JOURNAL #2
Speaking Math – Using Chat
Janet Graham and Ted Hodgson
In this article the authors discuss using chat rooms and forums to help students understand math concepts and vocabulary. Chat rooms allow the students to question each other in real time and work together to solve a problem. The system they use does not allow math symbols so the students are forced to use math vocabulary and concepts. Each chat is started with an initial prompt and then students use their textbooks and lecture notes to answer the questions using specific target vocabulary items. Students help each other understand the math problems by reading and reacting to others posts. This forum is valuable to teachers because they can print the chat and forum interactions and analyze them at their own convenience. The teacher can then add classroom discussion to discuss issues it appears the students may not be getting. Another benefit of this type of interaction is that non-native speakers have time to plan their responses and it allows them to learn phrases by seeing them from other students. The authors compared the learning of the students using this forum to those who were in a traditional classroom and preliminarily it looks like this manner of learning appears to be assisting students in doing better in math. The teachers found that chats and forums were most effective during school hours where certain class periods or certain hours in a computer lab. The students who could benefit from this program the most usually do not have computer access at home. The teachers also found that forming small groups of four to five students was better than a larger group so that each student had opportunities to give their input and decrease the amount of confusion of a larger group. The teachers have even observed students “speaking math” during after- school hours. A benefit to whole group forums is effective in allowing students to seek out diversity that might not have been picked for them in a smaller group. Spanish speakers can write math notes to each other in Spanish and English speakers can improve their understanding of Spanish by communicating with the Spanish speakers.
Questions:
1. Could this technology be used in other subjects or in multi-subject classrooms of elementary school? I can see this technology used in almost any classroom. I see it as allowing students to step up to the plate while feeling protected from behind a computer screen. The idea that students can take their time in coming up with their questions and answers is a good way for students to become confident in their knowledge about subjects.
2. Is the benefit of this technology worth having to spend school time using computers because of the students that do not have access at home? The benefit to all students appears to make this type of learning valuable to all students. I can see team building and a feeling of belonging to a group in solving issues is of great value to all students. I also feel for those students that may be a little shy in a classroom setting may not feel they have valuable input, but in a situation like this they can see if they are thinking along the same lines as their peers and will then feel confident enough to add their thoughts and comments.
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