REIMAGINE MATH EDUCATION WITH ST MATH Janell Brown
REIMAGINE MATH EDUCATION WITH ST MATH Janell Brown ITEC 7445 Mrs. Pearson Summer 2015
WHAT IS ST MATH? Ø ST Math stands for Spatial-Temporal Math and is the leader in visual math instruction Ø Created by MIND Research Institute Ø “game-based instructional software for K-12 … designed to boost math comprehension and proficiency through visual learning” (http: //www. mindresearch. org/stmath/) Ø ST math uses research in learning and the brain to promote mastery-based learning and understanding
WHAT IS SPATIAL-TEMPORAL REASONING? Ø “The cognitive ability to picture a spatial pattern and understand how items or pieces can fit into that space” (Wise. Geek, 2015) Ø When used by ST Math, it allows the brain to hold visual and mental representations in short-term memory where after continuing to move along in the game, they slowly become stored in long-term memory.
MEET JIJI • Ji. Ji is the avatar used by ST Math in their puzzles. This penguin is their “mascot”. • Students are to “help” Ji. Ji pass obstacles by solving math puzzles. • Students learn to associate Ji. Ji with challenge, learning, and success.
OLA HIGH’S VISION OF TECHNOLOGY Ø Ola High has 27% of its students on free or reduced lunch. This is much lower than the state average and because of this, we do not receive Title I funding and have limited laptop cars and computer labs at this time. Ø Ola is currently trying to bridge the gap between the classroom and the virtual world by increasing LCD projectors and interactive whiteboards within every classroom and adding more laptop carts and computer labs. Ø Ola is trying to bridge the gap between middle school and high school. It is seen that students who missed concepts in middles school, do poorly in their 9 th grade year. As ST Math would mainly be implemented within 9 th grade math classes, it would be perfect to provided that remediation so many 9 th graders need to succeed in the high school environment.
HENRY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT’S PERSONALIZED LEARNING • “Henry County Schools has a strong commitment to create personalized learning opportunities for students. ” (http: //schoolwires. henry. k 12. ga. us/Page/60175) • Henry County is moving towards a more personalized learning approach to teaching, such as: • Competency-Based Learning • Project-Based Learning • 21 st Century Skills • Technology Enabled Learning
HOW DOES ST MATH REFLECT HENRY COUNTY’S VISION OF TECHNOLOGY? Competency-Based Learning: “Courses have clearly identified learning targets, and students move through coursework as they demonstrate mastery of each target. Time and place are flexible while learning is constant. ” (http: //schoolwires. henry. k 12. ga. us//site/Default. aspx? Page. ID=60406) Ø ST Math is an ongoing process where students work at their own pace to complete each task. Each task builds on itself until the student presents mastery of the content. Project-Based Learning: “Students learn through real-world projects, problem solving, and service learning inside and outside of the classroom, and present evidence of their learning to authentic audiences such as parents, business and community members” (http: //schoolwires. henry. k 12. ga. us//site/Default. aspx? Page. ID=60407) Ø ST Math presents a different way of problem solving that can occur within or outside the classroom, where ever the student has internet access.
HOW DOES ST MATH REFLECT HENRY COUNTY’S VISION OF TECHNOLOGY? (CONT. ) 21 st Century Skills: “Learning experiences will be designed to foster key overarching skills and dispositions needed for 21 st Century college and career success -- communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking” (http: //schoolwires. henry. k 12. ga. us//site/Default. aspx? Page. ID=60408) Ø ST Math fosters creativity while working through the puzzles presented at any given level. Students are asked to draw pictures, create bridges, and work through many different tasks to master a concept. Along with this, students begin to use critical thinking skills to work through the puzzles and complete tasks. Technology Enabled Learning: “Students use technology to access and learn content and demonstrate what they know. Students will receive a mix of faceto-face and online instruction in order to ensure facility in both. ” (http: //schoolwires. henry. k 12. ga. us//site/Default. aspx? Page. ID=60409) Ø ST Math is strictly online and, through data-driven reports, students can demonstrate what they know. At Ola, ST Math would be used mainly for remediation, so face-to-face instruction is key in students learning the core requirements for the course.
GRADE LEVEL RANGE Ø ST Math Supports a wide variety of grade levels. Their main focus is in K-8 with remediation options for 9 th and 10 th. They are still improving their high school objectives at this time. Ø At Ola, we struggle to help our low achieving 9 th graders to get to where they need to be in order to succeed in Coordinate Algebra (9 th grade math). What ST Math does have is remediation options which different objectives are assigned to each student after they have taken a diagnostics test. This would be very beneficial in our Math Instructional Focus classes where we preform math remediation continuously. Ø I also see these remediation options a being very beneficial in out resource classes. Student can play games while slowly working on abilities they are lacking in.
