22 December 2008
Blog Re-purposing
Since this blog was created from need and requirement and I have now moved on from those two aspects of my life (I made an A in my technology class) I've decided to not waste this digital repository by re-purposing it. I have some ideas on how to reach more students in my freshman mathematics class so I am going to use this space as a venue for fleshing out ideas and for a reflection space on what happened. If anyone out there in cyberspace has comments or ideas to improve or expand the ideas presented here, please feel free to add comments!
04 December 2008
Learning Theory and Educational Technology
This week starts a new class centered around various theories of learning and how technology fits into existing models along with how models are affected by technology. I hope this class proves to be informative and allows me to develop usable applications for my students.
22 November 2008
Entry 12.2 - Skype
Skype has been used extensively for my technology course as a communication tool. I've used it to communicate with classmates for class material and socially. It's been a great communication tool allowing me to better connect with classmates developing relationships outside the realm of basic discussion questions. It's also proved to be an invaluable tool to discuss assignments to ensure understanding of requirements and concepts.
Skype could be a great way for students to communicate concerns, questions, and misunderstandings. Skype would give students a way to access the instructor outside of class time, especially when they are working on their assignments.
Skype could be a great way for students to communicate concerns, questions, and misunderstandings. Skype would give students a way to access the instructor outside of class time, especially when they are working on their assignments.
Entry 12 - Blogging
Over the past 12 weeks I've been using this blog as a reflection of my course, Computer Technology and Multimedia. This has been a valuable tool to reflect upon the course discussions and as a communication tool.
I see using it in my mathematics class as a venue for reflection and discussion of newly learned concepts. Students not only have a place to reflect upon their learnings but also a vehicle to collaborate on the development and understanding of concepts.
I see using it in my mathematics class as a venue for reflection and discussion of newly learned concepts. Students not only have a place to reflect upon their learnings but also a vehicle to collaborate on the development and understanding of concepts.
16 November 2008
Entry 11 - Gaming in Education
Alexandra Matthews' 12 April 2008 blog entry, "doof.com - integrating gaming with social networks", provides an overview of this particular social gaming site. Social gaming juxtaposes online gaming with social networking sites providing a more interactive form of gaming.
A recent Pew Internet research study shows that almost all teens (97%) play some sort of game. Only a 24% play games completely in isolation demonstrating the need for education to tie into social gaming.
So how do we tie into social gaming to benefit learners; to provide a more pervasive access to education? I think this is an area that educators everywhere need to tap into.
Yes, most of the games are ever consuming voids inhaling moments of free time, but isn't that want we all want, even in the most minuscule way: a moment away from reality and all of the aspects of life we cannot control; a moment to breath.
A recent Pew Internet research study shows that almost all teens (97%) play some sort of game. Only a 24% play games completely in isolation demonstrating the need for education to tie into social gaming.
So how do we tie into social gaming to benefit learners; to provide a more pervasive access to education? I think this is an area that educators everywhere need to tap into.
Yes, most of the games are ever consuming voids inhaling moments of free time, but isn't that want we all want, even in the most minuscule way: a moment away from reality and all of the aspects of life we cannot control; a moment to breath.
Handheld Wireless Data Devices
Here's a 10 minute presentation I created on hand held wireless data devices in the K-12 classroom. Being that this is a vast area with much room for exploration, this video, in order to maintain a reasonable length, introduces these devices, touches on the reasons why educators should be interested in this emerging technology, and provides some information on how they can be used in education.
09 November 2008
Entry 10 - Learning Objects
Like the term "object" from the concept of "object oriented programming", learning objects are "digital entity intended to further the achievement of a specific learning objective" (Harvey 2005). This means any multimedia item, such as a diagram, video, sound clip, animation, or block of text, could be considered a learning object.
Imagine the impact on education if educators had global access to repositories of "learning objects"; hundreds of thousands of small pieces of information which could be strung together to meet the needs of an individual student at the time of need. Suppose you are studying Binomial Theorem in your foundational algebra class. You could type in the topic and related objects would appear allowing you, as the teacher, to quickly construct multimedia lessons. Objects may include:
Now imagine all of these objects available to anyone, world-wide, at any time, at no cost, and that contributions to expand and improve the available body of knowledge could be made globally. Yes, the gain is pervasive beyond the world of education but the benefit to our students may be. Not only would it increase efficiency in teaching but the information contained has the potential be the one piece which sparks interest in a student to become a life long learner. We as educators are no longer islands contained within the bounds of our classroom walls; we must not only reach out to our students but reach out to each other to support learning at a global level.
