This is an invitation to shape the future of TabletMathWhiz and the math education of kids everywhere.
If you are a math teacher or have kids in grades 2 – 5 this is something you might want to try. You need access to a tablet pc to participate in the review process of TabletMathWhiz, the pen-based, self-scoring program to help kids learn their math facts.
We will be selecting a limited number of testers who may be invited to join as project advisers in the future. This is a fun program, even if you are not a math teacher. In fact, if you are a tablet enthusiast, you may find yourself inspired to use a similar idea in your own discipline.
You will be working directly with CMU personnel on this project. It is expected that you will spend a few hours exploring the software on your own, and a few hours of web meetings during the month of July.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email tablettutor@sbcglobal.net
TabletMathWhiz is extremely novel because it is based on pen input:
1) Handwriting reduces the cognitive overload,
2) Handwriting enables the tracking of the problem solving process,
3) Handwriting enables the analysis of handwritten work and detection
Although the program has improved a great deal since 2009, to read the original description of it, click the link below:
http://tablettutor.blogspot.com/2009/03/tablet-pc-math-makes-math-facts-fun.html
I’ve been blogging about Tablet PC Math for several years now, and I am thrilled to report this news. I would not be surprised if TabletMathWhiz quickly becomes ubiquitous.
I became interested in effective ways of teaching kids the math facts when, as a mother of young twins, I tried to drill them at home. Not getting much cooperation with traditional flash cards, I attempted to write a button-based program in Flash, but I soon realized that the act of actually writing the digits was more effective than clicking buttons or hitting keys. I had been using a tablet PC for work so I was able to try the CMU program. My kids loved it. They got immediate feedback and sloppy work was not accepted. With the current popularity of ipads, androids and other tablet devices, Tablet PC Math, now renamed TabletMathWhiz, is going to make teachers’ and parent’s jobs so much easier.
And here’s something I learned along the way. A popular philosophy in teaching math involves focusing on teaching math sense and understanding. Advanced concepts may be introduced in early grades – algebra, logarithms, geometry, quadratic equations, Cartesian coordinate systems, etc. This can be a great experience. But, in spite of modern calculators, if the kids do not have their basic math facts down cold, they won’t be able to use the advanced concepts at all later on. The math facts are the foundation for everything in math.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Collective Intelligence with Classroom Salon
With the success of the ipad, tablets are so hot right now and more and more applications that are designed for web and mobile computers are coming out these days. One such application is a new CMU concept that is ideal for mobile web based tablet devices although it can also be used in a non-tablet web based environment.
If you don't want to read this blog, just check out the video on Classroom Salon, Carnegie Mellon's latest innovation for learning. http://www.classroomsalon.org/ The site describes Salon as "a new way to facilitate a community of readers around text. "
"Salon is a digital environment that translates individual work like annotations and comments into dynamic communities. It helps teachers, authors and group leaders to gauge perspectives and camps of opinion through aggregation and rich visualizations"
From the Documentation:
"One of the key problems educators face is that students often don’t do the assigned reading before class or forget much of what they have read even if they do read. Either situation means that the teacher must work hard during class time to get students to participate in discussion. One teacher described the process of getting students to talk in class as 'pulling teeth.' Classroom Salon addresses this problem because by annotating the readings before class, students are also building a class discussion. Once class begins, the teacher can use Salon to display the discussion. It's much more comfortable, we have found, for students to talk when elaborating on contributions to the discussion they have already made. "
"Salon enables publishers and content providers to create discussion communities around digital documents. The Salon system encourages communities of interest – from fan fiction enthusiast to mechanical engineers – not only to coalesce around, discuss and analyze web content, but to use the data generated by their contributions in dynamic ways. Salon enables digital commentary and annotations on every aspect of the publication. Salon collects and analyzes these annotations, and allows users to view the data through several analytical lenses, from simple statistical information (e.g. which passages attracted the most comments, which passages were liked or disliked) to a sensitive understanding of the range and nuance of opinion"
From: http://www.olympus.cs.cmu.edu/probes/salon.php
Anyone wishing to know more about CMU's Classroom Salon can contact tablettutor(at)sbcglobal(dot)net.