STRATEGIES TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS Ø We have 5 computer labs available and a laptop cart for our department. We will have four teachers teaching Coordinate Algebra, so we could easily reserve labs, ask student to bring their tablets and i. Pads, along with allowing them to use their smart phones. Ø Every teacher has an assigned laptop and we have written a grant that gives every Coordinate Algebra teacher an i. Pad, which we could easily allow students to use. Ø Teachers will also be provided training to get up and running and to learn best practice implementation.
TECH REQUIREMENTS Basic Requirements: • 1024 x 768 screen resolution or higher • Flash Player version 12. 0 or higher Supported Web Browsers: • Internet Explorer 8. 0 or later • Safari 5. 0 or later • Firefox 17. 0 or later • Google Chrome
TECH REQUIREMENTS (CONT. ) Ø Wireless access is required for use of the website Ø Unblocked wireless access for smartphones and tablets Ø Recommended i. Pad 3 or newer; Android 4. 0 or newer; Kindle Fire HDX 8. 9” and Kindle Fire HD 8. 9” Ø For i. Pads and Tablets, the app can be downloaded with licensing requirements by searching for “Ji. Ji” on the devices app store.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT • “We are dedicated to providing school and district leadership and teachers with the tools, knowledge and information needed to maximize their success with ST Math. Educators using ST Math receive initial training to get up and running on the software and to learn the best practices of implementation. Ongoing professional development workshops are available and designed to deepen teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge for teaching math through the use of ST Math. Each school site receives ongoing technical and curricular assistance from an assigned MIND Education Support Specialist and educators have access to Technical Support. ” (http: //www. mindresearch. org/stmath/features/) • Training and on-going support will be provided to every school district that orders ST Math.
PROS OF ST MATH • This program uses many different techniques on order to ensure students receive the best experience while still learning math • As students play, they move from a visual representation free of language or symbols into gradual integration of the math needed to master the standard • The games provide 1: 1 learning where students move at their own pace and start with concepts assigned to them based on diagnostic tests, but they could also be assigned objectives based on the standards the teacher assigns them. • For every puzzle there is immediate, instructional feedback. The animation shows why what the student has done is correct or incorrect after every try.
PROS OF ST MATH (CONT. ) • Language is no longer a barrier with ST Math as the puzzles begin with only visual representations. One the student has mastered this way of thinking, then the program introduces the numbers or symbols needed to understand the concept. • The program was specifically designed to meet the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (http: //www. corestandards. org/Math/). • Reports are provided quickly to teachers to identify student needs and differentiated instruction.
CONS TO ST MATH • No technology can replace a teacher. ST Math is not designed to be the only form of instruction within a classroom. They push to allow for 90 minutes a week for students to work on their puzzles, but not to replace the teacher themselves. • Some problems I foresee with this program: • High School students seeing it as childish or “silly”. The program is based on a penguin name Ji. Ji getting through these puzzles with the students help. Some of the beginning visual puzzles are very rudimentary and may cause students to feel less intelligent. This could cause them to shut down. • There are no high school standards being addressed as of yet. The program is merrily for intervention on the high school level, so some students may be proficient on what they know very quickly, leaving them with nothing to do on the program.
CONS TO ST MATH (CONT. ) • This can not be implemented in a Coordinate Algebra classroom. It will be extremely helpful in resource and Instructional Focus courses for remediation, but for the course as a whole, there are no specific standards being covered. • The use of the program as a replacement for teacher interaction can not occur. It is meant to assist in the K-8 levels, and only for remediation in 912. • Reports have also shown that the way ST Math presents its data is very frustrating and difficult to read. The reports may be too simple and do not provided what students are doing on a day-to-day basis. (Madda, M. J. Is ST Math All It’s Cracked Up to Be? , June 2015)
ST MATH COSTS Ø The starting price for ST Math $29 per student per year. This is the subscription model that would need to be renewed each year. This includes ongoing support, professional development, data-driven reports, educational consultant, and all of ST’s technology support. Ø To lessen the price, other options are available. Ø Unlimited site license would allow a school or district to purchase an unlimited subscription of an overall lower price. This cost is dependent on the school size. Ø District subscription as compared to school subscription can lower the price as well.
ST MATH FUNDING SOURCES • The Math Department within the Henry County School District is allotted $3 million for textbooks and technology. As we are not using textbooks anymore, this funding could easily be used to support the ST Math program. • Teachers could write a grant in order to receive funding for the program • The school could propose a Go. Fund. Me account in order to raise money throughout the community along with fundraisers to achieve their goal.
ST MATH IN THE CLASSROOM • For grades K-8, ST Math could be used as a supplement for the existing instruction. As the Common Core Standards are already aligned within the program, teachers can assign interventions and objectives for each student within their classroom • For 9 -12, I have already described how important ST Math can be in intervention and differentiation. By giving a diagnostic test to see where the students have gaps and then have them work through the program 2 -3 times a week in order to fill these gaps, we will be helping our low performing students to see their abilities and improve their math skills.
