Course: MTH 595AZ - Algebra and Middle School Mathematics Curriculum Development with TI-Nspire Technology Course credit: 3 (3-0) Term: Instructor: Dr. Denny St. John Office: 134C Pearce Hall Phone: (989) 774-2554 Email: stjoh1d@cmich.edu Meeting Dates: Online and/or by appointment Objectives: At the end of MTH 595AZ you will be able to: Demonstrate your knowledge of the functionality of the TI-Nspire family of graphing calculators and software to solve mathematics problems. Use the functionality of TI-Nspire Teacher software to capture screen images for use in documents and to transfer documents between the computer and calculator. Use the functionality of video capture software to create and post video documents for students and peers. Examine, discuss, critique and suggest modifications to improve activities for use in a middle school mathematics classroom. Provide a solution of a select problem with multiple approaches using a variety of linked dynamic representations. Modify your solution into a teaching activity to improve students achievement in a middle school mathematics classroom. Create mathematics activities for secondary students using the ideas, skills and strategies found in the readings, online discussions and activities for this course. Integrate screen images, video, audio, TI-Nspire documents and Publish- View documents into your teaching activity. Participate in online class discussions and meetings. Submit assigned documents. Required Textbooks and Materials Using Formative Assessment to Differentiate Mathematics Instruction, Grades 4-10: Seven Practices to Maximize Learning by Leslie Laud (ISBN 978-1-4129-9524-5) Some of the assignments refer documents available online and materials from your TI-Nspire workshop. You will also be required to install Jing (or other similar video capture software) and TI-Nspire Teacher software on your computer. You may need to purchase a microphone for your computer to capture your audio.
Course Policies and Procedures In order to be a successful in this course you will need to be careful to manage your time to keep on schedule. This requires motivation from within. Fortunately, you may complete most of this class at any hour between the start and completion of the course timeframe. Learning can take place when you communicate with others. Please remember that others will learn from you when you participate fully. Work hard to keep in touch with me and other students taking this course. When you have questions, please feel free to use email me or use the discussion board to contact your classmates. Software Installation and Use: This course requires that you have installed the TI-Nspire software and Jing. You need a fast Internet connection and administrator rights to the computer you use. Also, you must be able to upload and download TI-Nspire files, pdf documents, Microsoft Word documents and Flash (.swf) documents. Syllabus quiz: This quiz will provide feedback to me about your understanding of the syllabus and the class. The Syllabus Quiz is designed to give you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the course materials and the syllabus. This is due at the end of the first week. Surveys: Two surveys are included to let me know what you think about your progress and issues related to this course. The Feedback survey is due at the end of the third week and the final survey is due at the end of the last week. CMU E-mail: It is very important that you access your Central Michigan University (cmich.edu) e-mail often, at least once a week because all the email messages sent from this class go to your cmich.edu account. Visit http://www.csv.cmich.edu and click on My E-mail Login to read your e-mail. Responding to email: I will check my email daily. I will respond to course related questions within 24 48 hours. If I find those questions relevant and important to others, I will post them on the Announcement page. I highly recommend you to read check your CMU email at least three to five times each week. Announcements: I highly recommend you to check and read Announcements three to five times each week. All of the important information, reminders, updates, questions and answers, etc. are posted there because this is the first page when you log into the class. If you happen to miss any days, please click tabs "View Last 7 days" or "View Last 30 days" to get yourself caught up with what has been going on with the class.
Required discussion responses: There are discussion items posted under the Discussion Board button worth 4 points each. You are required to respond to either my posting or your classmate's. Remember, your discussion postings are seen by everyone in the class, so please respect each other and take this opportunity to learn from each other. Discussion postings will be evaluated with the rubric in Week 1 folder. Assignment file formats: Please refer to every week's assignment instruction on assignment file formats. Submitting assignments: There are eight weeks for MTH 595AZ. Your assignments should be turned in via the assignment hyperlink in each of the weekly folder. Due dates of each assignment is posted within the assignment and also on the Schedule page under the Course Material link. Deadlines: Odd things happen in cyberspace submissions get lost, servers disconnect temporarily, and logins fail. Do not wait for the last minute to do your work. Allow time to meet deadlines. You are responsible for getting the work submitted on time. Late Work: Each week's work must be completed by 11:50 PM EST or EDT on Sunday of the following week (You have about two weeks to complete assignments. I do hope this gives you plenty of time.). Late work will receive 20% deduction from the earned credit. Feedback on your assignment submission: Please check feedback on the graded assignments in the grade book by clicking the hyperlinked score. If you have any difficulty finding comments, please read instructions under the Tutorial link. Check your grades: I will post your grades on discussion responses, chat participation, assignments, etc. as soon as I can. If you find any errors or missing scores in your grade book, please feel free to email me. Assignments: You must complete the Discussion Board postings, the syllabus quiz, the feedback survey and the End-of-course-survey and three video reviews. Also, you will solve four Middle Grades math problems in order to demonstrate your capabilities with the TI-Nspire software. Finally, there are three other assignments for this class. These other assignments are each worth while each Jing review is worth 10 points. Evaluation and grading: Final Grades for this class will be based on your performance in discussion postings, syllabus quiz, two surveys, problem-solving and activity assignments. They are listed below. Activity 1 (Three parts Weeks 1, 2 & 3) Activity 2 (Two parts Weeks 4 & 5)
