Category Archives: Common Core

Common Core, Educational Technology, Math Software, Professional Development, Real-World Math

Binomial Multiplication and Concreteness Fading

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I was delighted that Daniel recently posted our Binomial Multiplication sketches in Web Sketchpad format. I thought about those sketches when I noticed a fairly new myNCTM thread on "When and How do we phase out the body in math education?" This thread raises a very important question for us as … Continue Reading ››
Assessment, Common Core, Educational Technology, Math Software

Innovative Approaches to Computer-Based Assessment, Part Two

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In my previous post, I shared Dan Meyer's analysis of what's wrong with computer-based mathematics assessments. Dan focuses his critique on the Khan Academy's eighth-grade online mathematics course, identifying 74% of its assessment questions as focusing on numerical answers or multiple-choice items. This is … Continue Reading ››
Assessment, Common Core, Educational Technology, Math Software

Can Computer-Based Assessment Model Worthwhile Mathematics?

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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 ››
Advanced Mathematics, Common Core, Math Software

Iteration in the Complex Plane

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The cover story of the April 2014 issue of Mathematics Teacher is on "Iteration in the Complex Plane", by Robin S. O'Dell. It sounds like pretty advanced mathematics, but is surprisingly accessible with The Geometer's Sketchpad. It's all based on the surprising principle that you can multiply two complex numbers very easily if … Continue Reading ››
Common Core, Educational Technology, Math Software

Discovery by Dragging

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A few days ago I led a webinar on the Common Core and Sketchpad for Sketchpad beginners, and I showed four Sketchpad activities aligned with both the Content Standards and the Standards for Mathematical Practice. I mixed it up a bit … Continue Reading ››
Common Core, Educational Technology, Math Software, Uncategorized

What Does Rowing Have to Do with Teaching Mathematics?

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DSC_5782
Harry congratulates a rower after sweeping Yale for his last time.
Harry Parker died this summer, two weeks after coaching the Harvard rowing team to yet another sweep of all four races (varsity, JV, freshmen, and spares) against Yale and two days after accompanying his 1980 Olympic … Continue Reading ››