Elizabeth+Haynes

Hi, my name is Courtland Haynes. I am a secondary math education major at Clemson University. __My Beliefs on Technological Aids in Teaching Mathematics__Technology is critical for teachers in the mathematics field. Technology can aid students' learning, open the doors for exploration, and make math more interesting. While I was in high school, most of my teachers did not use technology in the classroom. We used calculators and overhead projectors, but that was the extent of the technology used.

__My Experiences Using Technology__While at Clemson, I have become more familiar with different types of technology that math teachers can use in the classroom. I learned a lot about Casio Graphing Calculators, and I learned a little bit about programs on SmartBoard. I have some experience using Geometers Sketchpad and think it is a great way to engage students.

__Online Assessment Tools__media type="custom" key="10374518"[|VOTE!] Poll Everywhere is a great way to incorporate technology into the classroom. It is also an easy way for teachers to assess their students. However, using a poll like this may not be realistic. Poll Everywhere only allows students to cast votes through their cell phones or computers. Most schools do not allow students to have phones at school, and most schools do not have enough computers available in classrooms for every student.I would love to use Poll Everywhere in my future classroom. Most teachers have students work math problems at some point during class, and this would be a way to make sure all students are participating and understanding concepts. However, I do not know that this would work in my classroom due to cell phone policies and lack of computers. I could use Poll Everywhere if I have class in the computer lab or put up a poll as part of students' homework.

__Web Videos__

[|http://www.mathtv.com/videos_by_topic#]

This link goes to a web video on completing the square. Students who are confused about completing the square could watch this video to learn how to complete the square step by step. This would be particularly helpful for a student who was absent during a lesson. The lessons on this website are boring and dry, but the teachers go at a pace that students can follow. When students leave class, they often forget the things that the teacher taught. This website provides lessons on tons of different mathematical concepts.

__Microsoft Mathematics 4.0__
I think Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 could be extremely beneficial for students, so I would definitely use it in my future classroom. I would use this software in my class to do complex calculations and show my students different graphs of functions. With this software, I could analyze functions and solve equations. Using graphs from this software, students could visualize functions. Instead of wasting time writing out step by step solutions to a problem, I could use Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 and quickly get step by step solutions for students to follow.

I would recommend this software to my students at home. Microsoft Mathematics provides step by step solutions that could be a huge help for students. Not all students have graphing calculators, so if students have internet access this software could be helpful. This software could help students in solving problems and understanding why they got certain solutions.

Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 can show students that mathematics really does make sense. This software can serve as an aid for them so that they do not become frustrated when trying to understand math. This software can bring about more positive views of mathematics.

__ SMART Board Math Tools __
link to SMART Board activity: [|http://exchange.smarttech.com/curriculum/curriculum-list.html?curriculum=enuscurr129&grade=enuscurr129gr013&subject=enuscurr129gr013su010#standard-heading-3]

 Scroll down to Precalclus, go to standard MA.9-12. PC-2.7, click "View Resources", click the Duplicating the Hakata Bridge activity

 Standard: MA.9-12.PC-2.7

 Recognize and use connections among significant points of a function (including roots, maximum points, and minimum points), the graph of a function, and  the algebraic representation of a function.

 The Duplicating the Hakata Bridge activity shows students a real world application of functions. This activity allows students to practice matching an algebraic function with its graph. When doing the activity, students have to consider the domain of each function. The functions in this activity are linear and quadratic.

 This activity is different from a traditional lecture. Unlike a traditional lecture, students get to work on their own instead of listening to a teacher. By doing this, students can practice what they have learned and ask the teacher questions if they are struggling. This activity is also different from Microsoft Mathematics 4.0. Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 does calculations, like a calculator. In the Duplicating the Hakata Bridge activity, students are finding the equations of the functions by hand. After students find the matching functions for the bridge, the teacher could pull up the different functions on Microsoft Mathematics 4.0 to prove to students that they are the same function.

 I think it would be difficult for students to find the matching functions to the graph of the bridge by looking at the graph on the board. Students need the graph in front of them so they can find different coordinates. For this reason, it would be best to display the graph on the SMART Board and print out a copy of the graph for each student. I think that students would initially forget about the different domains of each function. The teacher should remind the class of domains before they start and make a big deal out of them when the class is done.

Geogebra
 I think dynamic mathematics can contribute to students' learning. Students can use this type of software to test hypotheses and come up with conjectures. It is an easy way for students to manipulate different variables and see different ideas and theorems visually. Dynamic software allows students to interact with math. By using dynamic mathematics, students can learn through discovery without having to be taught everything by the teacher.

 Overall, I prefer Geometer's Sketchpad over Geogebra. Although Geogebra is free, Geometer's Sketchpad is easier to figure out and more user friendly. I found the way you have to type in functions and dynamic text into Geogebra confusing. I think that geogebratube could be really useful for students because teachers can create helpful worksheets that students can use from home. Geometer's Sketchpad does not offer anything like this.