Progression of Skill for Application
Students need to have a connection to their learning to make the lessons relevant to everyday life. Framing lessons around slogans, GIFs, or images may help peak student interest which engages students on a deeper level. Layering lessons with hands on application, experience exploring content through a variety of technological resources, and independent practice prepares students to apply what they have learned to events or scenarios found in their communities or around the world (Dwyer, 2016).
Using Technology in Layers
When planning lessons, educators provide many opportunities for students to explore content based on the varied learning styles found in every classroom. Creating lessons that fit all learning styles can be found within one lesson design when teachers are mindful about planning for all learners (Cudney, 2017). Understanding that students need opportunities to practice what they are learning with support and reinforcement allows students to progress in skill development, which leads to mastery. Evaluating the use of technology within the various layers of a lesson provides differentiation to a lesson design. We will evaluate the use of technology through a math lesson’s exploration of fractions as students decide "Is chocolate a fraction?"
Stage 1: Technology Assisting Lesson Introduction and Guided Practice
Technology is a valuable tool in assisting students to acquire the skills necessary create meaning or mastery. Technology can be used at each stage of an introductory lesson practice such as the "I DO" (teacher modeled), "WE DO" (guided practice), "YOU DO" (independent practice) (Killian, 2015). The "I DO" practice may consist of a video or imagery modeling concepts or skills. Technology in both the "WE DO" and the "YOU DO" can be most useful for a quick check for meaning, step by step skill development, or an informal assessment of independent practice. Kapuler (2020) lists 30 sites to find a tool that fits the needs of each student. Teachers can use sites like Nearpod across curricula. The various templates and engagement strategies align with guided practice, independent skill assessment, and even exit tickets. Students may be given bar models, represented by chocolate bars to identify fractions. Nearpod also allows students to identify fractions through multiple choice or by drawing draw bar models that represent fractions. At the lesson conclusion, students can journal their thoughts about how chocolate is a fraction.
Stage 2: Further Development of Skill
As the lesson progresses, students begin to further develop skills by expanding on what they are learning. Recognizing fractions is one step, however transferring fractions in bar model form to a fractional representation as a whole number or improper fraction advances the skill. Videos that review previously mastered skills and incorporate a new idea or skill can be used to demonstrate how skills can be applied. Websites can assist all learners in furthering skill development through videos, application problems, and one on one teacher support. Curriculum Pathways offers short videos followed by application problems and short answer questions. Applications like Khan Academy and Zearn accesses students on a variety of levels by creating an audio-visual representation in the video format (whole numbers and improper fractions), an application problem which puts the presented idea into practice, and a space for students to verbally explain their thought process. This design taps into a variety of ways that students can demonstrate understanding that supports their learning style. At this lesson's conclusion, students journal as they brainstorm ideas about how chocolate is a fraction in terms of whole numbers or improper fractions.
Stage 3: Applying Ideas to Scenarios Around the World - Is Chocolate a Fraction?
Students can begin to unpack how chocolate applies to fractions with the story from Jenny McGlone, Switzerland: A Chocolate Chronology (2020). McGlone's article is one of many found on the website Mathkind. Mathkind shares real stories and scenarios that happen all over the world. Each story has a variety of application or extension activities to further explore the topic. McGlone (2020) begins her story quoting the ratio of people that like chocolate. The article continues giving an overview of chocolate as well as the ratios of cocoa for types of chocolate bars. Students can use the story to create fractions for ratios, determine the ratios of students who like chocolate in their classroom, create their own chocolate bar models in visual and fractional form, as well as identify percentages to ratios. At the lesson’s conclusion, students can review their previous thoughts about chocolate in relation to various fractions and collaborate with classmates about how their ideas have evolved.
Chocolate is a Fraction!
When lesson design is spiraled with intent, technology can assist in lesson implementation and progression. Allowing students to understand skills outside of the classroom provides students an opportunity to see the relevance in their learning as well as opportunities to access what they do know to a variety of areas, to include other cultures, countries, and ideas (Dwyer, 2016).
After a lesson that is as technology rich, such as this, I wonder how many students will ever see a chocolate bar as anything but a fraction?!
References
Cudney, E. A. (2017). Listening to the voice of the student in course design. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 40(2), 35-38. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/listening-voice-student-course-design/docview/1924521930/se-2?accountid=7374
Dwyer, B. (2016). Teaching and learning in the global village: Connect, create, collaborate, and communicate. Reading Teacher, 70(1), 131–136. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/trtr.1500
Kapuler, D. (2020, February 12). 30 sites for differentiated instruction. Teach and Learning. https://www.techlearning.com/features/15-sites-for-differentiated-instruction
Killlian, S. (2015, August 16). 8 ways to use I do you do we do model to boost student results. Evidence Based Teaching. https://www.evidencebasedteaching.org.au/the-i-do-we-do-you-do-model-explained/
McGlone, J. (2020). Switzerland: A chocolate chronology. Teachers 2 Teachers Global. https://t2tglobal.org/global-math-stories/switzerland/
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