Creating Multimedia Lessons for the Middle Grades

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Creating Multimedia Lessons for the Middle Grades

• Judith Preiner, Markus Hohenwarter
• Florida Atlantic University
• Boca Raton, USA

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Overview

• Standards Mapped Graduate Education and Mentoring
• General Information
• Math and Science Partnership Institutes
• Multimedia Lessons
• Effective Use of Technology
• Creation Process of Multimedia Lessons
• Examples for Multimedia Lessons

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The SMGEM Project

• Standards Mapped Graduate Education and Mentoring
  
• For Middle School Mathematics Teachers
• NSF Math and Science Partnership (MSP)
• Florida Atlantic UniversityDepartment of
  Mathematical Sciences
• School Board of Broward County
• Master of Science in Teaching degree in Middle
  School Mathematics

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The SMGEM Project

• Standards Mapped Graduate Education and Mentoring
  
• Funded by the National Science Foundation
• Original award August 2004 for 5 years
• Supplements August 2006 and May 2007
• Grant based on 10 years of prior NSF funding for
  FAU / SBBC teacher enhancement projects
• Principal Investigators
• Dr. Heinz-Otto Peitgen (PI)
• Dr. Richard F. Voss (Co-PI)

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The SMGEM Project

• Standards Mapped Graduate Education and Mentoring
• Specially designed evening classes
• Summer Institutes
• Biannual Pedagogy Conferences
• Goals
• Increase mathematical and pedagogical content
  knowledge
• Effective use of technology for learning and
  teaching mathematics
• Impact on university, school district, and
  students

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MSP Institute Components

• Master of Science in Teaching
• Track for Middle Grades Mathematics
• Through the FAU Department of Mathematical
  Sciences
• Fewer math prerequisites but more school
  relevant courses
• Emphasize technology
• Connections across disciplines
• Journals and lesson plans
• Focus on Sunshine State Standards

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MSP Philosophy

• Awareness of standards and classroom realities
• Extend and enhance
• Content knowledge
• Teaching strategies
• Teachers teaching teachers
• Teacher leaders
• Best practice examples
• Emphasis on journals, narrative, and lesson plans
  rather than traditional homework and exams

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MSP Philosophy

• Discovery (active) learning
• Web of connectivity
• multiple paths through traditional disciplines
• Multiple representations
• algebraic, geometric, numeric, and narrative
• Use of technology

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Creating and Implementing Multimedia Lessons
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Effective Use of Technology?

• Selective use of software for teaching and
  learning
• When does it make sense to use software?
• Which contents should rather be taught in a
  traditional way?
• Which type of software is appropriate for which
  content?
• Best practice examples from lead teachers
• How do I use software efficiently in my
  classroom?
• Exchange of real world experiences using
  technology in a classroom

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Design Principles for Multimedia

• Multimedia Principle Use words and graphics
  rather than words alone
• Contiguity Principle Place corresponding words
  and graphics near each other
• Coherence Principle Adding interesting material
  can hurt learning
• Personalization Principle Use conversational
  style and virtual coaches
• Learner Control Principle Use learner control
  for learners with high prior knowledge or high
  meta-cognitive skills
• Source Clark, R. Mayer, R.E. e-Learning and
  the Science of Instruction. San Francisco
  Pfeiffer, 2002.

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Technology Tools

• GeoGebra Dynamic Mathematics Software
• Excel spreadsheets
• PowerPoint presentations
• Word text processing
• NVU html-editor
• HotPotatoes tests and quizzes

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Design Guidelines

• General layout
• All contents (text construction) should fit on
  one screen
• Students should not have to scroll between the
  task explanations and the construction
• Take 1024x768 pixel or 1280x1024 pixel as the
  usual screen sizeTip use tables in NVU to
  achieve this
• Example by B. Perez Area of a Rhombus

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Design Guidelines

• Dynamic construction
• Allow as much dynamic variation as possible!
• The size of the applet matters! It should be
• big enough to allow discoveries
• small enough to fit on screen and to leave
  space for explanations and tasks
• Fix texts and slider positions
• When a worksheet is opened you should be able to
  read all labels
• Example by G. Barmoha Rotated Point Practice

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Design Guidelines

• Text
• Use as little text as possible - every word
  counts!
• Convention
• On top of the construction
• Short explanation of what this page is about
• Short description of the dynamic construction
• Below the construction
• Tasks and assignments
• Instructions like "move point A" are part of the
  tasks
• Example by M. Yanes Adding Integers on the Real
  Number Line

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Design Guidelines

• Tasks and Assignments
• Limited number of questions on one worksheet
• If a worksheet is just for presentation by a
  teacher
• it might be better to have no tasks or questions
  on it
• if you have text there it has to be clear for
  students
• Solutions or information for other teachers
• Should not be part of the worksheet
• Add an additional document that describes your
  ideas

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Design Guidelines

• Guidelines for tasks / assignments
• Make clear what the students should do
• Avoid questions like "What is always true?
• Explain new terms (e.g. "congruent") by giving
  examples related to the construction
• Should the answer to a question be written down
  on paper? If yes, say so on the worksheet or at
  least in accompanying material (e.g. lesson plan)

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Multimedia LessonsExample by J. Carter

• Area of Circles and Probability
• 8th Grade, Pre-Algebra
• Objectives of the lesson
• Finding the area of circles and complex figures.
• Describing how the radius of a circle affects it
  area.
• Calculating the probability of a simple event.
• Using technology as a tool to solve a problem.
• Instructional materials
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Dynamic Worksheets

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Multimedia LessonsExample by N. Perez

• Adding Fractions
• 7th Grade, Regular Math
• Objectives of the lesson
• Converting fractions to equivalent fractions with
  a common denominator
• Adding fractions with a common denominator
• Simplifying fractions to mixed numbers
• Instructional Materials
• PowerPoint presentation
• Excel spreadsheet

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Multimedia Lessonby B. Walker

• History of Pythagorean Theorem
• 7th Grade, Intensive Math
• Objectives of the lesson
• Become familiar with the history of Pythagorean
  Theorem
• Having a better knowledge of Pythagoras
• Becoming familiar with the Pythagorean Theorem
• Instructional Materials
• PowerPoint presentation
• Sequence of HotPotatoes files
• Quiz
• Gap-close exercise

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Multimedia LessonsExample by B. Perez

• Area of Trapezoids, Rhombuses, and Kites
• 8th Grade, Geometry
• Objectives of the lesson
• Deriving the formulas for area of a trapezoid, a
  kite, and a rhombus.
• Using the formula for the area of a trapezoid /
  kite to solve problems.
• Instructional Materials
• Series of Dynamic Worksheetse.g. Area of a
  Trapezoid

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GeoGebra _at_ CADGME

• GeoGebra in
• Secondary School Teaching
• Workshop by Markus Hohenwarter
• Thursday, 1430 1600
• Room 244

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Thanks for your attention!

• Judith Preiner, jpreiner_at_math.fau.edu
• Markus Hohenwarter, mhohen_at_math.fau.edu
• Florida Atlantic University