What's The Back Up Plan?

Think about it, if the H1/N1 outbreak results in school closures students' will lose valuable education time. The job of math teachers will be even harder when the schools re-open because most of the students must catch up. I have recently read a press release from Adaptive technologies an e-learning company. They have pointed out that in case of school closures they have over 240 web based math lessons available.

These lessons may or may not fit in with every teachers lesson plan. However, it's worth thinking about if only on a management level. How will students' math education be continued if there are school closures.

Imagine if a company like Google were to offer a solution. Maybe the new Google Wave could be adapted to fit the needs of schools? Anyway the question remains. What can schools do as a back-up in case they must close in order to avoid spreading H1/N1? Surely some answers can be found in technology.

Usability Report - Brain Power Math

Here is the Usability report on Brain Power Math Beta. It makes interesting reading for teachers who use the beta. Also, it could be helpful for instructional designers and software developers that are undertaking similar projects.

Usability Report - Brain Power Math Beta

Public Schools outperform Private Schools in Math!

A study by a team of University of Illinois education professors shows that public school students out perform private school students in standardized math tests. They attribute the reason for this to two key factors: 1) Certified math teachers and 2) A modern, reform-oriented math curriculum.

You can read the full article that appears in Science Daily here.

Student Tool Quick Start Tips

This post has been taken from "The Student Tool Quick Start Guide".

Opening the Assignment

STEP 1: Open the assignment that you have selected by clicking the “Sit Paper” button.



STEP 2: Select the question you wish to attempt then click the “Answer Question” button.




Step 3: Read the question and then click the “Add Step” button to attempt the solution.



STEP 4: Read the directions given and enter the solution using the input bar and the keyboard.



Using the Input Control

The most important thing that you need to know about using the input control, is that you need to put the focus on the section you wish to control. You do this by highlighting the area in red by using the right arrow key (use the left arrow key to deselect). Here are some examples.

Example 1: In this example we want to enter 10x over 5.

As you can see in the screen shot below, x is highlighted in red and 10 is not.



If we press the divide button and enter the number 5 we see that only the x is divided by 5. This is not what we want.



If we press the Right Arrow Key both the 10 and the x become highlighted in red. This means that the focus of the control is on both elements.



When the divide button is clicked both elements are divided by 5 as shown below.



Example 2: We want to enter the cube root of 8.

Firstly, enter the square root symbol by clicking it on the input bar.



Once you have done this, enter the number 8 as follows.



Press the up arrow key or click to the left side of the square root sign. The following will occur.



Press Backspace



Enter the number 3 into the appropriate box.



How to check your answer

After you have entered an answer you can check if it is correct by clicking the “Check” button. Click the save button to save your answer to that step of the solution.

A Lesson on the Importance of Mathematics

Though the world continues to change, there are many things that stay the same. Most people know that regardless of advances in technology, there are many fundamental components of education that cannot be pushed to the side. Reading is naturally one of these components. Without the ability to read, one cannot move forward and created a better life for themselves.

The same is true of mathematics. Our world is a complex place, and the fundamentals of mathematics are necessary building blocks for the math one must learn further down the road. Math is important for a variety of reasons, a few of which will be explored below.

The Future is Math

Mathematics is everywhere and the importance of having a solid background in math cannot be understated. The information superhighway is held together by complex math equations that keep things running smoothly, efficiently, and effectively. Without math and an in-depth understanding of mathematical principles, the internet would cease to exist.

For anyone that wants to work in a variety of fields, math is the springboard for getting started on the road to success. As our population continues to grow by leaps and bounds, engineering projects will need to take place on a grand scale. Everything from the construction of buildings to the development of new highway systems relies heavily on complex math skills.

Sticky Situations

If our current economic situation has taught us anything, it’s that the ability to make complex computations needs to be honed and developed further. Forecasting economic downturns and subsequent solutions is something that will be studied by economists and mathematicians for years to come.

Young people growing up in today’s world will want to know how to learn from and avoid situations such as the one we now find ourselves in for future generations. Studying complex mathematics is one of the only ways to ensure that we are prepared for what the future has in store.

Collaboration

With the advent of recent technologies, mathematical collaboration is possible on an unprecedented scale. This is a great time to be working in the field of mathematics and as technologies continue to be created, we will see more opportunities for collaboration in the years to come.

Collaboration and learning go hand in hand. With eLearning growing by leaps and bounds, helping young people learn and establish mathematical skills fro afar is now easier than ever before. The world may be changing, but these changes have made learning valuable skills possible through the hard work and dedication of many a mathematician.

This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of online degrees. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com

Latest TIMSS results.

The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) shows that Asian students are still outperforming the rest of the world in math and science.

Download the full report here

The Power of Sharing: Math e-learning

Opening up how teachers share e-learning content is a priority for Brain Power. As a result, it is a fundamental feature in all of our software. The idea behind it is, that teachers know best and that teachers produce the best e-learning content.

Teachers can share their e-learning modules through e-mail, website download, LMS or CD-ROM/memory stick.

Math is the number one issue in education right now. Today's average student has huge difficulty understanding math concepts and doing math calculations. By sharing and customizing self-created e-learning content math teachers can build up a vast library of e-learning resources for their students. These e-learning resources will help students improve at math.

Brain Power's math e-learning software allows teachers to create, share and edit calculation based e-learning modules in math. We have decided to make Brain Power Math free for schools, colleges and universities worldwide.

Short You Tube videos

We have put up some short YouTube videos on Brain Power Math e-learning authoring tool that briefly explain 1) Entering a question and 2) Giving directions and entering a required solution. We will be posting more over the next few weeks:

1) Entering a Question:


2)Giving directions and entering a required solution:

Worded Algebra Problem

We have put up a worded Algebra Problem on our Usage Example page.

You may want to edit the directions given for each step or even use it as a template for your own assignment.

Brain Power Math is all about sharing and creating e-learning assignments so please feel free to share any content you have either created or edited with other teachers.

Teachers should have control

Think about it!

Who knows students better - e-learning software developers or teachers?

We all know that e-learning has the potential to do much better. After all, technology is the language of today's student. However, in most cases e-learning software just doesn't give these students the light-bulb moments needed to succeed in the 21st Century.

Given all the advances in computing, the fact that e-learning has failed to live up to it's billing has been a disappointment. It is clear that e-learning technology must check it's ego and realize that it is not the one stop shop answer to poor performing students. It must realize that it is simply a tool for teachers to use. Basically, in today's classroom e-learning technology should be regarded like the modern backboard and chalk - a tool that helps teachers teach.

So how does all that help students get better math grades?

Well an e-learning application that allows teachers to create customized e-learning assignments that are synced to classroom learning along with the students' class notes and textbooks would hel students greatly.

Most teachers know their students really well. They know the strengths and weaknesses of each student. It is for this reason that e-learning content created by a teacher is much more valuable than prescribed generic content that most e-learning packages provide.