Brian Harvey's full article on learning objects can be found at http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/227/310
Imagine the impact on education if educators had global access to repositories of "learning objects"; hundreds of thousands of small pieces of information which could be strung together to meet the needs of an individual student at the time of need. Suppose you are studying Binomial Theorem in your foundational algebra class. You could type in the topic and related objects would appear allowing you, as the teacher, to quickly construct multimedia lessons. Objects may include:
- Pictures of Pascal's Triangle from several of it's cultural iterations
- Historical notes
- Presentation slides demonstrating the process of using Pascal's Triangle in order to perform binomial expansion
- Sample problems including solutions
- Pre-made hand outs for student notes
- Animations showing the construction of Pascal's Triangle
- Worksheets for skill practice
- Audio files reviewing the process of creating Pascal's Triangle or the process of binomial expansion
Now imagine all of these objects available to anyone, world-wide, at any time, at no cost, and that contributions to expand and improve the available body of knowledge could be made globally. Yes, the gain is pervasive beyond the world of education but the benefit to our students may be. Not only would it increase efficiency in teaching but the information contained has the potential be the one piece which sparks interest in a student to become a life long learner. We as educators are no longer islands contained within the bounds of our classroom walls; we must not only reach out to our students but reach out to each other to support learning at a global level.
Brian Harvey's full article on learning objects can be found at http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/227/310
02 November 2008
Day 3 - Assessment Summit - ATL
Day three of The Solution Tree's Assessment Summit in Atlanta provided even more compelling evidence and generally applicable methods of reforming assessment to become methods of instruction and learning for both teachers and learners.
Anne Davies provided methods to make students involved in the assessment process including student driven and developed assessments. Once students understand the assessment process and are able to provide positive feedback to others, they develop a deeper understanding of their own metacognition. Honestly I could have listened to her for 8 hours as she was so informative and practical.
Though Dylan Wiliam reinforced what many other presenters provided, he gave a sound discussion on why investing in teacher professional development is critical to the improvement of education. This was a discussion that every superintendent, board member, and principal needed to hear. Again, like Davies, his presentation needed to be longer but done through a workshop fashion instead of a lecture. He presented much information on standards and assessments but I feel we would have benefited more if given the opportunity to participate and experience the processes described.
I was disappointed in one presenter, whom I will not name, as he spoke against several other presenters' works. Not only did he provide no documentation or data to back up his claims but he tastelessly projected their work in his presentation with a giant X over it! This turned me off to the rest of his presentation. If you are going to state that something needs to be changed, present evidence to support your claim. If you are going to state that someone is wrong, defend your position with data - OTHER PEOPLE'S DATA, don't just reference your own writings. In fact, I would say limit references to your own work; it's tacky and gives the perception that you are just there to sell your own books.
Over all The Solution Tree's Assessment Summit in Atlanta, Georgia was excellent. I walked away with volumes of useful information that is not only directly applicable to me as a secondary classroom teacher, but also is information I can put into place immediately. I wish every classroom teacher could attend something of this nature as it reinforces much of what we do and yet demonstrates the paramount nature of change. Much of the information presented can be found in the book Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning by Ainsworth, L., Almeida, L., Davies, A., DuFour, R., Gregg, L., Guskey, T., et al.
Anne Davies provided methods to make students involved in the assessment process including student driven and developed assessments. Once students understand the assessment process and are able to provide positive feedback to others, they develop a deeper understanding of their own metacognition. Honestly I could have listened to her for 8 hours as she was so informative and practical.
Though Dylan Wiliam reinforced what many other presenters provided, he gave a sound discussion on why investing in teacher professional development is critical to the improvement of education. This was a discussion that every superintendent, board member, and principal needed to hear. Again, like Davies, his presentation needed to be longer but done through a workshop fashion instead of a lecture. He presented much information on standards and assessments but I feel we would have benefited more if given the opportunity to participate and experience the processes described.
