Ideal Math Education Technology in the Digital Age
May 31, 2012
We have entered an era in which the use of technology in math education is increasing exponentially. No technology can ever replace a good teacher. All technology, no matter how good, must be viewed as a supplement. Some supplements are superior to others, and these are the technologies we must use and in which we must invest. Here I list eight characteristics of optimal math education technology.
Robotics, STEM, and Ethics
March 24, 2012
The US has invested billions of dollars into the robotics industry. While this may be the most immediate way to create new technologies, a more effective though longer-term approach would be to invest in education and focus on retaining more students in the maths and sciences. In addition to getting more kids interested and skilled in STEM, we need morals and ethics to keep pace with our burgeoning robotics industry so that future generations of scientists grow up as critical and ethical thinkers.
Algebra & Technology: So many options…which to choose?
February 6, 2012
The conference “Why Algebra Matters and How Technology Can Help” was a joint effort between the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and Stanford University. Ten technology executives each gave a five-minute presentation on the technological products they offer that help facilitate student learning. But I sensed competition rather than collaboration. Must technology necessarily compete against each other and grapple for educators’ attention at conferences and other events like these? Or, is there a way to synergistically combine these available resources into one highly effective medium of instruction?