If you don't want to read this blog, just check out the video on Classroom Salon, Carnegie Mellon's latest innovation for learning. http://www.classroomsalon.org/ The site describes Salon as "a new way to facilitate a community of readers around text. "
"Salon is a digital environment that translates individual work like annotations and comments into dynamic communities. It helps teachers, authors and group leaders to gauge perspectives and camps of opinion through aggregation and rich visualizations"
From the Documentation:
"One of the key problems educators face is that students often don’t do the assigned reading before class or forget much of what they have read even if they do read. Either situation means that the teacher must work hard during class time to get students to participate in discussion. One teacher described the process of getting students to talk in class as 'pulling teeth.' Classroom Salon addresses this problem because by annotating the readings before class, students are also building a class discussion. Once class begins, the teacher can use Salon to display the discussion. It's much more comfortable, we have found, for students to talk when elaborating on contributions to the discussion they have already made. "
"Salon enables publishers and content providers to create discussion communities around digital documents. The Salon system encourages communities of interest – from fan fiction enthusiast to mechanical engineers – not only to coalesce around, discuss and analyze web content, but to use the data generated by their contributions in dynamic ways. Salon enables digital commentary and annotations on every aspect of the publication. Salon collects and analyzes these annotations, and allows users to view the data through several analytical lenses, from simple statistical information (e.g. which passages attracted the most comments, which passages were liked or disliked) to a sensitive understanding of the range and nuance of opinion"
From: http://www.olympus.cs.cmu.edu/probes/salon.php
Anyone wishing to know more about CMU's Classroom Salon can contact tablettutor(at)sbcglobal(dot)net.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
WIPTE Overview -- Pen Based Technology
WIPTE Overview – Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education
Hosted by Virginia Tech College of Engineering
On Oct. 25 – 26, I attended WIPTE 2010. WIPTE stands for Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education. A visit to http://www.wipte.org/docs/2010/collateral2010.pdf gives you the entire flyer explaining the Workshop/Conference. I have taken some excerpts from it to help explain what exactly it is. First of all, let me explain that since the introduction of the ipad, earlier this year, there has been a lot of interest in “tablet” computers or “slate” computers.
The major difference between the ipad and the computers on which WIPTE focuses on is the pen, or stylus. Ipads are comfortable with finger input. Styluses are available but there are not many apps that takes advantage of a stylus, and the idea of handwriting recognition is equally scarce.
There two forms of tablet PC’s – the “slate” which, similar to an ipad, has no keyboard other than a screen based virtual keyboard, and the “convertible” which is basically a notebook computer with an inkable screen. In most, the screen can pivot and nest on top of the keyboard, creating a slate effect. You can add a keyboard and mouse to a Slate if you want.
The pen, or stylus, is the tool that allows one to use the screen of a tablet (or slate) PC as a piece of paper. You can write notes, lists, draw, diagram, and basically use a fully powered PC with all the software you want without ever touching the keyboard! (Or without a keyboard at all, for that matter).
A virtual keyboard is provided, making a tablet PC into a very useful multitasking device. Of course, a tablet PC typically has full WI-FI capabilities and a handy “snipping tool” allows the user to easily grab text and graphics from anywhere to place somewhere else.
Tablet PC’s make great use of a Microsoft program known as OneNote. A simpler program, called Journal, consists of, well, a virtual piece of paper of the user’s choice. Music score, legal pad in yellow, graph paper, stationary are just a few examples of the virtual paper you can select.
One-Note is a virtual notebook with lots of paper in it. You can make as many notebooks as you need, and you can add tabs and dividers and pretty much use One Note to be very organized. A powerful feature of One Note is that ink as well as text is searchable, so even if you take a ton of notes in ink (should I say electronic ink?), EVERYTHING IS SEARCHABLE. Even tags on graphics you snip from websites are SEARCHABLE. Disclaimer: It probably doesn’t work so well if you have the world’s sloppiest penmanship, but I did recently hear that practicing penmanship is good for your brain.
