Daniel Scher, Ph.D., is a senior academic designer at McGraw-Hill Education. He has co-directed two NSF-funded projects: the Dynamic Number project and the Forging Connections project.
Several weeks ago, Dan Meyer described his experience of completing 88 practice sets in Khan Academy's eighth-grade online mathematics course. His goal was to document the types of evidence the Khan Academy asked students to produce of their mathematical understanding. Dan's findings were disappointing: He concludes that 74% of the Khan Academy's eighth-grade questions were either multiple choice or required nothing more … Continue Reading ››
This week, I'm going to describe one of my favorite activities for introducing young learners to multiplication and factors. It comes from Nathalie Sinclair, a professor of mathematics education at Simon Fraser University. In the interactive Web Sketchpad model below (and here), press Jump Along to watch the … Continue Reading ››
Michael de Villiers teaches courses in mathematics and mathematics education at University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. His website features a wealth of Dynamic Geometry-related books, articles, and sketches. He is the author of the Sketchpad activity module Rethinking Proof with The … Continue Reading ››
The 17th-century Dutch mathematician Frans van Schooten developed "hands-on manipulatives" centuries before the term became popular in math education circles. Below are two images of ellipse-drawing linkages from van Schooten's manuscript, Sive de Organica Conicarum Sectionum in Plano Descriptione, Tractatus (A Treatise on Devices for Drawing Conic Sections). Continue Reading ››
As readers of this blog can probably tell, I like puzzles. I especially enjoy taking ordinary mathematical topics that might not seem puzzle worthy and finding ways to inject some challenge, excitement, and mystery into them. This week, I set my sights on isosceles triangles. It's common to encounter isosceles triangles as supporting players in geometric proofs, but … Continue Reading ››
When it comes to simultaneous equations, I like to push the bounds of conventional pedagogical wisdom. In an earlier post, I offered a puzzle in which elementary-age students solve for four unknowns given eight equations. Now, I'd like to present a puzzle that might sound even more audacious: Solving for ten unknowns. … Continue Reading ››
The study of multiples and factors is ripe with opportunities to engage students in intriguing mathematical puzzles. In prior posts (When Factoring Gets Personal, and Open the Safe), I've given some examples of what can be done. Now I'd like to introduce you to … Continue Reading ››
We've all seen amazing examples of illusions, but did you know that there is a fertile community of researchers creating new ones? The Best Illusion of the Year contest and website provide a showcase for celebrating illusions. This year's winner for best illusion was created by Christopher D. Blair, Gideon P. … Continue Reading ››
Nathan Dummitt teaches mathematics and statistics at Columbia Preparatory School in New York, NY. He teaches all four years and is interested in sharing low-threshold, high-ceiling activities with his students. — Guest post by Nathan Dummitt I teach Geometry at a high school in New York City, and I like to start the school year … Continue Reading ››
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