In the article, Tech can help young students learn to not fear mistakes, by Lauren Barack, we walk through Emma Mackey’s first-grade classroom that was enhanced by 23 Samsung Galaxy tablets. Emma Mackey took on the challenge of blending in tablets by utilizing digital portfolios. She had her students complete small projects and allowed the students the flexibility of choosing how to show their work. The only requirement was that the tools had to be found on the tablet. For example, a student could explain a math problem by creating a drawing, recording a video, using the audio recording, or using the Internet to find resources or photos.
While these young students learned to use their tablets, they also practiced skills about how to use verbal and written language to explain how they came up with an answer. Mackey was quoted “That’s my favorite thing about technology and younger students, they’re not afraid of pushing buttons” (Barack). This concept is exceptionally important when it comes to explaining the beginning stages of mathematics and vocabulary.
What I really appreciated about this article was the concept of mistakes being okay. Often, students fear making a mistake in front of their peers. I think students will find it beneficial to be able to practice and redo the questions until they understand the concepts. As a teacher, I like getting more concise feedback about my student’s understanding. If a student gets a math question incorrect, if they don’t show any work, or use language to explain what they did, it’s almost impossible to correct any misconceptions.
Resources:
Barack, L. (2018, July 11). Tech can help young students learn to not fear mistakes. Retrieved July 12, 2018, from https://www.educationdive.com/news/tech-can-help-young-students-learn-to-not-fear-mistakes/527355/
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Hi Tabitha,
ReplyDeleteThe article you found sounds really good. I can see how technology plays a role in letting student demonstrate comprehension of a mathmatical process without the fear of being wrong in front of a class. You don't often think about those sort of things when you are teaching class, but reflecting back when I was a student at that age, I recall being a little apprehensive in front of my peers and being more confident when I was working independantly. Great insight!