THE NEEDED TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY
The education technology sector has many features and apps that are stimulating the growth and evolution of education for the 21st century. I have developed a plan to incorporate some of them into a cohesive program. Here is what I envision needing
a) a dynamic and east-to-use website that incorporates the math curriculum;
b) new apps (listed below) that integrate seamlessly into the website
c) a computer algorithm designed to match each student with the appropriate set of videos that best matches his or her learning style


TECH FEATURES NEEDED
General:
A. “Draw Together”: A program that allows students to collaborate on a math problem virtually, like Google Docs, except that they write by hand using a tablet.

B. YouTube Algorithm: This will use multiple feedback to provide students with the optimal “video teacher” for their learning style.

a. Matches students with the correct video for their learning style.

b. Provides feedback on students, video-makers, and the program.

c. Stores data to be used for analysis and educational research

d. Teachers will assess their own videos, and then students thereafter will assess videos on a 1-5 scale on such aspects as the following

i. Lecture vs. Discovery

ii. Use of computer graphics

iii. Use of examples

iv. length of video

v. Age/gender of lecturer

vi. Use of color and backdrop screen

vii. Virtual TI applications

viii. Overall quality of lecture

e. The performance on the following proficiency assessment is the final feedback.

C. Dynamic “Circles”: These are dynamic groups that match students with a) students in their own school, and b) students that are in the same place in the curriculum across the globe. This appropriately connects students so that they always have a learning community based on their position in the curriculum.

D. APPS: On the student work page, there will be a number of helpful apps

a. “HELPER”- This will be openstudy.com meets ShowMe!. It will create a student driven help center through chat room and screencasting. It groups students by where they are in the curriculum, continually creating “classrooms” of students studying the same thing. It also groups students by schools and districts to create a local learning community.

b. Graphing Calculator: An all-round functional calculator with analysis features similar to TI n’Spire. Includes slope fields, 3-d, contour mapping, and implicit equations. Graphs multiple functions.

c. Solver: Like Wolfram Alpha or nSpire, this will solve any problem through multi-variable calculus, allowing students to focus more on application

d. Notes: This is a notes app that links the notes to the section you are working on. It includes screencasting possibilities, as well as sharing (to facebook, g+ or helper)

E. Website:

a. General Login: Lets students view videos, choose topics to practice, and take SAT problems. It also gives data on students and teachers (by region), as well as an analysis for video makers.

b. Student Login: Students sign in and are brought to their home screen. They can choose to review, help others, monitor instructor feedback, or proceed to the next lesson. Proceeding to the next lesson means: watching videos, practicing, and when ready, taking the proficiency assessment. This course is available free to anyone with internet access.

c. Teacher Login: For an annual fee of $20/student, teachers will have access to an online grade book that follows the students whom they have enrolled. The teacher can monitor how much time the students are spending per assignment. The program will flag struggling students, and inform the teacher where each student is and recommends where they should be for the upcoming meeting.