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Flexible,
Interactive Workbooks to Enhance Understanding
in Maths |
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School:
South Hunsley School, East Yorkshire |
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Fellow: Rob Simpson |
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Email: rob.simpson@shunsley.eril.net |
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The Aims of the
Project |
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There is a lot of software about for enhancing
the teaching of mathematics. Whilst some of
this software can be very good, most of it
can be restrictive in the way it is used.
Teachers often find themselves planning a
lesson around a piece of software, rather
than planning a lesson around the learning
objectives and using ICT to enhance the lesson.
This project focuses on creating resources
for use in the classroom that will be flexible
and interactive. Microsoft Excel is the basis
for all of the resources. There are a number
of advantages to using Excel. Firstly almost
all schools already have Excel running on
all of their computers, so no extra cost is
needed. Excel is ideal for looking at number
and data handling work, it is also possible
to produce workbooks to investigate certain
aspects of algebra and shape and space. Finally
it is possible to create professional looking
software easily using some of the basic features
of Excel and using macros without much experience
of Visual Basic. |
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The project is split into two main sections.
The first is aimed at creating classroom ready
resources that are flexible and interactive.
It is hoped that each workbook will have a
number of uses over a range of ages and abilities
and that they can enhance the learning of
students in the classroom. |
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The second section is aimed
at empowering teachers to create their own
interactive resources using Excel. This will
be done through training, an Excel toolbox
and interactive tutorial |
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The Project So Far |
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I believe that the project has been very
successful up to this point, though it has
not followed the exact proposal. I have created
all of the interactive workbooks for use in
the classroom and have tested them all with
my own classes. These seem to have been successful,
with most students finding the resources helpful
in demonstrating concepts. |
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I have also created an Excel
toolbox and interactive tutorial to enable
teachers to produce their own interactive
workbooks. This has been popular with teachers
that are used to using Excel, who found it
easy to follow. However, those teachers less
confident with ICT found these resources less
useful. |
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I have produced a CD ROM containing
all of these resources. The CD uses a web
based front end to give users information
about the project and to navigate around the
resources. So far 75 CD’s have been
produced and distributed at various training
sessions and events. |
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A major part of the project
is to deliver training on both the use of
the classroom ready resources and the creation
of similar resources. I delivered my first
training session to a group of maths teachers
from the four schools in a consortium, including
my own school. This training was delivered
in two sections. The first section looked
at using the classroom resources and the second
at creating an interactive workbook from scratch. |
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The first session was very
successful, with feedback being very positive.
The delegates were all given CD’s and
were very positive about the resources and
the format of the training. The second session
was less successful however. The delegates
with less experience with Excel found the
pace of the session too fast, though some,
with more confidence, just followed the tutorial
on the CD and created their workbook quickly.
This section of the training will need a rethink! |
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Tony Shepherd, a regional coordinator
for the NCETM attended the training session
and through this I was invited to speak at
two NCETM launch events in the North East.
I took the opportunity to also go into a local
school, St Wilfrid’s in South Shields,
to deliver more training. The two launch events
were very successful and generated a lot of
interest in the project. I was also able to
distribute more CD’s at these events. |
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The training at St Wilfrid’s
went well and was in a different format to
the previous training. The staff could not
all be released at the same time, so I spoke
to 2-3 staff for one hour at a time, demonstrating
the resources and giving ideas for their use.
I pointed out the tutorial section, but did
not deliver training on it. Some of the staff
that had used Excel for demonstration in the
classroom before thought that this would be
helpful. One teacher from the school had already
adapted one of my workbooks before I left.
I also demonstrated the use of the resources
by teaching a class using them. This was observed
by some of the maths staff at the school.
This proved very successful as the staff felt
more confident in using the resources after
seeing how they could be used. |
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A lot of interest has been
generated in the project through the grapevine
and the NCETM events. I will be running a
workshop at the Mathematical Association Conference
in April as a result of this interest. I have
also had requests to deliver training to ITT
students at both Hull and Newcastle Universities. |
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How Things Have
Changed |
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The project hasn’t followed
the initial proposal exactly. Firstly, the
funding has been used on different things!
I had initially budgeted for a laptop, projector
and portable interactive whiteboard. However
all of these were made available from my school.
Instead, the funding so far has been spent
on cover for me to have time for resource
development and for delivering training, materials
for producing CD’s and the Maths Association
Conference. |
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The rest of the funding will
be spent on professional production of CD’s
and possibly setting up a website, along with
further cover for delivering training. |
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Initially I had planned to
just deliver training to the schools in our
consortium and to the Hull University ITT
students. This has now got bigger and the
idea is now to deliver more workshops around
the country. I had planned to review the use
of the resources in schools, but have not
received any feedback yet! I now plan to actively
seek feedback from the schools I have delivered
training to! |
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Overall, the project has become
much bigger than it was meant to be due to
the interest it has generated. |
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The Next Step |
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There are four main stages
remaining in this project, Production of CD’s,
delivering training, dissemination and review. |
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I am hoping to produce in the
region of 500 – 750 CD’s depending
on cost. These will be given to delegates
at training workshops and elsewhere to generate
interest. It is important that these CD’s
look professional so that people will take
the time to look at them! |
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I am hoping to go into schools
and deliver workshop sessions and sample lessons
similar to the visit to St Wilfrid’s.
I have had some interest from a school in
Lancashire. I am also going to go into Hull
University and hopefully Newcastle University
to deliver workshops to the ITT trainees.
I will be running a workshop at the Maths
Association Conference, which might also generate
further possibilities. |
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Dissemination will be achieved
through the workshops. However to reach a
wider audience, I will send CD’s to
some schools and make the materials available
on the internet, possibly on a website that
I set up, otherwise on my school’s website.
I will then send emails to school’s
and universities with ITT programmes with
links to the web site. |
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Finally I hope to receive feedback
about the resources and training sessions.
This will enable me to review the project
and determine it’s success. From experience
it appears that I will have to actively seek
feedback. I hope to include a feedback section
on the web pages. The feedback received will
enable me to review and improve the resources
and the training. |
