Apply Constructivism and Technology in Mathematics

Presented by Vi Thai

Purpose

• Find the effects of doing hands-on math activities with the use of technology.

• Case study on constructivism in middle school mathematics.

• Had a 6th grade student work on PowerPoint to created math lessons and observe any changes in behavior and/or grades.

What is Constructivism?

• Theory that states learning is the result of doing.

• We construct our own understanding of the world by reflecting on our experiences.

Why constructivism in mathematics?

• Hands-on activities allows for students to build their own working knowledge of ideas and definitions in the math class.

• Math is not a subject known for integrating such hands-on activities with technology.

• Even with the integration of laptops in the middle school, there still was not much talk about how this may be used in the mathematics classroom.

Methodology

• Find a 6th grade “C” math student (“Jim”) who has a desire and motivation to increase his math grade.

• Student will be under the impression that he will use PowerPoint to create a lesson and this lesson will be used to help students who are struggling in math.

• Student also understood that the sessions together may help him with his math skills.

Timeline

• Work with student on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April 1st until April 15th.

• 40-minute study hall.

• Total of five sessions.

Important Note

• Cannot state whether or not any change in Jim’s behavior/grade was a direct result of the activities that he did or because of my working one-on-one with math skills.

• Can only state what I observed and cannot make any generalizations.

Results

• Found that Jim was extremely eager to work with PowerPoint.

• Having Jim work for a purpose (other than for a grade) seemed to increase his desire to perform well and create a product he could be proud of.

• Jim’s teacher was happy to see that he was smiling whenever we worked together.

• Have not heard back from his teacher about any change in math grade.

Excerpt of Jim’s PowerPoint

Math Skills

Multiplying three digits by one digit numbers

968X 2 6

Step1: Multiply the ones.

1 968X 2 6

Step 2: Carry the tens place.(The number carried is over the tens place)

1 968X 2 36

Step 3: Multiply the tens.(don’t forget to add the number carried over!)

11 968X 2 36

Step 4: Carry the hundreds.(The carried number is over the hundreds place.)

11 968X 2 1936

Step 5: multiply the hundreds.(Don’t forget to add the number carried over.)(You don’t need to carry the thousands place value because there aren’t any more digits to put the carried number on top of.

Initial Proposal

Letter to Principal

Letter to Parent

Final paper

PowerPoint by “Jim”