Graphing Google
Now you can plot mathematical functions right on the search result page. Just type in a function and you’ll see an interactive graph on the top of the search results page.
Source: googleforstudents.blogspot.com
Ban Calculators?
Just catching up on last week’s reading and found the Conservative’s latest idea from the NC Review. Banning calculators in early years of Primary school.
As someone planning a one device per child school you’d think I’d be up in arms. But I teach maths. And most pupils arrive at our school aged 11 and don’t know their times tables. And it genuinely does hold them back for the rest of their mathematical (and general) lives. Technology is wonderful, but basic literacy and numeracy skills are still vital and will be for the foreseeable future.
What do you think?
Digital game based learning: Minecraft maths
Why didn’t I think of this?
Exploring 3D shapes in Maths using Minecraft.
Brilliant.
Source: gamebased
The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is at Portrack House, near Dumfries in South West Scotland. It is a private garden created by Charles Jencks. The garden is inspired by science and mathematics, with sculptures and landscaping on these themes, such as Black Holes and Fractals.
(via therationalradical)
Source: reckon.posterous.com
Excellent Online Graphing Calculator
The team at Desmos.com have released a fantastic online graphing calculator that draws graphs as you type - it’s brilliantly clear and responsive and will be a fantastic free tool to use in the classroom.
This tool will be part of the wider Desmos suite of software which aims to allow teachers to share and create quality content online. The software looks to be designed in the vein of Interactive Whiteboard Software that comes bundled with Smart & Promethean boards, but it will be free and will make sharing your ‘whiteboards’ online easy. I’ve just received a beta invite for the software so will report back when I’ve had time to play around with it.
Assistant Headteacher from Manchester, UK. This is a space for my thoughts on education, technology and more. Has for now taken over from my old blog at www.mrstucke.com
