Kate Ropchan's
ePortfolio
My voyage to Master of Educational Technology
Water
Water and mathematics are similar -- they are both all around us and using them to their fullest extent is a vital skill. Becoming proficient with mathematics is like learning to swim yet many people are afraid of the water due to a lack of experience swimming. The issue of mathophobia was examined in ETEC 510 when discussing Papert’s (1980) book ‘Mindstorms’. I also looked at the importance of math skills in ETEC 512 when discussing neurological evidence for learning. Finally, games can make learning fun, especially for a topic like math. I used to be a swim instructor, and we would often play games as a class to increase student engagement. In ETEC 511, I wrote an essay about math games for learning that I will reflect upon here.
Artifact: Mindstorms Discussion Post
In ETEC 510, I was provided with the opportunity to read Seymour Papert's (1980) book, Mindstorms. There were many topics in it that resonated with me as a Science, Mathematics, and Psychology teacher. In particular, the concept of "mathophobia" stood out to me as it is something that I have witnessed in my own classes. Mathematics anxiety has been defined as feelings of tension and anxiety that interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematical problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations (Tobias, 1993).
As Papert states, “the mathophobia endemic in contemporary culture blocks many people from learning anything they recognize as “math,” although they may have no trouble with mathematical knowledge they do not perceive as such” (1980, p. 8).
Mathematics anxiety can be easily passed on from parent to child, as "children who prove recalcitrant to math and science education include many whose environments happened to be relatively poor in math-speaking adults” (Papert, 1980, p. 9). When children come to school lacking elements necessary for the easy learning of math, classroom environments have been unable to make up the difference. By "forcing the children into learning situations doomed in advance, it generates powerful negative feelings about mathematics and perhaps about learning in general" (Papert, 1980, p. 9). This becomes a vicious self-perpetuating cycle, for these children will one day become parents that will "almost certainly infect their children with the opposing and intellectually destructive germs of mathophobia” (Papert, 1980, p. 9). On the other hand, students whose parents enjoy and understand math, or at least make an effort to expose their children to math concepts at an early age, tend to show greater math success down the road. This is similar to how students that are read to and taught their ABC’s before formal schooling tend to do better at reading and writing when they get to school.
My goal as a Math 8 teacher is to try to break the cycle of "mathophobia". Because I want my students to love math (or at least be friends with it), I try to make math both fun and achievable. Technology use plays a role by creating engaging learning environments where students are provided with scaffolding and detailed, instantaneous feedback to use for improvement.
Artifact: Neurological Evidence for Math Learning Discussion Post
In ETEC 512, I looked at the brain-based research concerning student proficiency with arithmetic skills. I chose to include this discussion post in my ePortfolio because I have noticed math drills getting a bad reputation in the education community. I believe, however, that drill and skill have an important place in education, particularly in the primary years where basics of learning are built. Current research supports the use of drills in order to make students more proficient with basic mathematical equations (Price, Mazzoco, & Ansari, 2013; Zamarian, Ischebeck, & Delazer, 2009).
It is important to note that conceptual problem-solving strategies must also be explored to teach students how to think mathematically. I am finding that, as in everything in life, learning requires a balance. Math teachers should neither cut drill and skill from the classroom nor go overboard with it. Students need to be provided with an opportunity to practice the skills that they are learning while engaging in authentic problem-solving scenarios.
Artifact: Math Games for Learning Essay
Can computer-based arithmetic games be used to motivate students and increase academic achievement in a math class? In ETEC 511, I investigated this topic, concluding that gamification does have the potential to motivate math students and enhance learning. This is an important realization because one of my primary objectives as a math instructor is to make mathematics education fun. As a result, I have incorporated the use of computer games into my math 8 class, providing an exciting approach to learning math while also personalizing the learner experience. I am always eager to discover new math games online, and in the future I would be interested in learning how to create my own math games, or eventually even provide students with the opportunity to engage in math game creation.