I was disappointed in one presenter, whom I will not name, as he spoke against several other presenters' works. Not only did he provide no documentation or data to back up his claims but he tastelessly projected their work in his presentation with a giant X over it! This turned me off to the rest of his presentation. If you are going to state that something needs to be changed, present evidence to support your claim. If you are going to state that someone is wrong, defend your position with data - OTHER PEOPLE'S DATA, don't just reference your own writings. In fact, I would say limit references to your own work; it's tacky and gives the perception that you are just there to sell your own books.
Over all The Solution Tree's Assessment Summit in Atlanta, Georgia was excellent. I walked away with volumes of useful information that is not only directly applicable to me as a secondary classroom teacher, but also is information I can put into place immediately. I wish every classroom teacher could attend something of this nature as it reinforces much of what we do and yet demonstrates the paramount nature of change. Much of the information presented can be found in the book Ahead of the curve: The power of assessment to transform teaching and learning by Ainsworth, L., Almeida, L., Davies, A., DuFour, R., Gregg, L., Guskey, T., et al.
Entry 9 - Learning Management Systems
On of the most useful discussions I've found on Learning Management Systems (LMS) is written by Tony Karrer (link). His participation in eLearningGuild's Learning Management System research report provides a good overview of the reaction to products in use at various levels of industry including the educational sector. Being able to graphically see the satisfaction levels of users for various LMS packages gives a good understanding of which products to lean towards when beginning an investigation into these tools. He also provides some background information as to why some of the perceptions may be inflated, such as Moodle being open source, thus cost not being a factor. He also presents information on certain products which provide limited usage, thus being good starter programs but not being final destinations. Thank you to all of those out there that provide well linked and cross linked blogs which provide not only solid information but also provide easy access to more information on topics of interest.
30 October 2008
Day 2 - Assessment Summit - ATL
Today I saw both Doug Reeves and Thomas Guskey speak regarding assessment, both of whom are phenomenal presenters. I'm ready to make changes in the way to give and use assessment in my classroom tomorrow!
Doug Reeves presented some powerful data about the cost effects of keeping the status quo. It costs tax payers $15.4 billion annually from high school dropouts alone. This comes from social programs, health care, and safety concerns. In the state of Georgia alone, 1 year of high school dropouts cost the state $746 million. By lowering the drop out rate in Georgia by 5% the state would realize a savings of $276 million per year (original reference pending).
He noted that change needs to occur at a systemic level immediately - not within a 5 year time span because our students don't have 5 years. He also impressed upon us that we don't need proof of the effectiveness of change, we only need proof that what we are doing is not working. The entire premise of change needs to rest on one factor: student achievement. If we are not doing something that directly effects student achievement, then it should not be done. Of course, he also noted that we may not realize that something is effective right away - some of the gains take time to actualize. This is the whole notion of making a change and actually giving it fair chance to demonstrate it's benefit.
With all of that said, his focus is on the feedback presented from assessment. Feedback needs to be accurate, timely, and effective. Students need correct information quickly to make changes to their behaviors and learning and they need to be able to see results. He presented a great change tracking tool to allow students to see their own gain over time.
Of course, many of his ideas throw out the whole currently accepted notion of grading on a 100 point scale. He piggy backed off of Marzano's presentation using a 0-4 scale with 3 being the benchmark that we expect all students to achieve.
Guskey also presented information on change over time in the methods and use of assessment. He urged everyone to consider granting additional opportunities for demonstrating mastery by using an analogy: getting a drivers license. If you do not successfully pass the test, you are told exactly what you need to work on and are allowed to re-test until you are successful, with no regard to the number of times it took to be successful, only the notion of success. This presents a culture of success and it's importance, as opposed to mastery being contained in a discrete time frame fabricated at the whim of the instructor.
As simple as this notion is, it throws everything out the window from "the way it was done". This means that EVERY student can be an "A" student when they demonstrate "A" mastery/performance. It does not, however, mean that students must master the content by the date of the end of the unit. What a powerful motivator to students who traditionally struggle. This gives students an opportunity to fail, remediate, and demonstrate mastery, earning the same marks as anyone else who masters. This could be the life changing experiences as students would know that they had the opportunity to be an "A" student, as the arbitrary letter only represents mastery of the content not all of the other factors which do not encompass mastery, such as time frame, participation, interaction, etc.\
More information regarding Doug Reeves and his research can be located at www.leadandlearn.com.
