Week 9: Social Networking and Community Building Assignment
The following learning activity for High School Math, specifically Calculus, takes advantage of social media and social networking. This project promotes ways in which my
students can interact directly with people outside of the classroom to further their education and understanding of the field of Calculus.
students can interact directly with people outside of the classroom to further their education and understanding of the field of Calculus.
Lesson Title: Real World Calculus Project
Instructor: Marci Smith
Content Area: AP Calculus
Grade Level: 10-12
Lesson Overview: Following the AP Exam, students still have 3 weeks of class before finals and graduation. During this time, I try to incorporate useful but enjoyable projects that we haven't had time for throughout the school year due to the tight time constraints of the class. For this particular project, the students will be asked to research the uses of calculus in everyday life and in a variety of career fields (architecture, engineering, computer science, etc.). They will be placed in groups and asked to collaborate to set up a Skype interview with someone who uses calculus in their work. They will then be expected to reflect on the collaboration experience and what they learned during this process.
Objectives:
Students will develop a deeper appreciation of Calculus as a coherent body of knowledge and as a human accomplishment.
Students will be introduced to the career fields that use Calculus regularly and explore the educational path necessary to pursue these careers.
Students will collaborate in groups to research and organize their presentation.
Students will use a variety of technology resources and social networking websites to complete this project and communicate successfully
Timeline: This project will take 3 weeks to complete. The first 4 block periods will be devoted to research and collaboration while the next 3 periods will be reserved for the Skype interviews and presentations.
Materials Needed:
Teacher computer, projector and internet access in the classroom;
Student access to computer and internet in school and at home;
Web Cam/ Microphone Access
Learning Activities:
1.) Students will be assigned groups and group pages will be created in Edmodo. This will be location that all the collaboration will take place outside of the classroom.
2.) Students will be asked to research real world applications, career fields involving, and/ or interesting uses of Calculus. Students are expected to post at least three unique resources to the Class Wiki Page. These resources can be professional journal articles, blogs, videos, webpages, etc.
3.) Each group will then discuss their individual findings and decide on a focus area for their interview presentation. Students may decide to interview professionals in fields that use Calculus heavily such as engineers, architects, economists or scientists. They may decide to interview college professors or even calculus classes in a different country or state. The main goal is that students connect with someone outside of the classroom that can help them understand the real world uses of the field.
4.) The group will need to decide how and who they should contact for this interview. They may contact someone they know personally or someone they contact via email or social media. Students will be in charge of coordinating a Skype meeting with them during the given class periods reserved for these presentations.
5.) Group members will need to research this career field and prepare themselves for the interview. Each group member will need to contribute at least two significant, professional questions to ask their subject.
6.) Throughout this project, students are expected to record and reflect upon their experience through the use of an edublog. A minimum of 4 posts should be included; one during the research process, one during the set up process, one reflecting on their group's interview, and one reflecting on the other interviews and/ or the project as a whole.
7.) Students will publish the link to their blog on the Class Wiki Page and every student will need to respond to at least 4 other student's blogs that were not in their own group.
Instructor: Marci Smith
Content Area: AP Calculus
Grade Level: 10-12
Lesson Overview: Following the AP Exam, students still have 3 weeks of class before finals and graduation. During this time, I try to incorporate useful but enjoyable projects that we haven't had time for throughout the school year due to the tight time constraints of the class. For this particular project, the students will be asked to research the uses of calculus in everyday life and in a variety of career fields (architecture, engineering, computer science, etc.). They will be placed in groups and asked to collaborate to set up a Skype interview with someone who uses calculus in their work. They will then be expected to reflect on the collaboration experience and what they learned during this process.
Objectives:
Students will develop a deeper appreciation of Calculus as a coherent body of knowledge and as a human accomplishment.
Students will be introduced to the career fields that use Calculus regularly and explore the educational path necessary to pursue these careers.
Students will collaborate in groups to research and organize their presentation.
Students will use a variety of technology resources and social networking websites to complete this project and communicate successfully
Timeline: This project will take 3 weeks to complete. The first 4 block periods will be devoted to research and collaboration while the next 3 periods will be reserved for the Skype interviews and presentations.
Materials Needed:
Teacher computer, projector and internet access in the classroom;
Student access to computer and internet in school and at home;
Web Cam/ Microphone Access
Learning Activities:
1.) Students will be assigned groups and group pages will be created in Edmodo. This will be location that all the collaboration will take place outside of the classroom.
2.) Students will be asked to research real world applications, career fields involving, and/ or interesting uses of Calculus. Students are expected to post at least three unique resources to the Class Wiki Page. These resources can be professional journal articles, blogs, videos, webpages, etc.
3.) Each group will then discuss their individual findings and decide on a focus area for their interview presentation. Students may decide to interview professionals in fields that use Calculus heavily such as engineers, architects, economists or scientists. They may decide to interview college professors or even calculus classes in a different country or state. The main goal is that students connect with someone outside of the classroom that can help them understand the real world uses of the field.
4.) The group will need to decide how and who they should contact for this interview. They may contact someone they know personally or someone they contact via email or social media. Students will be in charge of coordinating a Skype meeting with them during the given class periods reserved for these presentations.
5.) Group members will need to research this career field and prepare themselves for the interview. Each group member will need to contribute at least two significant, professional questions to ask their subject.
6.) Throughout this project, students are expected to record and reflect upon their experience through the use of an edublog. A minimum of 4 posts should be included; one during the research process, one during the set up process, one reflecting on their group's interview, and one reflecting on the other interviews and/ or the project as a whole.
7.) Students will publish the link to their blog on the Class Wiki Page and every student will need to respond to at least 4 other student's blogs that were not in their own group.
AECT Standards achieved: 1.2 Message Design, 1.3 Instructional Strategies, 2.2 Audiovisual Technologies, 2.3 Computer-Based Technologies, 2.4 Integrated
Technologies, 3.1 Media Utilization, 3.2 Diffusion of Innovations
Technologies, 3.1 Media Utilization, 3.2 Diffusion of Innovations