Week 1 - Introduction, Learning Activity and Article Insights

Part 1 - Introduction

My name is Joanne Scott. I am a high school teacher in Pittsburg, California, where I co-teach Geometry classes that include students with special needs. As a teacher, I look for ways to effectively engage and support students in their learning. How can we make the learning accessible, and meaningful, and how can we make it stick, so that the students retain the knowledge and understanding? Technology can play an important role in this process. My goal is to make optimum use of this resource.

Part 2 - Learning Activity

ISTE Standard 1.5.b calls for students to be computational thinkers who collect and analyze data sets to facilitate problem-solving and critical thinking (ISTE Standards: For Students). Students could use this data collection and analysis to help them understand trigonometric ratios in Geometry. California State Standard G-SRT-6 6 states that students should "Understand that by similarity, side ratios in right triangles are properties of the angles in the triangle, leading to definitions of trigonometric ratios for acute angles." (California Common Core State Standards: Mathematics 2013).  This could be done using a technology resource such as this: Desmos Activity to Develop Understanding of Trig Ratios (Roxas, Development of trigonometry ratios). Students would collect data on the side lengths of different right triangles and come to realize that the ratios of the corresponding sides were always the same for the same angle. After working on this individually or in small groups, a class discussion could be held to further draw out the important parts of the learning and connections to related concepts, such as triangle similarity and how these ratios could be useful.

Part 3 - Insights

Kolb's Triple E Framework (Kolbe, Triple E framework 2015) gives guidance on when it is beneficial to use technology in terms of whether it provides engagement, enhances learning, and provides opportunities for extension. The following are seen in this activity.

• Engagement: Students will be active participants in discovering the trig ratios for themselves rather than just being given the information. The technology takes some of the toil out of creating the different triangles, taking the measurements, and calculating the ratios, allowing students to focus more on the central ideas.
• Enhancement: It provides scaffolding for students to reach their learning goals by leading them through the process of discovery step by step, at their own pace, but with guidance to help them reflect on what the data is telling them.
• Extension: If a student was absent from school that day, or needed to review the lesson, it would still be available online. This activity also helps to develop students' general analytical skills.

This suggests that the activity would be a productive use of technology for students.

References

California Department of Education. (2013). California Common Core State Standards: Mathematics. California Common Core State Standards, Mathematics (Electronic Edition). https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.pdf

International Society for Technology in Education. (n.d.-a). ISTE Standards: For Students. ISTE. https://iste.org/standards/students

Kolbe, L. (2015, January 5). Triple E framework. Triple E Framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/

Roxas, M. (n.d.). Development of trigonometry ratios. Desmos Classroom Activities. https://teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilder/custom/5b6b2ab74be44d61b15b713b