Concept to Teach Students Math Using Tablet Computers Considered : It is my contention that all these new high-tech gadgets such as tablet computers and iPads are going to make a big difference in the way we teach. I see an incredible opportunity for math teachers, as it is one of the most difficult subjects to teach, and I guess the best proof of that would be that so many of our kids are deficient in math by the time they graduate high school. Not long ago, I was discussing this with a very nice lady who is a retired schoolteacher from Colorado Springs.
She always taught the top class in mathematics, and she wants the rest of American schools to do as well. It’s not going to be easy especially with the inner-city schools with such high dropout rates, not to mention the language barrier which is tough enough when teaching English, language, and writing. Needless to say, after discussing this with her I mentioned to our think tank that perhaps we should volunteer and assist IARPA-ED which is the United States government’s advanced research project agency for education.
Now then, I did some brainstorming last night
And I looked at all of the technologies that has come out which could be used in our schools. Specifically, for math use, since I am very concerned with the percentage of high school graduating seniors going on to college who are not studying engineering, mathematics, or science. With the fast paced world we live in, and our dream of winning the future in our technological and information age, if we don’t get more students into these subjects and graduating with degrees, we will not be able to run our advanced society and civilization.
Many high schools around the country are now giving tablet computers, and iPads to students. On these devices are the textbooks that they will need, so they don’t have to carry around all of their books, just a little tablet. And Microsoft is also working on a new tablet which is quite interactive, and Google is working on some software called “Doodle” which allows students to take notes. In fact, the competition for this technology is moving right along.
Still, it appears to me that we are not teaching mathematics correctly.
We are making it too difficult and challenging, and intimidating the kids with too many mathematical symbols. We need to simplify this because the human mind doesn’t think like that automatically. What we need to do is make it easy for the students who are looking at the symbols to know what they mean. I believe we can do this with tablet computers.
As the student moves their hand over the symbols and characters it tells them what they stand for. You know how when you’re surfing on the Internet and you move your cursor over something, a little pop-up on the side shows you more information about that item? Well, it would be just like that, and tablet computers are perfect for this, and it would keep the kids working through the equation, and each time the little pop-up reminded them of what the symbol means, it would be just like another imprint on their brain of what that symbol means through rote memorization.
I think it will work and I only ask that you please consider all this.