So, the ability to write on the screen using digital ink and the ability to organize work in One Note (which also works just fine for traditional keyboard input devices too), make for better classroom experiences. WIPTE is education focused.
Here are some of the questions WIPTE seeks to answer as well as some key findings, from the WIPTE site.
• Why are Tablet PCs better than notebook PCs?
• Can you add a digital pen to a laptop?
• What software really makes a difference?
• Do Tablet PCs really work for education?
Key Findings
Over the years of the WIPTE conference, participants have
been given insight into the following findings:
Having appropriate software to leverage the pen-based hardware
is a critical component for success.
Teacher buy-in and training are critical components
for success.
Tablet PCs are used differently to support the pedagogies associated
with various grade levels and disciplines.
Convertible Tablets are more commonly used in schools than
the slate form factor.
Planning for both formative and summative assessment
before the deployment helps to promote program evaluation.
Learning from peers is invaluable.
Hosted by Virginia Tech College of Engineering
On Oct. 25 – 26, I attended WIPTE 2010. WIPTE stands for Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education. A visit to http://www.wipte.org/docs/2010/collateral2010.pdf gives you the entire flyer explaining the Workshop/Conference. I have taken some excerpts from it to help explain what exactly it is. First of all, let me explain that since the introduction of the ipad, earlier this year, there has been a lot of interest in “tablet” computers or “slate” computers.
The major difference between the ipad and the computers on which WIPTE focuses on is the pen, or stylus. Ipads are comfortable with finger input. Styluses are available but there are not many apps that takes advantage of a stylus, and the idea of handwriting recognition is equally scarce.
There two forms of tablet PC’s – the “slate” which, similar to an ipad, has no keyboard other than a screen based virtual keyboard, and the “convertible” which is basically a notebook computer with an inkable screen. In most, the screen can pivot and nest on top of the keyboard, creating a slate effect. You can add a keyboard and mouse to a Slate if you want.
The pen, or stylus, is the tool that allows one to use the screen of a tablet (or slate) PC as a piece of paper. You can write notes, lists, draw, diagram, and basically use a fully powered PC with all the software you want without ever touching the keyboard! (Or without a keyboard at all, for that matter).
A virtual keyboard is provided, making a tablet PC into a very useful multitasking device. Of course, a tablet PC typically has full WI-FI capabilities and a handy “snipping tool” allows the user to easily grab text and graphics from anywhere to place somewhere else.
Tablet PC’s make great use of a Microsoft program known as OneNote. A simpler program, called Journal, consists of, well, a virtual piece of paper of the user’s choice. Music score, legal pad in yellow, graph paper, stationary are just a few examples of the virtual paper you can select.
One-Note is a virtual notebook with lots of paper in it. You can make as many notebooks as you need, and you can add tabs and dividers and pretty much use One Note to be very organized. A powerful feature of One Note is that ink as well as text is searchable, so even if you take a ton of notes in ink (should I say electronic ink?), EVERYTHING IS SEARCHABLE. Even tags on graphics you snip from websites are SEARCHABLE. Disclaimer: It probably doesn’t work so well if you have the world’s sloppiest penmanship, but I did recently hear that practicing penmanship is good for your brain.
So, the ability to write on the screen using digital ink and the ability to organize work in One Note (which also works just fine for traditional keyboard input devices too), make for better classroom experiences. WIPTE is education focused.
Here are some of the questions WIPTE seeks to answer as well as some key findings, from the WIPTE site.
• Why are Tablet PCs better than notebook PCs?
• Can you add a digital pen to a laptop?
• What software really makes a difference?
• Do Tablet PCs really work for education?
Key Findings
Over the years of the WIPTE conference, participants have
been given insight into the following findings:
Having appropriate software to leverage the pen-based hardware
is a critical component for success.
Teacher buy-in and training are critical components
for success.
Tablet PCs are used differently to support the pedagogies associated
with various grade levels and disciplines.
Convertible Tablets are more commonly used in schools than
the slate form factor.