Activity 3 (Three parts Weeks 6, 7 & 8) TI-Nspire Middle Grades Math Problems (Weeks 1 4) Short Jing Reviews (Weeks 4 6) Discussion Postings (Weeks 1 7) Syllabus Quiz (Week 1) Feedback Survey (Week 3) End of Course Survey (Week 8) Total 40 points 28 points 4 points 4 points 4 points 200 points Grading Scale: Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percent. 95 100% A 90 94% A- 87 89% B+ 83 86% B 80 82% B- 77 79% C+ 73 76% C 70 72% C- 67 69% D+ 63 66% D 60 62% D- 0 60% E E Course Outline Week 1 Begin Activity 1 Complete Reading Assignment 1 Examine and use the TMP rubric to critique How does a spring scale work (Part 1 of Activity 1) Select and solve a Middle Grades Number and Operation problem, then create and upload a TI-Nspire document with this solution. (Problem 1 with TI-Nspire solution and document) Introduce yourself to others using the Discussion Board* Take Syllabus Quiz Week 2 Continue Activity 1 Complete Reading Assignment 2 Use the TMP rubric to for What s right about triangles (Part 2 of Activity 1) Select and solve a Middle Grades Geometry/Measurement problem, then create and upload a TI-Nspire document with this solution. (Problem 2 with TI-Nspire solution and document) Download, install and test your use of Jing Respond to activity discussion postings Week 3 Complete Activity 1 Complete Reading Assignment 3 Use the TMP rubric for your choice of published online TI-Nspire activity. (Part 3 of Activity 1) Select and solve a Middle Grades Algebra problem, then create and upload a TI-Nspire document with this solution. (Problem 3 with TI-Nspire solution and document) Respond to activity discussion postings Complete the Feedback Survey
Week 4 Begin Activity 2 Complete Reading Assignment 4 Select and solve a Middle Grades Probability/Statistics problem, then create and upload a TI-Nspire document with this solution. (Problem 2 with TI-Nspire Solution) Select and solve a problem from the suggestions provided via Blackboard in consultation with the course instructor. (Part 1 of Activity 2) Respond to activity discussion postings Week 5 Complete Activity 2 Complete Reading Assignment 5 Submit your multi-representational solution to the selected problem (Final portion of Activity 2) Create, narrate and post a short (less than five minutes) Jing review for your selected Nspire activity from Week 3 (Jing Review 1) Respond to activity discussion postings Week 6 Begin Activity 3 Complete Reading Assignment 6 Modify and post a draft version of your activity (Part 1 of Activity 3) Create, narrate and post a short (less than five minutes) Jing review for your selected Nspire activity from Week 3 (Jing Review 1) Respond to activity discussion postings Week 7 Continue Activity 3 Complete Reading Assignment 7 Provide feedback for select members of the class (Part 2 of Activity 3) Create and post a short Jing review for a TI-Nspire activity (Jing Review 3) Respond to activity discussion postings Week 8 Complete Activity 3 Complete Reading Assignment 8 Use feedback, readings and discussion to modify then publish your activity (Part 3 of Activity 3)* Complete the End-Of-Course Survey* *The official end of course is determined by each course schedule. ADA Statement CMU provides students with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in educational programs, activities, or services. Students with disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet course requirements should contact the instructor as early as possible.
Academic Integrity Statement Written or other work submitted by each student in this course, shall be the product of his/her own efforts. Plagiarism, cheating, and all other forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited. Student expected to adhere to the ethical and professional standards associated with their programs and academic courses. Copies of the Policy on Academic Integrity may be accessed at http://www.cmich.edu Bibliography: Burke, M. J., & Hodgson, T. R. (2007). Using Technology to Optimize and Generalize: The Least-Squares Line. Mathematics Teacher. 101(2), 102-107. Gage, J. (1999). Shifts in confidence: The graphic calculator as a space in which to do mathematics. Micromath, 15 (2), 13-17. Garner, S. (2004). The CAS Classroom. Australian Senior Mathematics Journal. 18(2), 28-42. Hollar, J. C., & Norwood, K. (1999). The effects of graphing-approach intermediate algebra curriculum on students' understanding of function. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 30, 220-226. Heid, M. K., Hollebrands, K. F., & Iseri, L. W. (2002). Reasoning and Justification, with Examples from Technological Environments. Mathematics Teacher. 95(3), 210-16. Keller, B. A., & Hirsch, C. R. (1998). Student preferences for representations of functions. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 29, 1-17. Lapp, D. A., & St. John, D. (2009). Dynamically Connected Representations: A Powerful Tool for the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics. International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education. 16(1), 37-44. Merriweather, M., & Tharp, M. L. (1999). The effect of instruction with graphing calculators on general mathematics students naturalistically solving algebraic problems. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 18 (1), 7-22. Ozgun-Koca, S. A. (2010). Prospective Teachers' Views on the Use of Calculators with Computer Algebra System in Algebra Instruction. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education. 13(1), 49-71.
Schmidt, K. (2010). Mathematics Education with a Handheld CAS--The Students' Perspective. International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education. 17(2), 105-110. Schultz, J. E., & Waters, M. S. (2000). Why Representations? Mathematics Teacher. 93(6), 448-53. Testone, S. (1998). Determining the appropriate use of graphing calculators in elementary algebra. Research and Teaching in Developmental Education, 14 (2), 87-89. Zbiek, R. M. (1998). Prospective teachers' use of computing tools to develop and evaluate functions as mathematical models. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 29, 184-201.