Part 1 Introduction
My name is Robin Green, and I am an instructional designer for an EdTech company. I am currently working on adapting Algebra I source content to create interactive, engaging online lessons for our students. I've worked in the EdTech space for over 16 years and taught in small rural schools in Oklahoma for 10 years before that. My goal now is to couple my teaching and EdTech experience with the academic background needed to continue growing in my career.
Outside of my professional life, I'm a mom to 3 adult children in their 20s, and my husband and I just returned from a terrific leaf peeping trip through Vermont and New Hampshire.
Computational Thinker standard 5.b asks students to collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making. Students in a 7th grade math class could meet OAS standard A.2 by using Google Sheets to create a table of values that solve real world time and distance problems. Then, they can use Geogebra to graph the relationships and compare the visual representation to the numerical one. Using the table and the graph together will support students in interpreting the results to decide which student traveled the furthest fastest.
Part 3 Insights
One of the most important objectives of this particular lesson is to interpret the steepness of a graph showing proportional relationships in terms of the context. In previous lessons, students participated in graphing simple proportional relationships, first on graph paper and later using Geogebra. This is the first time that students are being asked to graph multiple lines and compare multiple lines simultaneously.
This technology integration aligns with all three elements of Kolb's Triple E Framework. It engages students in the important work of comparing the graphs while reducing the cognitive load required in the more labor-intensive process of graphing by hand on paper. In this case, the technology is not just a fun tool; rather, it supports students in staying focused on the task of analyzing the mathematical relationship (Kolb, 2017).
Geogebra also enhances learning, providing learning opportunities beyond traditional methods. Students can quickly graph multiple relationships on one graph to build strong connections between the tables they’ve completed and the graphs they’ve created. This technology integration enhances students' understanding of proportional relationships, providing a more sophisticated understanding of this concept (Kolb, 2017).
This lesson also extends student learning to authentic contexts. Kolb’s framework states that effective technology integration allows students to extend their learning to “everyday life experiences” (Kolb, 2017). After using the graphing technology to compare multiple distance/time pairs, students will strengthen their understanding of the relationship between these concepts. This translates, then to multiple contexts, including planning the most efficient route to take when planning a trip.
This technology can also provide a meaningful scaffold for students who need extra time or who struggle with the mathematical concept of representing proportional relationships in a variety of ways and recognizing how the representations are related. While struggling students could technically draw these graphs by hand, the time required to do so will distract from the actual learning goals. The framework mentions that the instructional strategies matter more than the tool itself (Kolb, 2017). This lesson adheres to that concept by allowing students to focus on the comparison of the graphs rather than the mechanical task of creating them.
I enjoyed reading your blog. I teach Anatomy & Physiology and paramedic school. We have a big issue with EdTech when it comes to purchasing simulation equipment. That equipment is very expensive and as instructors we are finding that not only do we need to have knowledge of the subject matter we teach, but we are having to stay ahead of technology so we can purchase the best equipment for our needs. I think your idea of using math to help students solve real world problems. I think it's easier to keep students engaged in the math and sciences subject matter when we connect it to real world problems.
ReplyDeleteHi Robin,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing a clear and thoughtful breakdown of your lesson plan. I really liked how intentional you were in aligning the ISTE Computational Thinker standard with the OAS math standard, especially through the use of tools like Google Sheets and Geogebra. What stood out to me most was how you emphasized that technology isn’t being used just for engagement or novelty, but it's genuinely supporting deeper mathematical understanding and reducing unnecessary cognitive load. That’s such an important distinction, and too often overlooked.
Your focus on helping students compare multiple proportional relationships simultaneously is powerful, especially since this is often the moment where students move from procedural understanding to conceptual understanding. Using Geogebra to visualize the data makes the idea of steepness and speed so much more concrete, and connects math to real-world scenarios like travel, efficiency, and decision-making which aligns with Kolb’s “extend” principle.
I also really liked how you acknowledged students who may struggle. Your point about how graphing by hand is technically possible but not instructionally strategic is spot on as it shows strong awareness of prioritizing the learning goal over the mechanics of the task. Overall, this is a great example of technology being used with purpose, not just for fun, and I think your students will benefit from that clarity.
Robin, you provided a very well-thought out and purposeful lesson concept for an example of integrating technology into OAS standard A.2. I agree that this modality of constructing and analyzing data to illustrate the relationship between change in time versus change in distance can not only be a powerful tool for visual, side-by-side comparisons, but also for strengthening students' understanding regarding how/why one student travels faster than others in the presented scenario. I have found that while students can often correctly predict or determine these outcomes, they cannot articulate the rationale for their determined responses, which in many cases indicates that they don't yet possess a true, deep conceptual understanding. I believe that any time these relationships can be demonstrated through collection and organization of data by the students directly, it reinforces what each piece of data actually represents, thereby attaching greater meaning to what can otherwise seem irrelevant in students' minds.
ReplyDeleteI also really appreciate your note that while these same goals can be accomplished on paper, the time and effort to accomplish that task can detract from the actual learning objectives.