IT - Creating innovative pathwaysfor Maths education

Keynote addressBy

Dr(Mrs) Y.G ParthasarathyDean & Director of PSBB Group of Schools

forHeyMath! Principals’ Conclave, Chennai Oct 31, 2006

IT – way of life!

“The benefit of information technology is that it lets people be creative and productive. It lets people learn things they did not think they could learn before and so in a sense it is all about potential.”

- Steve Ballmer

What is HeyMath?

• Innovative technology based e-learning system, which

– Complements work of Maths teachers in teaching & assessment

– Enhances student’s understanding of Maths concepts

– Develops critical thinking & problem solving skills

– Encourages students to become independent learners

– Reduces the tuition dependence/obsession

Implementation in PSBB Group of schools

• Introduced on 1st Sep 2004 for classes VI to IX

• Integrated into the curriculum for classes IX, X in 2005-06

• 2006-07 – Classes VI to X have access to Heymath at home & school

Use of IT in Math education

Animated resources

• Step by step constructions can be viewed

• Allows for retracing of steps• Saves time and effort in

delivery by teachers• Lends itself to self learning• Concept can be taught online

Interactive learning methods…

• Different tools like drag & drop, filling in numbers, enhance student participation, creativity

• Self deduction of facts & results leads to better retention

“Tell me and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember. Involve me, and I'll understand”

- A Native American Saying

Visual illustrations of “word problems”

• Helps in understanding the problem clearly • Explains which math concept is linked to the particular problem• Students can visualise the solution, understand the method

applied and then proceed to solving it the traditional way

Interactive questioning techniques

• Students are exposed to multiple styles of questioning• Improves analytical thinking• Play-way method motivates students disinclined to maths

Abstract concepts explained through visual perception

• 3D shapes and activity oriented topics are best understood through animated demonstration

What HeyMath! offers to the teachers

• Set of animated resources – Interactive Online Lessons

• Aligned to CBSE curriculum

• Explains abstract concepts with visual illustrations

• Saves time in lesson preparation, instruction delivery

• Question banks to issue worksheets/additional practice

• Easy to use tools to create e-lessons on specific concepts

• Online forum for student – teacher interaction

• Individual student’s usage of HeyMath can be monitored

… and to the Students

• Exposes them to multiple styles of questioning,methodologies

• Provides scope for independent learning

• Voice enabled lessons for self learning

• Visual representation enhances understanding

• Revision/practice through online home-work & tests

• Topic oriented games & puzzles

• Provides enrichment through non-routine challenging questions

HeyMath! & PSBB – the growth trail

• HeyMath is now in full use for two years.

• Periodic meetings & reviews have led to updation, customization of content

• Periodic training of teachers on new features has resulted in increased & better usage both for teaching & assessment.

• Feedback from students, teachers and parents has been positive

• “Mathematics was rather mechanical & un attractive. HeyMath! changed it for me!” – Ramnandan, Student PSBB TP Road

• Maths teacher Durga Chandrasekar says “Most HeyMath! lessons come in 3-D animation, so it's easier to teach and fun to learn. Students also begin questioning a lot; teaching the subject has become easier”.

• Sumedha Biswas, a PSBB Nungambakkam student: “When you see things happening in front of you on a screen, you understand them better. Maths just springs to life”

BBC Online News: PSBB's views on HeyMath!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/5203440.stm

What Next?

• HeyMath! is a growing venture with scope for improvement by incorporating experiences & suggestions from users

• It can be more effectively used, if it is completely aligned with the CBSE syllabus, for examination purposes

• Question bank can be suitably updated

• More maths lab activities need to be included

"Learning is like rowing upstream: not to advance is to drop back." - Chinese Saying

Thank you