technology
Automaticity in programming and math
Posted by David Wees on Apr 23, 2012
I've been learning how to program for a long time, a task that has much in common with mathematics. Both programming and mathematics involve being able to solve problems. Some of the problems in programming and mathematics have well established solutions and other problems do not. On a micro-level, programming involves manipulating code, a task much like the symbolic manipulation often used in mathematics. On a macro-level, programmers and mathematicians both need to be able to trouble-shoot, organize, and communicate their solutions.
Sample code:
The language of technology
Posted by David Wees on Apr 5, 2012
Technology has a language, a history, and it shapes our culture. While the focus of this article is on the language of technology apparent in Microsoft Word, every technology we use has similar traits.
Check out the "ribbon" (or menu bar) of Microsoft Word.
How does technology affect us?
Posted by David Wees on Mar 8, 2012
I'm presenting this morning to our 5th grade students on technology. My objective is to get them thinking about how we define technology, and how in some cases, technology defines us.
Presentation: Where is the technology?
Posted by David Wees on Feb 13, 2012
Here are the slides for a presentation I did at the University of Alberta Technology Fair.
30 tech tools in 30 minutes
Posted by David Wees on Jun 23, 2011
This is a presentation I created for a staff meeting tomorrow.
Blended Learning: The Importance of Face to Face contact
Posted by David Wees on Feb 7, 2011
Here's a great story (shared on the Huffington post) about a student who is attending his school remotely, through a robot. Watch the video below.
Mumbo Jumbo
Posted by David Wees on Feb 1, 2011
Algebra is just mumbo jumbo to most people. Seriously.
If you asked 100 high school graduates to explain how algebra works, and why it works, I'd guess that 99% of them couldn't, not in sufficient detail to show that they really deeply understand it. Remember that I am talking about high school graduates, so these people have almost certainly had many years of algebra and algebraic concepts taught to them. Most of these people will only be able to give you some of the rules of algebra at best, and some of them don't even remember that much.
This isn't using technology
Posted by David Wees on Jan 31, 2011
First, thanks to @fnoschese for finding this video.
"Crucial part of our learning"
Posted by David Wees on Jan 28, 2011
So today I returned a laptop that a student had forgotten at school to a student during our homeroom. Two of his friends were standing nearby and expressed their shock that he would be so careless with his laptop.
Student 1: "How could you be so careless with your laptop? It's a crucial part of our learning!"
Student 2: "It's our main tool for school!"
The students obviously recognize the value of the laptops for their education. Why don't more educators?
Disclaimer: The ideas discussed on this blog are my own, and in no way represent those of my employer.
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