How the TI-Nspire document model can

change the way we teach Mathematics

Andy Kemp

Friday 27th February 200910:15 – 11:15Session: 015

Who am I?Who am I?

• Head of Mathematics at Taunton School, UK– Independent co-educational school for ages 2-18+– Teaches the IGCSE, A-levels and the IB

• Previously taught Maths and ICT• Technology enthusiast!

UK to US Glossary UK to US Glossary

• GCSEs– Sat at age 16– Students typically sit 9-10 GCSE (in single subjects)– 5 GCSEs at grade C is supposedly equivalent to

High School Diploma

• A-level & IB– Sat at age 18– Broadly equivalent to AP

TI-NspireTI-Nspire

What makes the TI-Nspire What makes the TI-Nspire different?different?

• There are many features of the TI-Nspire that make it different from the TI-84, TI-92 etc.– Natural Display technology– Multiple representations– Data & Statistics Display– Spreadsheetsand...– Document Model...

What is the Document Model?What is the Document Model?

• The document model enables the user to save and open documents in exactly the same way as they would using something like a word-processor...

• But how could this be useful?

Uses?Uses?

• Continuing work between lessons• Flash Cards/Revision• Worked Examples• Pre-prepared Activities• Investigations

• Lets have a look at some examples...

Continuing Work between Continuing Work between LessonsLessons

Flash CardsFlash Cards

Tom Reardon – Study_Cards_Parabola_Equations.tns

Worked ExamplesWorked Examples

Tom Reardon – Quadratic_Formula.tns

Pre-Prepared ActivitiesPre-Prepared Activities

TI Math – Alg1Week15_Slope.tns

InvestigationsInvestigations

CompassTech - Vince Geiger – Act14_ChickenRun.tns

InstructionsInstructions

Tom Reardon – Factoring_1_GCF.tns

Quizzes & QuestionsQuizzes & Questions

Andy Kemp – Guessthegraph.tns

Something Old...Something Old...

You can also create TI-Nspire documents from other file types...

LearnCheck FilesLearnCheck Files

The Computer version can also convert LearnCheck (.edc) files into quizzes for the TI-Nspire

SATMT01.edc AP Calculus Questions – TPRAPCA01.tns

TI-Nspire Teacher Edition.lnk

GeometryGeometry

• You can convert Cabri Geometry files into TI-Nspire files by opening them on the computer version of the software:

Circumcircle.fig

TI-Nspire Teacher Edition.lnk

How to build a Document?How to build a Document?

• In the next few minutes we will demonstrate the process of creating a document that could be used in the classroom.

TopicAngles in a Cyclic Quadrilateral

TI-Nspire Teacher Edition.lnk

How does this change our How does this change our Teaching?Teaching?

• Less photocopied worksheets!• Less time required to get students to create

the environment you want them to work in• More time spent of the Maths! Less on the

technology...

Instructions included...Instructions included...

• Because of the addition of the seemingly innocuous Notes page, we can now create entirely self contained activities.

• These can present a task, explain how to complete it, give the student a pre-constructed environment to complete the task in and then test their understanding... All without any need for a printed sheet or textbook

Photocopies...Photocopies...

• This means the end to the pre-printed instruction sheets that are so common to current graphical calculators because we can embed the instructions in the task itself

MicroworldsMicroworlds

• One of the significant, but not often spoken of benefits of the document approach is that it enable us as educators to create ‘microworlds’.

• A ‘microworld’ is the idea that we limit our domain of interest to small subset of functions, so we can build an environment for students to explore, that is rich in mathematical content.

MicroworldsMicroworlds

• By working with premade documents we can build an environment which will focus students’ attention on a particular topic.

• Students can then explore this environment in a controlled or more open manner.

• My experience with this is that students seem to be much more focused when working on a document and are less prone to distraction.

Example of a MicroworldExample of a Microworld

Andy Kemp – BinomialExpansion.tns

Example of a MicroworldExample of a Microworld

Steve Arnold – Quads.tns

More time for Maths!More time for Maths!

• Say you want to do some statistical work analysing some data on your graphical calculator, you don’t want students to spend 5-10mins entering the data...

• Maybe you are doing some geometry and you want students to explore a complex construction – do you always want them to spend the time constructing it themselves

World Data.tns

More time for Maths!More time for Maths!

• You are doing an investigation into transformations of graphs. The students could draw the graphs one by one, or you could give them a construction using sliders...

• You want to explore some random stochastic processes, you could get them to generate random numbers or write a program or you could give them a fully constructed learning environment... Nelson Sousa – Galton’s Bean Machine.tns

Time for everything...Time for everything...

• Obviously there will still be times when you just want students to use the calculator like any other calculator and have no interest in the storing the results for another time...

• But sometimes there will occasions when your focus will be more on the Maths and less on the use of the technology and it is here that the document model comes into its own!

The future?The future?• I can foresee the day when we start to move

away from the textbook as the focus of our curriculum which we hang other resources around...

• Instead having a scheme of work which is based around a series of calculator documents which can be arranged to form a coherent and flexible curriculum

• In fact I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few commercially available packages in the next few years...

Distribution MethodsDistribution Methods

• This however leaves one key issue with this document model is the question of how we get the documents to the students (and in some cases back again!)

• Thankfully there are various methods of distribution available depending upon budgets!

Computer DistributionComputer Distribution

• Files can be built on the computer version of the software

• Then use the ‘Computer Link’ software to transfer the file to each handheld.

• Good for small classes

Viral DistributionViral Distribution

• If you have the file on one handheld then you can copy it to another handheld...

• I copy the file to the first calculator in a row and then get them to send it along the line.

Connect to ClassConnect to Class• ‘Connect to Class’ enables

you to install some software on you computer and then connect up to 8 (or 16 with two kits) to connect at the same time

• Enables the distribution & collection of files to multiple users at the same time

• Enables upgrading of OS on multiple handhelds at the same time.

TI-NavigatorTI-Navigator

• Wireless connection for a whole class of calculators

• Enables the distribution & collection of files

• Enables the viewing of the whole classes handheld screens

• Quick PollsComing soon...

Sources of Premade ActivitiesSources of Premade Activities• TI-Math

– http://timath.com• TI-Nspire Google Group

– http://groups.google.com/group/tinspire• Stephen Arnold’s website

– http://compasstech.com.au/TNSINTRO/• Tom Reardon’s website

– http://www.tomreardon.com/ti_nspire_info.htm• Nelson Sousa’s website

– http://www.nelsonsousa.pt/index.php?lang=en• Activity Exchange

– http://education.ti.com/educationportal/activityexchange/– http://education.ti.com/educationportal/activityexchange/

BrowseBySubject.do?cid=UK

Thanks!Thanks!

• This presentation and associated files are available for download from:

http://www.1kemp.co.uk/tinspire