as a way for teachers to create tutorials for students to better learn the proper usage of a graphing calculator. It became apparent that this would only help critical thinking skills on a minimal level. We modified our design to have students create the tutorials when they were only given the website and no steps on how to use the website. According to Salomon (1993) in Jonassen, the purpose of this mindtool is “when learners use computers as partners, they off-load some of the unproductive memorizing tasks to the computers, thereby allowing themselves to think more productively” (p. 21).

4. Target Audience(Design) The target audience for this project is high school students (10-12 grade) currently enrolled in Algebra II. Concepts of Algebra I and Geometry are prerequisite courses to Algebra II and should already be included within the knowledge base of the students. These learners will be introduced to complex algebraic concepts in the traditional class setting and then assigned the video tutorial as a homework assignment. The specific target group includes twenty students of varying ability.

5. National Education Technology Standards (Design) Based on NETS, the instruction entails critical-thinking, problem-solving and decision-making standards by giving the student the means to experiment with concepts learned. By engaging the student visually, the desire to “see what happens if…” may be heightened and cause the student to spend more time trying to understand. In addition, technology operations and concepts will be used with the instruction since the use of Web 2.0 elements. The student will learn how to incorporate technology systems as a tool for learning by selecting and using applications such as Camtasia and the online graphing calculator. This will expand their current knowledge of new technologies.

6. Instructional Objectives (Design) • Student must recall existing knowledge of prerequisite mathematics courses. • Instruction should provide guidance by demonstration so the student understands what, how, in what order data should be entered into the graphing calculator. • Student should apply what was learned from the tutorial by entering the data to solve a given problem. • Student is then able analyze the outcome better by means of a visual representation of the equation. • Student should evaluate the problem by determining if the outcome is logical and correct

7. Technology Resources (Design) • Camtasia • Download @ www.techsmith.com/download/cantasiatrial.asp • Online Graphing Calculator • Download @ http://www.bluebit.gr/matrix-calculator/linear_equations.aspx

8. Development A tutorial on how to use Camtasia was needed to better inform students on how to utilize this tutorial tool.

9. Implementation • Introduction • Solve a matrix by row reduction  • Solve using a matrix in a graphing calculator  • Main Activity • Students will be given linear equations in two variables and ask to reduce • Students will be given linear equations in three variables and ask to reduce • Conclusion • Students will create a tutorial given one word problem and an unfamiliar online calculator or the option of a traditional practice • Students will be quizzed the following day and assessed using the NMSBA scoring rubric

10. Implementation • The Problem • John inherited $25,000 and invested part of it in a money market account, part in municipal bonds, and part in a mutual fund. After one year, he received a total of $1,620 in simple interest from the three investments. The money market paid 6% annually, the bonds paid 7% annually, and the mutually fund paid 8% annually. There was $6,000 more invested in the bonds than the mutual funds. Find the amount John invested in each category.

11. Evidence of Implementation

12. Critical Thinking Students were given a word problem that required them to set up the three equations required to set up a system. This skill is quite complicated and requires a great deal of thought and consideration. Students were given the task to create a tutorial where they were to utilize an unfamiliar tutorial creator and an unfamiliar graphing calculator. Students had to figure out how to use the tool in order to utilize the tool for future assignments.

13. Evaluation Students were evaluated based on a rubric Students who chose the online tutorial option scored from 100 to 40 percent We had a total of 4 students out of 20 choose this option

14. Reflection I would rather see more participation in the assignment. Given the diversity of my Algebra II class, I hesitated to make this mandatory. However, in the future I would like to use computer lab time and make this mandatory. Again, in the beginning our design was to allow students to view our tutorials. However, we could see a more relevant critical thinking opportunity to have students mull over a problem and create their own tutorials. I made an assumption that more students would rather answer one question and make a tutorial versus a twenty problem practice assignment. I guessed wrong.