MaTHink Conference: Integrated Mathematics One & ICT (Information & Communication Technology)Presented by

Oghwa Ladner, Ed. D., Stephen Mason, & Alina Saroni, M. A. Hillcrest High School, Alvord Unified School District,

Riverside County, CA (March 1, 2014)1

Objective

• The objective of this workshop is to inform and develop teachers’ understanding about the course, Integrated Mathematics One & ICT (Information and Communication Technology) that is Common Core aligned and “a-g” approved.

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Introducing the presenters of Hillcrest HS, Alvord USD

•Oghwa Ladner, Ed. D.

•Stephen Mason

•Alina Saroni, M. A.

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Needs Assessment

•Who are you?

•What subject/course(s) do you teach?

•What do you wish to understand from this workshop?

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What did we create?

• Created three Common Core aligned and Integrated Pathway’s Math Courses with the CTE sector, Information and Communication Technology (ICT):

1. Integrated Mathematics 1 /ICT

2. Integrated Mathematics 2/ICT

3. Integrated Mathematics 3/ICT

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How were these courses created?

• Develop and support teachers’ capacity in helping them to understand the Integrated Pathways of California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

• Deepen teachers’ skills in creating and teaching units of study through the integration of “a-g” and CTE’s ICT sector in increasing rigor & relevance

• Collaborate within HHS & among Alvord Math PLCs in order to generate significant student achievement

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The Context

• Hillcrest High School’s STEM vision• STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics

• Responding to the STEM vision = aligned to CCSS’ College and Career Readiness Demands1. Developing and upgrading teachers’ STEM content knowledge/skills

2. Increasing teacher motivation to achieve the evolving performance targets of student achievement

3. Removing the organizational barriers by experimenting with new ideas of creating courses that are CC aligned and submit for “a-g” approval

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How were these Courses Developed?

• Applied for a grant: UCOP’s UCCI Pathways grant

• 12 Math teachers and TOSA worked together

• Thanks to the Champions; • HHS principal

• UCCI Staff (Sarah Fidelibus, manager & Katherine Leslie, coordinator) &

• California Dept of Ed’s CTE’s ICT sector consultant(Gary Page)

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Why did we create the course, IM1/ICT?

• To be prepared for the upcoming changes of Common Core Assessments

• To be frontloaded on what rigorous and relevant (RR) units of study is in preparing for students to be college and career ready (CCR)

• To understand what it means to be CCR in terms of creating RR curricula, instruction, and assessments

• To develop teachers’ knowledge and skills

• To increase teachers’ motivational level to embrace the CCSS-M/ICT

• To remove the organizational barriers in adopting the new Integrated Math courses by creating the courses and submitting for “a-g” approval

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What were the Key Components of the Units of Study?

• Course Outline• Course Purpose• Assessments• Assignments• Instructional Strategies – integration of direct instruction and

cognitively guided instruction• Standards (Priority & Supporting)• Integration of Standards for Mathematical Practice• Integration of ICT, writing, & digital media for student demonstrations • Integration of technology in teaching and learning

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Course Purpose14

Course Outline15

Key Assignments16

Assessments 17

Instructional Methods/Strategies

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SCRATCH PROGRAMMING LANGUAGEwww.scratch.mit.edu

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Getting students to code.  What are the options?

• Java• C• C++• Python• Other LanguagesThese options require strictobservance of syntax and structure.

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Why is Scratch a Good Choice to Introduce Coding?

• Drag & Drop

• Visual

• Ease of use

• Online Community

• Quick Learning Curve

• Long Learning Curve (simple to complex)

• Programming ideas comes before syntax

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How it has been applied at Hillcrest High School?

• All freshmen are exposed to coding with Scratch regardless of what math course they are taking

• Our Integrated Mathematics Courses (3 years) all have Scratch imbedded in them

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What Scratch Projects do they do?

• Finance Calculator

• Create drawing programs

• Exponential growth of money

• Buying and selling simulations

• Creating and Playing Music

• 3 - 5 Programming Projects per year

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How Scratch Works – A Brief Introduction

• There are groups of scripts, costumes (sprites), and sounds.• There are 9 standard blocks and then you

can create your own.

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One Example:The Operators Block 25

How are we implementing the course?

• Math teachers teach the Math content. A Computer Science teacher video tapes the Scratch sessions. As the Math teacher s play the recorded video clips, the students follow directions on completing the assignments.

• Ongoing bi-monthly PD sessions are in place to cognitively plan IM1/ICT lessons

• For Hillcrest HS, three Math teachers have implemented the course, IM1/ICT from 2013-14. For 2014-15, IM2/ICT will be also implemented for tenth graders.

• One other high school’s Math teachers are teaching IM1/ICT in 2013-14.• Two other high schools will be offering IM1/ICT from 2014-15.

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How is it?

• The work takes a lot of hard work and persistent perseverance of Math and Computer Science teachers in implementing the course.

• It is messy, very challenging, and complex; yet, the teachers are persisting and collaborating.

• The site principal and district administrators are supportive in providing the PD sessions.

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Challenges and Opportunities

Celebrations• Students are being introduced to

programming• Some students who do below

average in math accelerate in programming (self esteem)

• With the finance calculator ,some students realized the cost of interest

• We have a superintendent , director, & principal who support Integrated Math with programming

Challenges• Teachers are adapting slowly and

consistently.

• Teachers are using curriculum that has already been created to teach the programming.  

• We are beginning to see teachers learn with the students and teachers are learning to program themselves.  In one example we couldn’t pull the math teachers away from Scratch.  They were trying to program exponents.

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What were the Key Components of the Units of Study?

• Course Outline• Course Purpose• Assessments• Assignments• Instructional Strategies – integration of direct instruction and

cognitively guided instruction• Standards (Priority & Supporting)• Integration of Standards for Mathematical Practice• Integration of ICT, writing, & digital media for student demonstrations • Integration of technology in teaching and learning

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What next?

• Creating lessons of IM1/ICT

• Providing lesson study opportunities

• Continuing the ongoing, department-wide, and meaningful PD

• Create other Integrated courses with ICT

• Helping students to receive ICT certifications before exiting the HHS

• Seeking out ICT industry partners within Inland Empire

• Reaching out to the local community colleges and other post-secondary higher education institutions

• Synthesizing purposeful and rigorous capstone courses for college and career readiness

• Celebrating students’ culminating projects with community members

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Questions and Answers

Are there any questions?

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Closure

•Did we attain our objectives?

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Thank you!

•Thank you for attending this session:

Integrated Math 1/ICT!

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