Post #2

When I took college algebra by junior year in high school, my teacher happened to be the department chair and was very interested in trying the new technologies my high school received through a grant. She was very adventurous when incorporating the different technologies into our classroom. Although some were more successful than others, one I remember in particular was very effective when preparing for tests. Unfortunately I do not remember the name of the program but it was an application downloaded to all of the TI-83 graphing calculators and the teacher's computer that was meant to record data. Each student in the class of about 20 had a calculator with an assigned number that was linked to the teacher's computer. She used this technology by projecting a concept or a math problem we had to solve in the form of a multiple choice question. Depending on the question, she gave the class a time limit to completing the problem at our desks. Once we had the answer or what we thought was the answer, each student entered either a, b, c, d, or e on their calculator. After everyone answered, the data was compiled on the computer and presented on the board through the projector. This allowed for both the class and the teacher to see what other students chose as the answer.

This technology proved to be very effective before an exam. A day or two before the test, the teacher would use this program by asking sample questions from the test. Once the data was compiled, the teacher would discuss why the incorrect answers some students were wrong and then would discuss what made the anwer correct. This was a very effective study method because we were able to learn the type of questions that would be on the test and it helped reinforce and study the information we had already learned.

My teacher also used this technology for our drill. Since the drill question was usually from a lesson from the day before, she was able to use the results of the questions to see how well we learned the material and if she had to go over anything again. Although a lot of the students did not like this because it required them to do the drill, it allowed the teacher to gain insight on how well she taught the material and the classes understanding. By using this technology, she was able to see if we needed help which improved our overall performance in the class throughout the school year.