Learn by Doing in Higher Ed

Back in February, I was asked to join my colleague Stacey Lindes, at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), as a guest speaker for an undergraduate Elementary Mathematics Education class.  The topic was ‘How to Integrate the SMART Board’ and instead of just lecturing we wanted to have a “learn by doing” session.  The students were informed prior to our class, to download SMART Notebook Software.  I had a couple example techniques created ahead of time for the students to engage, then we deconstructed each activity.  Below are the activities; first is a YouTube video tutorial on how to build a Pacman-styled Greater Than, Less Than, or Equal To Activity, then two screenshots of other activities:

Layering technique

Layering technique

Erase to Reveal strategy

Erase to Reveal strategy

Here is a link to the entire Notebook file: click here

 

After going through examples we then turned them loose, by grade levels, to create activities which they could then take into their observation classrooms to use with students.  It was exciting to circle the room and hear the ideas discussed, the sharing of discoveries, and their designs of curricular integrations.

Plus it was cool to see some students creating with a touch screen laptop. After our session, the professor had the students write feedback for us. Stacey and I met to reflect on their thoughts, here is what we recorded:

2015-03-04

I look forward to hopefully being invited back next semester!

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