Alycia's+First+Page

** Capitalizing on Emerging Technologies: A Case Study of Classroom Blogging **  ** By: Robyn MacBride and April Lynn Luechmann **


 * MacBride, R., & Luehmann, A. (2007). ** [|Capitalizing on Emerging Technologies: A Case Study of Classroom Blogging]  //** School Science and Mathematics, 108 **//** (5), 173-183. **

In the article, the authors stress the idea of incorporating technology into the classrooms. They address the issue many teachers have, how to use blogs (new technology) in their classrooms effectively. During the study, the authors foung that blogs were used in several different ways all of which were effective and benefitted both the students and the teachers. Then research was performed on Mr. K's 11th grade pre- calculus class. Mr. K used several blogs that the students enjoyed. For example. he used an blog called Sunday Game Post. Althought it was not required for his students, he found that most of them did if for the enjoyment. He notices how his students looked forwards to the blogs and the interaction with their classmates.

He article gave me great ideas on how to incorporate blogs and writing in a math classroom. He used an idea called digital stories. In this blog, his students would create a story that had a math problem within. Each student would reply to the blogs trying to answer the hidden math problem. Throughout the story, the students were allowed to make hints or suggestions as long as they fit with the story. I thought this was a great way for the students to write and be creative. Math is not always a time for creativity so this was a nice twist. For Mr. K’s class, all of the students love using the computer and looked forward t it, but what if your classroom isn’t like that? What are you supposed to do if your students do not have access to a computer at home for homework?

I would definitely use these examples in my classroom. I like the idea of blogs and students being able to help each other when the teacher isn’t around to help. I think the way Mr. K used he blogs was 100% effective. The digital story is definitely one I would use. It would be an activity that is fun for the students while they are still learning. I would also use Sunday’s game post but make it mandatory. I would the question or puzzle is something that would lead us into our next topic or discussion. Overall, I think blogging is very effective.

**Experiencing the Power of Learning** **through Writing**   **By: Kelly McComick** McCormick, Kelly. "Experiencing The Power Of Learning Mathematics Through Writing." Issues In The Undergraduate Mathematics Preparation Of School Teachers 4.(2010): ERIC. Web. 7 Nov. 2012.

As the curriculum is constantly changing, the writing in classrooms is becoming more and more important. However, incorporating writing in classrooms such as math is not always an easy task. This article has focused on the struggles elementary school teachers have when bringing writing into math classrooms. This article explains the struggles future teachers have due to the lack of education on how to incorporate writing into the classroom. This article is from a professor of University of Southern Maine’s perspective.

Using writing in a math classroom is important when trying to strengthen and improve math skills. Incorporating writing into a math classroom can be a difficult task for many reason, the main reason would be the lack of experience using writing as a tool to learn and communicate their understanding of a topic like math. When incorporating writing into the college classroom, Professor McCormick believes that the writing forces her students to explain and master the language and tools of discipline, which are vital skills for teachers. By explaining a topic through writing, it strengthens the knowledge on the topic becoming very beneficial. Writing mathematical explanations is also a powerful way to emphasize the standards, especially the standards about problem solving and reasoning. In professor McCormick’s class all the students are forced to answer a complex mathematical problem through writing. She had developed a goal to strengthen her students writing and mathematics skills in this class. She has provided a foundation for them and one in which will allow them to have the vital skills to be a teacher. She expresses how important peer feedback is through writing and that is one of the things she noticed her students enjoy most. She understands learning is a process and because of that her classroom is based off improvement. She discusses her challenges when trying to incorporate writing and the way her students react and how they handled these problems.

This article was a great article to read. It really opened my own on the amount of work a teacher puts into trying to get their students to write (even college students). I understand that incorporating writing is not an easy task. At the beginning of the semester I was unaware of why a math major would even take the class I’m in now however it has became quite obvious that writing is essential in the math classroom. Writing helps students grow and strengthen their abilities in so many ways.

Alycia 2