Doug Reeves presented some powerful data about the cost effects of keeping the status quo. It costs tax payers $15.4 billion annually from high school dropouts alone. This comes from social programs, health care, and safety concerns. In the state of Georgia alone, 1 year of high school dropouts cost the state $746 million. By lowering the drop out rate in Georgia by 5% the state would realize a savings of $276 million per year (original reference pending).
He noted that change needs to occur at a systemic level immediately - not within a 5 year time span because our students don't have 5 years. He also impressed upon us that we don't need proof of the effectiveness of change, we only need proof that what we are doing is not working. The entire premise of change needs to rest on one factor: student achievement. If we are not doing something that directly effects student achievement, then it should not be done. Of course, he also noted that we may not realize that something is effective right away - some of the gains take time to actualize. This is the whole notion of making a change and actually giving it fair chance to demonstrate it's benefit.
With all of that said, his focus is on the feedback presented from assessment. Feedback needs to be accurate, timely, and effective. Students need correct information quickly to make changes to their behaviors and learning and they need to be able to see results. He presented a great change tracking tool to allow students to see their own gain over time.
Of course, many of his ideas throw out the whole currently accepted notion of grading on a 100 point scale. He piggy backed off of Marzano's presentation using a 0-4 scale with 3 being the benchmark that we expect all students to achieve.
Guskey also presented information on change over time in the methods and use of assessment. He urged everyone to consider granting additional opportunities for demonstrating mastery by using an analogy: getting a drivers license. If you do not successfully pass the test, you are told exactly what you need to work on and are allowed to re-test until you are successful, with no regard to the number of times it took to be successful, only the notion of success. This presents a culture of success and it's importance, as opposed to mastery being contained in a discrete time frame fabricated at the whim of the instructor.
As simple as this notion is, it throws everything out the window from "the way it was done". This means that EVERY student can be an "A" student when they demonstrate "A" mastery/performance. It does not, however, mean that students must master the content by the date of the end of the unit. What a powerful motivator to students who traditionally struggle. This gives students an opportunity to fail, remediate, and demonstrate mastery, earning the same marks as anyone else who masters. This could be the life changing experiences as students would know that they had the opportunity to be an "A" student, as the arbitrary letter only represents mastery of the content not all of the other factors which do not encompass mastery, such as time frame, participation, interaction, etc.\
More information regarding Doug Reeves and his research can be located at www.leadandlearn.com.
Ahead of the Curve Summit - Atlanta
Although it has nothing to do with technology in education, I saw Robert Marzano speak last night at the 2008 Solution Tree Summit - Ahead of the Curve. He presented a solid rationale for moving away from the traditional 100 point scale and provided solid methods to move towards a true rubric scale along with conversions to both letter and percent grades. Several educators expressed how difficult it would be to convert to this new method of grading though with the information Marzano presented, I feel it's a feasible and viable alternative. Marzano presented a simple and easy to apply to a variety of topics rubric and demonstrated how mastery could be tracked in 3 different ways: single assessment, trend over time, and final evaluation.
Today Doug Reeves, Thomas Guskey, and Stephen White are presenting regarding grading, assessments, and the use of data.
Today Doug Reeves, Thomas Guskey, and Stephen White are presenting regarding grading, assessments, and the use of data.
26 October 2008
Entry 8 - Wireless Devices
A major hurdle of wireless devices, such as cell phones, in the K-12 educational sector is district policy. Administration needs to understand the potential of data devices for the classroom, moving away from the view that students will use these inappropriately. Let's face it, many punishable behaviors in a school are not necessarily bad; they are simply misplaced. In the working world, an adult would not be "in trouble" if he or she were texting at their work place. It may be frowned upon as the timing may be bad, but it's generally considered acceptable adult behavior. Perhaps if administration understood the benefits of data devices and saw these outweighing the negatives then cell phone use would be more prevalent.
CTIA - The Wireless Association found that 4 out of 5 teen agers, about 17 million, have cellular devices (http://www.ctia.org/media/press/body.cfm/prid/1774). With the infrastructure already in place, it's an easy connection to make. If we are put off by this technology simply from the fear of misuse, then it is our duty to teach students responsible and acceptable use of these devices.
CTIA - The Wireless Association found that 4 out of 5 teen agers, about 17 million, have cellular devices (http://www.ctia.org/media/press/body.cfm/prid/1774). With the infrastructure already in place, it's an easy connection to make. If we are put off by this technology simply from the fear of misuse, then it is our duty to teach students responsible and acceptable use of these devices.
