Assignment Four
Creating mathematical web friendly documents
A) Design graphic images to jazz up your web page
Here are some graphic images that I created using Snag-It and TI Connect
B) Create 2 web friendly mathematical documents to be used in your courses.
In the webpage there are many examples of web friendly mathematical documents.
I have also attached a power point presentation and scientific notebook test that I have attempted to link to my webpage.
C) Write a one page paper on how web friendly math documents can enhance a student’s understanding of a math concept.
“I hate math!”, “I have never been good at math and I never will!”, and “Math has never made any sense to me!”. I hear these statements every semester and anything I can do to help students get over these statements, I will do. One way I can help students understand math better is through the use of web friendly mathematics documents. Web friendly mathematics documents can enhance a student’s understanding of a math concepts because a student can visually see what the math concept is explaining, the student can review or take as much time with the material as the student needs to, and the student can access the information from anywhere.
Web friendly math documents can help a student learn the math concept by seeing the math concept in action. If a student is learning about graphing, the instructor can show the student how to graph and give an example or two, but if the student does not understand after that he/she will feel frustrated. If there are more examples on lines for the student to look up he/she has reinforcement on what was learned. If the program on line has the ability to be animated, then the students can see the math concept in action. The students can try changing the equation and actually seeing what the effects are as it happens.
Other way web friendly documents can help a student learn a math concept is by the student can spend as much time as they want on the document to learn the material. One obstacle in teaching is time. The instructor only has so much time to cover a large amount of material. In order to complete the course the instructor must move a brisk pace. If a student needs more time for instruction on a math topic he/she is at a loss. With a web friendly document the student can spend as much time as they want on the material. The student could click back to review or click ahead if they understand. It allows the student to stop and learn where in a lecture the instructor does not have that privilege.
Finally, web friendly documents can help a student understand a math concept better because they access the information at anywhere as long as they have Internet access. If a student wants to study, but forgot his/her book or notes, then the student is at a loss. If there is help on line the student can access the information from virtually anywhere in this day and age. If the student can access the information, then they can learn the concept.
In conclusion, our job as teachers is to help students learn in anyway possible. We are face with many obstacles like time pressures and teaching difficult material in a meaningful way to an audience that is very mixed. Creating web friendly math documents will enhance a students understanding of a math concept through providing visual examples, a place where students can take their time to learn the material, and give them access to the material from virtually anywhere. Teachers have a big mountain to climb, but the more tools and the more advanced the tools are, the better the climb will be.