Planning for both formative and summative assessment
before the deployment helps to promote program evaluation.
Learning from peers is invaluable.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tablet Math Makes Learning Fun in Qatar
Here's an article about Tablet Math in Qatar. It mentions Amer Obeidah, who is a user experience designer and interaction design developer. Amer holds a Masters degree of Computer Interaction Design and Development from Carnegie Mellon University. He is passionate about creating experiences that are holistic, empathic in nature and ultimately effectual. Amer's goal is to create a smart educational environments where students can have fun while learning. To learn more see http://www.obeidahtech.com/ . We mentioned Amer's site in a previous post as well.
Fun way to learn: Carnegie Mellon develops Tablet PC
Sunday, 06 April 2008 01:57
DOHA • Carnegie Mellon University has developed an innovative Tablet PC based system for learning mathematics through games.
The Tablet PCs provide a unique mode of computer interaction using a digital pen. The pen provides a natural input medium and allows previous workflows centered on paper to continue uninterrupted. The computer becomes "intelligent paper", capturing the benefits of the digital environment and traditional paper.
“The System will enhance children’s learning of mathematics, while decreasing teachers’ grading workload and enhancing access to handwritten work so teachers can develop effective course pedagogies,” said Amer Hassan Ali Obeidah of Carnegie Mellon University-Qatar (CMU-Q).
The system will integrate gaming as part of the process to encourage and motivate students to work on math problems. The mathematical concepts are mapped into gaming actions so that game can be controlled only by solving mathematical problems.
“The system has shown remarkable results. Flexible Tablet PC based interface encourages students to show work in Arabic or English and express their ideas through sketching that can be analysed by the teachers,” Al Obeidah said.
The Tablet Math System is made up of two main components. The first is a thin client installed on tablet PCs. The thin-client is used by students to practise various math problems. The second main component is the web application. The web application is used exclusively by teachers to perform administrative and analytical operations. Teachers can create customised worksheets for individual students or entire class, monitor student’s work online and can understand why a student or group of students have incorrectly answered a problem. The grading of students handwritten work is done by the computer so teachers can focus more on helping students who are having troubles in solving problems.
“We will discuss how this system can be used by schools throughout Qatar to enhance the mathematics instructions at all levels. The system will be available from Carnegie Mellon University for any school that will need to use the system in their classes immediately. We will create teacher accounts and show how to download the software and use them in the classrooms,” Ali Obeidah said.
Originally posted at: http://archive.thepeninsulaqatar.com/component/content/article/349-qatar-newsarchive/24818.html
Fun way to learn: Carnegie Mellon develops Tablet PC
Sunday, 06 April 2008 01:57
DOHA • Carnegie Mellon University has developed an innovative Tablet PC based system for learning mathematics through games.
The Tablet PCs provide a unique mode of computer interaction using a digital pen. The pen provides a natural input medium and allows previous workflows centered on paper to continue uninterrupted. The computer becomes "intelligent paper", capturing the benefits of the digital environment and traditional paper.
“The System will enhance children’s learning of mathematics, while decreasing teachers’ grading workload and enhancing access to handwritten work so teachers can develop effective course pedagogies,” said Amer Hassan Ali Obeidah of Carnegie Mellon University-Qatar (CMU-Q).
The system will integrate gaming as part of the process to encourage and motivate students to work on math problems. The mathematical concepts are mapped into gaming actions so that game can be controlled only by solving mathematical problems.
“The system has shown remarkable results. Flexible Tablet PC based interface encourages students to show work in Arabic or English and express their ideas through sketching that can be analysed by the teachers,” Al Obeidah said.
The Tablet Math System is made up of two main components. The first is a thin client installed on tablet PCs. The thin-client is used by students to practise various math problems. The second main component is the web application. The web application is used exclusively by teachers to perform administrative and analytical operations. Teachers can create customised worksheets for individual students or entire class, monitor student’s work online and can understand why a student or group of students have incorrectly answered a problem. The grading of students handwritten work is done by the computer so teachers can focus more on helping students who are having troubles in solving problems.