25 October 2008
Entry 7 - Use of Synchonous Tools
Steve Wexler of The eLearning Guild Research in his 20 June 2007 states:
This brings up a good question as new technologies are emerging, along with the prevalence of Web 2.0 tools. We assume that as time progresses many of the available tools along with emerging technologies will replace the "standard", PowerPoint. Of course, technology is making PowerPoint presentations more accessible via the web. Sites such as authorSTREAM allow one to upload presentations, sync them with audio, and make them more interactive. How long will PowerPoint be the standard for presenting information? Are there tools that will replace the ubiquitous digital presentation tool?
It may be difficult for the educational sector to break away from PowerPoint as the Microsoft Office products are deeply embedded in education. Of course, as long as it proves to be a useful tool, why would we move away from it? If it ain't broke, don't fit it.
The full article can be viewed at: http://www.elearningguild.net/research/?cat=4
PowerPoint presentations to a virtual audience is the MOST frequently used feature, and ranks the highest for Ease of Use within SLS among The eLearning Guild’s members. This will be an interesting data point to watch in the future. 20 years of trainers and educators creating PowerPoint presentations builds quite a large library of content. So, are we delivering the same PowerPoint presentations virtually that we used to deliver in the classroom? Will instructional designers begin to design courses utilizing different tools and modalities leaving out the need for PowerPoint presentations?
This brings up a good question as new technologies are emerging, along with the prevalence of Web 2.0 tools. We assume that as time progresses many of the available tools along with emerging technologies will replace the "standard", PowerPoint. Of course, technology is making PowerPoint presentations more accessible via the web. Sites such as authorSTREAM allow one to upload presentations, sync them with audio, and make them more interactive. How long will PowerPoint be the standard for presenting information? Are there tools that will replace the ubiquitous digital presentation tool?
It may be difficult for the educational sector to break away from PowerPoint as the Microsoft Office products are deeply embedded in education. Of course, as long as it proves to be a useful tool, why would we move away from it? If it ain't broke, don't fit it.
The full article can be viewed at: http://www.elearningguild.net/research/?cat=4
19 October 2008
Entry 4 - Bloggin about wikis
A wiki is a website that allows multiple users to create, add, or modify it's contents. Wikis are an excellent way of creating a collaborative knowledge base for a class or group. Students assist each other gain a better understanding of the material and become more involved in their educational process.
Wikis lend themselves to some awesome group projects. Being a blend of both asynchronous and synchronous collaboration, as wikis allow students to work on a project at the same time or on their own from anywhere in the world.
Jessica Merrit from Smartteaching.org provides some excellent ideas for using wikis in the classroom (link). My biggest hesitation is the lack of control though a course management system such as Moodle would alleviate my issues with accessibility.
My students: Beware - watch for a wiki assignment headed your way!
Wikis lend themselves to some awesome group projects. Being a blend of both asynchronous and synchronous collaboration, as wikis allow students to work on a project at the same time or on their own from anywhere in the world.
Jessica Merrit from Smartteaching.org provides some excellent ideas for using wikis in the classroom (link). My biggest hesitation is the lack of control though a course management system such as Moodle would alleviate my issues with accessibility.
My students: Beware - watch for a wiki assignment headed your way!
Entry 5 - Beware of Sarcasm
I've recently been introduced to a tool called Twitter that allows you to submit information regarding what is occurring at any given moment, either by internet or by text message. This allows you to instantly be more connected to anyone that might care.
Suppose you are watching NCIS as you might find me doing Tuesday nights, 8 PM, CBS. You could instantly let your contacts know that you are enjoying the show or even are frustrated about the incessant election commercials. Now the use is beyond me as my private life is well, PRIVATE. Yes, there is a point to being connected but there is also, in my opinion, a ceiling - obviously mine is a little lower than some. So if you want everyone to know what you are doing, Twitter is for you and thus, you are a Twit. Check out http://www.toprankblog.com/2008/05/five-new-twitter-tools-you-should-know/ to enhance your twitter experience.
Suppose you are watching NCIS as you might find me doing Tuesday nights, 8 PM, CBS. You could instantly let your contacts know that you are enjoying the show or even are frustrated about the incessant election commercials. Now the use is beyond me as my private life is well, PRIVATE. Yes, there is a point to being connected but there is also, in my opinion, a ceiling - obviously mine is a little lower than some. So if you want everyone to know what you are doing, Twitter is for you and thus, you are a Twit. Check out http://www.toprankblog.com/2008/05/five-new-twitter-tools-you-should-know/ to enhance your twitter experience.