MEETING THE STANDARDS Ø ST Math is aligned to Common Core Standards and to some state standards. This makes verifying mastery of a standard very easy as all a teacher has to look at the is student reports generated by the program. Ø Students are required to use higher order thinking skills as they work through the levels of puzzles. Ø This way of learning and practicing is very authentic in that it builds on basic skills that require no language skills and then move into the math concepts needed to master the standard.
PROMOTING DIFFERENTIATION Ø From what I have seen, this technology is exactly what an administrator wants to see as differentiation in a classroom. Ø Students work at their own pace on different concepts in order to insure mastery of the standards. Ø Students also work on different levels without any knowledge of where other students may be. This helps eliminate student knowledge of low/medium/high students, but allows the teacher to know who they are quickly.
PROMOTING COMMUNICATION Ø Students can access the program anywhere and from most any device. This leads to communication with parents and others about what the program is and how students use it. Ø At school, students can communicate with each other what aspects of the program they are on and find to be intriguing. Ø Teachers can communicate with students and their parents by showing them their data-driven reports.
RESEARCH EVALUATION Ø On average, schools saw 4 times more growth with ST math than those schools with similar demographics and test scores in their area. Ø An October 2014 West. Ed study found that students in classes that fully implemented the ST Math program had significantly higher mean mathematics scale scores on the CST (California Standards Test) compared to the CST scores of students who did not use ST Math in similar schools.
RESEARCH EVALUATION (CONT. ) Ø The best way to judge this program is by its results. Please watch the following video to see them.
IMPLEMENTATION Ø School personnel will receive initial training for the program from a district educational consultant during pre-planning Ø A school can propose additional onsite training if needed Ø Ongoing support from the regional consultant is always available Ø Technical support is available by phone or email.
IMPLEMENTATION (CONT. ) Ø This program will only be needed in a Coordinate Algebra (9 th grade) or possible an Analytical Geometry (10 th grade) classroom Ø This program will mainly be used for remediation in these classes along with assisting in Instructional Focus classes, Resource classes, and the new Foundations of Algebra classes. Ø One teacher will be chosen from the school to attend the main training for ST Math and then bring it back to the other members of these two grade level teams. Teachers will then be shown how to use the software to help improve their students understanding of missing content. Ø Teachers will continually assess for understanding to ensure that the program is working for what they wish it to work for. Ø Collaboration with content area teachers will ensure that each teacher is using the program to its fullest potential
REFLECTION Ø When I began researching this “new” technology, I felt that it was mainly for students in the elementary and middle grade levels. As I dug a little deeper I realized it could help our lower achieving students to excel at their own pace. Ø This program is designed to be language and writing proof, so if you have a ELL student who is bad with word problems, the program would help them to understand the concept without the language barrier. Ø I intent to use this technology not just for my struggling students, but for any student who feels they have gaps in their math skills. Many students seem to understand most concepts, but know what they truly struggle with and I can assign them those objectives on ST Math and they can work through them at their own pace.
REFLECTION (CONT. ) Ø This is an amazing example of differentiation. 2 -3 times a week, student work on what they are struggling with and at their own pace so that there are no timed centers to move around, but only what they need at the pace they wish to complete it at. Ø Once students get through the “childish” nature of the program, they will learn how helpful the puzzles are in achieve success in mathematics. I believe that once they complete one objective, they will be hooked, as I was. Ø This will be implemented in all Instructional Focus courses, Resource courses, and Foundations of Algebra courses. Even if the students only play 1 -2 times a week, I believe we will see a difference in their understanding and the way they learn. Ø This will be a great program to tell parents about if they feel their child needs remediation and they are not in one of the above classes. Students can sign on at home, take a diagnostics test, and begin learning in a new and challenging way.
TRY IT! • Lets go ahead and explore ST Math. Click on Ji. Ji below to play the demo. Enjoy!
WORKS CITED • Nakamoto, J. , Rice, J. , Wendt, J. , (Oct. 2014). Evaluation of the MIND Research Institute’s Spatial-Temporal Math (ST Math) Program in California. [PDF] Retrieved July 8, 2015 from West. Ed: http: //www. wested. org/wpcontent/files_mf/1415730200 Evaluation_STMath_Program_201411 11. pdf • Madda, M. J. (2015, June 9). Is ST Math All It’s Cracked Up to Be? . Retrieved July 8, 2015, from ed. Surge: https: //www. edsurge. com/n/2015 -0609 -is-st-math-all-it-s-cracked-up -to-be • Mind Research Institute (2015). ST Math. Retrieved July 7, 2015. http: //www. mindresearch. org/stmath/
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