“We will discuss how this system can be used by schools throughout Qatar to enhance the mathematics instructions at all levels. The system will be available from Carnegie Mellon University for any school that will need to use the system in their classes immediately. We will create teacher accounts and show how to download the software and use them in the classrooms,” Ali Obeidah said.
Originally posted at: http://archive.thepeninsulaqatar.com/component/content/article/349-qatar-newsarchive/24818.html
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Classmate PC as seen at WIPTE
I attended WIPTE earlier this week and I can honestly say I was overwhelmed by all of the great information. I wish I could have attended all the sessions, but alas, I often had to choose between four equally exciting topics offered simultaneously. Over the next few weeks I will try to share what I can of my WIPTE impressions.
CLASSMATE PC by INTEL
Some time ago I bought a great little tablet netbook (convertible) called 2GOPC. Imagine my surprise when Intel did a presentation at WIPTE on the Classmate PC Project, which included that PC. Little did I know how much software was available for it. Here's a YouTube that impressed me, even though it is also a bit old. Newer versions of Atom powered convertibles are available and I can't wait to get one. In the video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkXLlXdCcsM we see some really cool Lego robotics control software that is a bit simpler than MindStorms because it is aimed at the K-6 crowd. At the end of the video they show the PC being used with a probe to do science investigations, again aimed at K-6. In between, several interesting programs are shown and I would guess that even more are available now. To research further, google "intel classmate pc"
CLASSMATE PC by INTEL
Some time ago I bought a great little tablet netbook (convertible) called 2GOPC. Imagine my surprise when Intel did a presentation at WIPTE on the Classmate PC Project, which included that PC. Little did I know how much software was available for it. Here's a YouTube that impressed me, even though it is also a bit old. Newer versions of Atom powered convertibles are available and I can't wait to get one. In the video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkXLlXdCcsM we see some really cool Lego robotics control software that is a bit simpler than MindStorms because it is aimed at the K-6 crowd. At the end of the video they show the PC being used with a probe to do science investigations, again aimed at K-6. In between, several interesting programs are shown and I would guess that even more are available now. To research further, google "intel classmate pc"
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sneak Preview
A new website called "Inkable Education" has been set up to help introduce some of the things I have been blogging about. Though still somewhat in "beta", the site is informative and educational. Check it out at http://www.obeidahtech.com/
Monday, September 20, 2010
IPad VS TABLET PC at WIPTE 2010
WIPTE addresses the iPad in October
WIPTE 2010 at Virginia Tech, Oct 25 - 26, 2010
http://www.wipte.org/default.aspx
Just last week a school administrator asked me what I thought about getting iPads for all the teachers at his school. I had to tell him that my personal experience is that a Tablet PC offers a richer experience than the iPad because the iPad doesn't have any good apps for writing, taking notes. or annotating documents with a stylus. In October, experts will argue the pros and cons of the iPad vs.Tablet PC's in education and I, for one, can't wait to hear what they have to say.
WIPTE, the Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education, is having an exciting debate style session in which proponents of Tablet PCs and IPads describe the potential educational impact of these devices.
"Tablet PC versus IPad Education Smackdown" is just one of the high level presentations on the latest research and information to be shared by the experts in pen and touch computing.
The four Smackdown "Stars" are listed below. For a more detailed bio of each person's very impressive background, see http://www.wipte.org/smackdown.aspx
Dr. Vince DiStasi (Tablet PC) serves as the Vice President - Chief Information Officer and Associate Professor of Chemistry at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. Vince has led the focus and implementation of Tablet PC technology to enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum.
Dr. Dani Herro (iPad) is an Instructional Technology Leader in the Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD), Her current projects at OASD include investigating the potential for literacy and learning with iPad and iPod Touch technology, writing a game-design curriculum to be offered to high school students during the 2011-12 school year, positioning the school district to offer virtual schooling for high school students, and working with teachers to augment coursework to include Web 2.0 technologies, video narration, social networking opportunities, and other age-appropriate new media literacies.
