I am happy to blog on my favourite topic BLENDED LEARNING in Digital Age for the Top Global Blogger June month post. It is an honour to contribute as a Top Global Blogger, Global Search for Education http://ift.tt/1pr5CEC. Bloggers on this list write for Huffington Post's Education Blog 2017.
There are different types of learners in a classroom. And its digital age wherein children are born with gadgets and softwares. I am teaching Mathematics for past 21 years and has witnessed a drastic shift in ways of delivering content and acquiring learning. At present, there is no escape from using ICT as a component in teaching learning process. To engage all types of learners teachers need to acquire skills of using BLENDED LEARNING model for achieving the desired goals of teaching.
As a teacher I need to design my lesson to cater to needs of students. Students need EXTRA. They have access to online resources. Some of them have already grasped their lessons. So as a teacher, I need to work hard to prepare my lesson and look for strategies to engage them all.
A creative teacher’s mind grows with a mission of innovating ways of delivering content to students, in accordance to their learning abilities. It is the way in which the subject is introduced to students which matters a lot. Being a Math teacher it is a challenge to make mathematics accessible to all and not just to those who like learning math. As a Mathematics teacher I believe that there are 4 dimensions of a Math classroom. First one is a classroom with an instant writing board. Second is a Math laboratory for performing hands on activities. Third is a multimedia room for exploring and learning using e content and the fourth is expanded classroom 24x7 where in a teacher is connected with his/her students even after school hours. We have entered a new world, the cyber world, which is a vast ocean of knowledge.
Here through this blog, I am sharing what I do as a teacher.
1. Instant board teaching- I began my journey of teaching learning Mathematics from a classroom with an instant writing board.As I have to explain Math procedures, so I use instant board to write the explanations and steps of solving a problem. This is an essential part of a Math Classroom.
2. Hands on Mathematics- Exploring in a Math Lab- I work with my students in a Math laboratory Planet Infinity in our school. We use strategies of Origami, model making, problem solving and many more to make learning of abstract concepts in an easy and enjoyable way.
2. Hands on Mathematics- Exploring in a Math Lab- I work with my students in a Math laboratory Planet Infinity in our school. We use strategies of Origami, model making, problem solving and many more to make learning of abstract concepts in an easy and enjoyable way.
3. Using Multimedia and dynamic software - There are concepts which require visual representation. So, I use animated stuff for explaining. Sometimes videos (Flipped Classroom model) proves beneficial for learning of concepts as it can be played n number of times , till the concept is not clear. Students ask questions in the class after watching the videos.
For teaching Geometry and some concepts of Algebra, I use an open source software called GeoGebra. In a traditional classroom the students are required to learn various geometry based theorems on circles, triangles and many other topics. The students were showing their disinterest in learning theoretical proofs. Due to this they did not perform well in examination. In the process, I had to look for a strategy to inculcate their interest in geometry. I started using a dynamic Mathematics Software that integrates Geometry, Algebra (GeoGebra) and Calculus called GeoGebra. It has elements of Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS) and Computer Algebra Systems (CAS). It runs on any platform that supports Java. It is free open source Mathematics software and is easily downloadable. For downloading it click on www.geogebra.org.Potential of GeoGebra is incredible. We did lots of experiments and explored geometry in a new way. I remember one incident; a group project was allotted to students in which they were given various topics to be explored using the software. One student came to me for enquiring some observations made by their group members. He said ma’am when we plot a pair of linear equations in two variables we get a pair of intersecting lines when a1/a2 is not equal to b1/b2. What is the condition for getting point of intersection always on the x- axis? What is the condition for getting point of intersection always on the y- axis? Actually he had done some experiments on GeoGebra and he wanted to verify whether he is right or wrong. He was very excited in sharing those files with me.
5. Blogging- I created my first Math blog in 2004 http://ift.tt/2s14yLO for posting Math lab activity instructions. Planet infinity in our school is a place where the students visit for practicing hands on experiment of the abstract concepts which are learned in the classroom. Many a times half of the period got wasted in dictating the procedure of the activity. This was bothering me very much .I was searching for something which could solve this problem of mine and the students can actually utilize their time in doing the hands on activities in the Mathematics laboratory.
The blog has been set up as an e Mathematics laboratory which the students are using with anytime anywhere flexibility. It is used for posting Mathematics activities instruction with the pictures explaining the procedure, links of useful websites/other resources, recreational mathematics resources like making magic squares, games and puzzles, Mathematics project ideas, Vedic mathematics shortcut techniques videos, work done by the students during the vacations, creative writings/poems etc. in mathematics by the students.
6. Google Apps- Google apps are a boon for teachers. With a Google account we get 15 GB cloud space for storing all useful content which can be shared with all in different modes. Google docs, drawings, sheets, forms have changed the way of teaching learning. An online doc during examinations is like a good way to help students when in need. Google drawings helped in making visual representations of concepts. 
Impact
Technology has proved its potential to cater to the needs of all types of learners. It is with the advent of new tools; not only students are able to understand a concept but at the same time they are able to expand their knowledge. Students who do not ask questions in classroom post queries on blog/network. This way they are able to understand the concepts with ease. By watching video tutorials of difficult concepts and learning through e lessons, students can understand concepts at their own pace. Technology has solved the drudgery of repetition in the classroom. Technology added a new dimension of interactivity in the classrooms which helped students in learning abstract concepts. For graphical analysis, there is a need to draw a series of graph for minute change in values. In one teaching period, it is a very difficult task. But after using open source software GeoGebra, it was made possible by few clicks of a mouse. Students explored all types of equations, investigated graphs and applied the knowledge to daily life situations. Students find difficulty in understanding 3 dimensional concepts. With animations of 3D concepts, doubts of the students get clarified at the right time. By collaborating on the Social network (e Mathematics); students get a chance to get connected to each other and with the teacher. In the query section they can post their queries anytime and get the answers by the teacher. This has enhanced students understanding of concepts.The whole idea is Learner centric catering to needs of all students type average/mediocre/higher achiever. The process has encouraged learners to be a part of teaching learning process till the end. It has helped in inculcating interest in the learners towards Mathematics. Web based networks have enhanced writing competencies and solving skills of students. Through this strategy lots of opportunities for self expressions and ideas have been generated. There is a scope for consistent analysis for improvement. Collaborative learning environments helped in improving behavioral and social aspects too. Visualization of concepts becomes possible using videos, animations picturesque Mathematics lessons etc. Anytime, anywhere flexibility has expanded the boundaries of classroom. This approach has enabled the expertise & knowledge a creative teacher to reach maximum learners, anytime-anywhere. I am glad to share that my classroom is now e classroom 24x7. We are learning and exploring Mathematics even after school hours.
from Mathematics Learning http://ift.tt/2s19yQs
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