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iPads in the Classroom

This year I set out to determine if regular use to new technology would increase interest, engagement and achievement in math... I think it does!

The pages that follow will take you through my journey, and that of my students.

Any questions?

Email Me!

Our Favourite Apps and How We Used Them

Follow the links to see more!


Google Drive

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- Picking up files
- Sharing work
- Collaboration and Peer Review
- Our "jumping off point"

Sketchpad Explorer

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Investigating and Discovering
    - Geometric Relationships
    - Optimization
    - Linear Relations
    - Measurement

Desmos

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- Investigating and Discovering
- Checking solutions
- "Solving" equations

Paperport Notes

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- Daily lessons and note taking

*Students can access their course notes wherever they are!

Google Chrome

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- Access to course website
- Online activities and investigations
- Real-life Research
- Online Scavenger Hunts


YouTube

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Making myself "rewindable"
- Lessons
- Supplemental examples
- GilbertMath YouTube channel
- Using Microsoft Excel
- Using the TI-83s
- Teaching while absent

*Students can learn and work at their own pace and re-watch lessons whenever they want!

XC Collaboration

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- Anonymous student voice
- Classroom collaboration
- Student input

MyScript Calculator

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- Factor finding
- "Organic" calculations

Skitch

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- Creating and sharing diagrams
- Image and diagram annotation
- Peer and teacher feedback

Here's what the students had to say...

I asked: 
Please tell me anything that you liked about the iPads or ways in which you found them helpful.

They answered:
*All blue quotes are from my Grade 11 students. The Grade 11s used the iPads daily to access lesson files, take notes, save progress and share their work.*


I found them helpful because we had a lot of fun which made it a lot easier to remember.


It was easy to understand and pull up files instead of having to search through binders with half of the pages missing



I enjoyed when we learnt about how the Graphing Calculators work by watching the videos on the iPads and how to run linear regressions etc. It helped us learn by ourselves, and prepare us for college/university when we won't be able to get help.



It was something new. It was interesting and fun.


I like how it helped show visual representations of the problems we were looking at. It was extremely helpful!

It didn't make you feel like you were doing math. It was easy to take notes.


I thought it was good to be able to see shapes when you manipulated them. It made it easier to grasp the rules (e.g. The radius of an optimal cylinder is 1/2 of its height)



I liked them for taking notes because you had easy access to the Google drive. Also having access to the internet helped with finding things I missed or forgot.


I found the iPads to be helpful because it allowed people to voice their opinion or what they think the answer is without everyone else in the class knowing who answered it.



You can go back to saved work to help you remember.


I liked the investigations that we did and found them very useful to better understand where formulas and concepts of the math we are learning comes from.


I just liked the fact that you had the lessons online so you could heck them over if you need to.



I liked that it gave a more hands on approach to math and i could actually see how things changed to make sense with different units,



They helped me just because it was the same as what you had so I can easily follow along with what you had to teach us.


Using them to understand concept before the teacher explained so I found it for myself

I liked the fact that we could use the internet if we needed to and that all of our work is saved into files.



The investigations were interesting and were helpful in understanding the concept and seeing it work as well. We could also figure it out our self rather than being directly taught.

Here's what the data says...

I surveyed the students on Day 1 of the course, and again at the end of May.
Survey says...

The iPads were a good addition to the class!

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76% of students think that the iPads were a good addition to the classroom.

Having easy access to the internet via the iPads was helpful!

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80% of students found the internet access afforded by the iPads was helpful to our course.


We can learn math by watching instructional videos!

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57% of students now think that they can learn a math concept by watching an instructional video.
*Up 16%*

The iPads help us understand the material better!

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60% of students think the iPads help students understand the material.
*Up 16%*


Investigations are a good way for us to learn math!

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80% of students think investigations are a good way to learn math.
*Up 23%*

We enjoy learning mathematics by investigation!

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24% of students Strongly Agree with the statement "I enjoy learning new mathematical concepts through investigations"
*Up 15%*


Using technology helps us understand mathematics!

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58% of students claim that technology helps them understand math.
*Up 15%*

Using the iPads doesn't distract us from learning!

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83% of students say that the iPads don't distract them from learning.
*Up 47%*

Copyright © 2016 | David Gilbert
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