Fraser Speirs (iPad) is the Head of Computing and IT at Cedars School of Excellence in Greenock, Scotland. In August 2010 at Cedars, Fraser successfully led the world's first 1:1 deployment of iPads in a whole-school setting. His website has some valuable information on iPads in education.
Robert Baker (Tablet PC) is the Director of Technology at Cincinnati Country Day School in Ohio. He has been instrumental in developing technology programs both locally and internationally with a focus on the use of tablet PCs. At Cincinnati Country Day School, Rob is dedicated to creating the most powerful teaching and learning environment anywhere. Rob is an educator first, and this allows him to look at everything through the eyes of pedagogy, not technology. Four times a year, he hosts very popular Tablet Conferences, where educators flock to Country Day from places as far away as Thailand and Australia, California and Texas, all in the pursuit of capturing the educational power of CCDS' benchmark one-to-one tablet PC program.
Keynote speakers for the conference are Ann McMullan (Executive Director of Educational Technology, Klein Independent School District, Klein, TX) and Dr. Tony Salvador (Senior Principal Engineer at Intel).
The conference also includes poster presentations, hands-on sessions and vendor booths
Early registration fee is $100. After September 30, it is $150.
This infomation was taken from the WIPTE website: www.wipte.org
WIPTE 2010 at Virginia Tech, Oct 25 - 26, 2010
http://www.wipte.org/default.aspx
Just last week a school administrator asked me what I thought about getting iPads for all the teachers at his school. I had to tell him that my personal experience is that a Tablet PC offers a richer experience than the iPad because the iPad doesn't have any good apps for writing, taking notes. or annotating documents with a stylus. In October, experts will argue the pros and cons of the iPad vs.Tablet PC's in education and I, for one, can't wait to hear what they have to say.
WIPTE, the Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology on Education, is having an exciting debate style session in which proponents of Tablet PCs and IPads describe the potential educational impact of these devices.
"Tablet PC versus IPad Education Smackdown" is just one of the high level presentations on the latest research and information to be shared by the experts in pen and touch computing.
The four Smackdown "Stars" are listed below. For a more detailed bio of each person's very impressive background, see http://www.wipte.org/smackdown.aspx
Dr. Vince DiStasi (Tablet PC) serves as the Vice President - Chief Information Officer and Associate Professor of Chemistry at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. Vince has led the focus and implementation of Tablet PC technology to enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum.
Dr. Dani Herro (iPad) is an Instructional Technology Leader in the Oconomowoc Area School District (OASD), Her current projects at OASD include investigating the potential for literacy and learning with iPad and iPod Touch technology, writing a game-design curriculum to be offered to high school students during the 2011-12 school year, positioning the school district to offer virtual schooling for high school students, and working with teachers to augment coursework to include Web 2.0 technologies, video narration, social networking opportunities, and other age-appropriate new media literacies.
Fraser Speirs (iPad) is the Head of Computing and IT at Cedars School of Excellence in Greenock, Scotland. In August 2010 at Cedars, Fraser successfully led the world's first 1:1 deployment of iPads in a whole-school setting. His website has some valuable information on iPads in education.
Robert Baker (Tablet PC) is the Director of Technology at Cincinnati Country Day School in Ohio. He has been instrumental in developing technology programs both locally and internationally with a focus on the use of tablet PCs. At Cincinnati Country Day School, Rob is dedicated to creating the most powerful teaching and learning environment anywhere. Rob is an educator first, and this allows him to look at everything through the eyes of pedagogy, not technology. Four times a year, he hosts very popular Tablet Conferences, where educators flock to Country Day from places as far away as Thailand and Australia, California and Texas, all in the pursuit of capturing the educational power of CCDS' benchmark one-to-one tablet PC program.
Keynote speakers for the conference are Ann McMullan (Executive Director of Educational Technology, Klein Independent School District, Klein, TX) and Dr. Tony Salvador (Senior Principal Engineer at Intel).
The conference also includes poster presentations, hands-on sessions and vendor booths
Early registration fee is $100. After September 30, it is $150.
This infomation was taken from the WIPTE website: www.wipte.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