Slacker
Yes - I've been a total slacker. Actually, I've been an injured slacker as I ended up in the hospital emergency room back injury. I'm back up and running now though!
29 September 2008
Oops
I promise I'll submit something in the next day or so - I've been SWAMPED and yoverwhelmed with personal and global crisis. Yes - naughty me but I'll be back in a day or two!
21 September 2008
Entry 3 - CBTs vs. WBTs
It's important to note that searching via Google's Blog Search function can lead you to some unexpected results.
Next, locating blogs created by individuals not associated with print media or an organization dealing with Computer Based Training and Web Based Training requires some digging.
http://e-learning-tips.blogspot.com/ provides an overview of many multimedia technologies including WBTs thought the advertisement of their software products. With new hardware and software making video production inexpensive and sites, such as YouTube, making user created video more accessible, Web Based Tutorials will become a more viable option to traditional methods of learning. As more research becomes available regarding the efficacy of mutlimedia education the shift towards integrating this newly accessible technolgy will continue.
Next, locating blogs created by individuals not associated with print media or an organization dealing with Computer Based Training and Web Based Training requires some digging.
http://e-learning-tips.blogspot.com/ provides an overview of many multimedia technologies including WBTs thought the advertisement of their software products. With new hardware and software making video production inexpensive and sites, such as YouTube, making user created video more accessible, Web Based Tutorials will become a more viable option to traditional methods of learning. As more research becomes available regarding the efficacy of mutlimedia education the shift towards integrating this newly accessible technolgy will continue.
14 September 2008
Entry 2 - Blogger.com vs Alessi & Trollip (2001)
According to Alessi & Trollip (2001) there are many general factors which constitute well designed software for learning. The following is an analysis of the structure of this website based on the presented factors.
Blogger.com uses hyperlinks as menus, presenting available tasks both on the left and top frames. Help is available through the top navigation bar of hyperlinks. The help link opens a new window/tab while providing hierarchical navigation to select help topics. User control includes not only the content and format of posted material but also of the space in which the text is presented. Once into an individual blog, menus are presented consistently and provide easy navigation between desired tasks.
Attention is directed through boxing, text size, capitalization, alternative typefacing, and color. Text quality is lean and to the point allowing for easy assimilation of the program. Graphics and images are only placed where necessary and are very limited.
From the basic control and interface standpoint of Alessi & Trollip, Blogger.com contains many of the necessary factors.
Alessi, S. & Trollip, S. (2001). Multimedia for learning: methods and development. 3rd Edition. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Blogger.com uses hyperlinks as menus, presenting available tasks both on the left and top frames. Help is available through the top navigation bar of hyperlinks. The help link opens a new window/tab while providing hierarchical navigation to select help topics. User control includes not only the content and format of posted material but also of the space in which the text is presented. Once into an individual blog, menus are presented consistently and provide easy navigation between desired tasks.
Attention is directed through boxing, text size, capitalization, alternative typefacing, and color. Text quality is lean and to the point allowing for easy assimilation of the program. Graphics and images are only placed where necessary and are very limited.
From the basic control and interface standpoint of Alessi & Trollip, Blogger.com contains many of the necessary factors.
Alessi, S. & Trollip, S. (2001). Multimedia for learning: methods and development. 3rd Edition. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
08 September 2008
GPS
Well - I'm up and running. I just hope that I can keep this up.
Perhaps once the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) are in place and have been used for a while then the tremendous gaps we are seeing in student's mathematics education will decrease. I find it utterly amazing that students can make it to the 9th grade and cannot do simple arithmetic. The expectations of the state also seem unrealistic - students are expected to know and be able to use concepts that they saw once in 7th grade for two days with no review.
Obviously my magic wand is broken; I guess I'll just have to borrow one!
Perhaps once the new Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) are in place and have been used for a while then the tremendous gaps we are seeing in student's mathematics education will decrease. I find it utterly amazing that students can make it to the 9th grade and cannot do simple arithmetic. The expectations of the state also seem unrealistic - students are expected to know and be able to use concepts that they saw once in 7th grade for two days with no review.
Obviously my magic wand is broken; I guess I'll just have to borrow one!
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