Blog 3.5 Extra Credit

Blayne Allen

Blog Submission 3.5

Extra Credit Assignment

Secondary Setting-Grade 7-12

Website One:

Mathway.Com

According to the website, “Mathway provides students with the tools they need to understand and solve their math problems. With hundreds of millions of problems already solved, Mathway is the #1 problem solving resource available for students, parents, and teachers.”

Mathway is a website that requires a fee for users to access the full functionality of the website. Their software is accessible through either a mobile or desktop interface. The software is easy to use and relatively self-explanatory. Users self select the topic they wish to cover which then changes the interface of the website. The user then enters the problem or equation into the website, and a fully detailed and worked solution is provided. Mathway explains each step and the mathematical concepts behind the solution.

Mathway covers the following topics, which is why I believe it is best suited for secondary students. However, Mathway could be useful in post secondary settings as well:

·      Basic Math

·      Pre Algebra

·      Algebra

·      Geometry

·      Trigonometry

·      Pre Calc

·      Calculus

·      Statistics
Finite Math

·      Linear Algebra

·      Chemistry

Skills students need to use the website are:

            A basic understanding of the kind of equation they are working with

            A basic understanding of the kind of solution they desire

            Comprehension of mathematical symbols, printed text, and the English Language

            A valid credit or debit card in order to pay for the subscription

I believe Mathway is best suited for secondary students because of its design and functionality. The website and mobile application are straightforward and frill free. The plain design makes it easy to digest the information presented, however, due to the advanced explanations provided users must have an understating of higher level mathematical concepts.

The only function of the website that I do not find useful is their chat based support. Responses often take a long time, and sometimes issues are unable to be resolved. However, if that could be fixed the website could prove to be a very valuable resource.

Website Two:
Khan Academy

“A personalized learning resource for all ages”

According to the website, “Khan Academy offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. We tackle math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Our math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. We've also partnered with institutions like NASA, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.”

This website is run through donations: notable donors include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, AT&T Foundation, Google, The Walt Disney Company, and the Heinz Family Foundation. Khan Academy is a critically acclaimed website that provides instructional material for a variety of topics including mathematics. While the website offers instructionals for all age levels I believe it is best suited for secondary students because of the amount of information they have on algebra, trig, and calculus.

Students must be able to:

            Learn visually, most of the instructional are graphic heavy

            Be able to listen to vocal instructional that are paired with graphic demonstrations

            Navigate through a sometimes complex website interface

            Have broadband Internet access in order to watch video based explanations

Once learners have navigated to the appropriate section they are able to access tutorials, explanations, and examples to a variety of topics. The website is designed thematically, so there are large umbrella topics that then lead learners to specific concepts. One aspect I find especially appealing is that Khan Academy offers a holistic explanation of each topic and how it relates to real world applications. The best part of the website is that is has great visual appeal, and is easy to navigate. The quality of instruction is actually really high; I found some tutorials to be more useful than experiences in a traditional classroom setting.

I think Khan Academy is a great way to augment traditional learning, however, I do not feel that is powerful enough to stand as its own instructional source for upper level material.

Website Three:

Purple Math

Purple Math was founded by Elizabeth Staple in 1998 as a personal website that included math help for her students. She noticed that as she added more material her website traffic and popularity increased. As of 2012 the website was seeing two million unique users each month. Elizabeth Staple has her Masters degree in Mathematics and Purple Math is referenced by a variety of instructors across all grade levels.

Purple Math covers the following topics:
Pre Algebra

Algebra I

Geometry

Algebra II

Students must be able to:

            Read through lengthy explanations

            Be able to understand explanations that do not show full work

            Be able to understand material without a plethora of graphic support

The website is best for those in secondary settings. The information provided is not that in-depth, and covers more basic mathematical concepts. I think that this website would really benefit from a design overhaul. It is unattractive and incredibly wordy. For many learners complicating an already confusing topic with an overabundance of text is not helpful. Explanations and examples are limited in scope, and there is no way to apply skills or do self-checks. I cannot recommend this website for full instruction, but it may be helpful for aiding students in their understanding of basic concepts.

Website Four:

SOS Mathematics

According to the website, “

S.O.S. MATHematics is your free resource for math review material from Algebra to Differential Equations! The perfect study site for high school, college students and adult learners. Get help to do your homework, refresh your memory, prepare for a test. Users can browse our more than 2,500 Math pages filled with short and easy-to-understand explanations. SOS Mathematics offers information on the following subjects:

·      Algebra

·      Trigonometry

·      Calculus

·      Differential Equations

·      Complex Variables

·      Matrix Algebra

·      Mathematical Tables

SOS Mathematics is at the bottom of the list as far as quality of instruction, website design, and overall functionality are concerned. The website is ad based, so that intrudes on the learning environment. Explanations and worked examples are provided, however, they are done at the basic level. Wordiness is a problem, and there are few graphic examples available.

Users must be able to:
            Digest wordy descriptions and instructions

            Navigate through a dated user interface

            Understand basic concepts and build upon them

            Avoid distraction by advertisements and links to other websites

SOS Mathematics could make a variety of improvements in order to attract learners. They need to build a larger collection of information for learners to access. The concepts provided are done at a basic level, and may not be helpful in figuring out higher level and applied problems.