Blog Assignment July 17
Interdisciplinary Teaching and Learning
One of the benefits of teaching as a second career is I have many programming and engineering applications I have use in my classroom. This has been invaluable answering the incessant whine “When are we ever going to use this?”. I believe students are more vested and engaged when they can see the impact and importance of what they are learning. A topic covered in multiple disciplines carries more weight with my students. Math seems theoretical until they have a realistic application to which they can apply what they learn.
Functions are covered in both Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. I have used cryptography as a real world application of functions (Algebra 1) and inverse functions (Algebra 2). Cryptography is the science of secure communication - codes, ciphers, security encryption. Encryption demonstrates the concept that a function assigns one output value for each input. I use a linear equation to mimic a private key encryption method. Deciphering requires students to find the inverse of the function. (I use my own experience and information for the activities which are on my work computer, but I found this essay that has a lot of good information http://www.ridex.co.uk/cryptology/#_Toc439908860 )
Another interdisciplinary topic I’ve used is binary code/assembly language to deepen understanding of number sense and place value as well as evaluating equations. We have an amazing physics and teacher at CHS who has built a robotics program - both classroom and extra-curricular. Students program their robots to accomplish different tasks. Binary code and assembly language can show how what they program communicates with their robots.
Hey Michelle!
ReplyDeleteIf I had the opportunity to do so, I would love to take a day and come watch you teach the cryptography lesson. I think it is a very insightful way to functions. As self-explanatory as functions can be, some students do tend to confuse it with relations. Videotape it for me :)
Oh, and thanks for your response to my blog :) The students come into my class with the idea that anything having to do with percentages is solved with the formula of 'is/of'.. wrong! So, in hopes to break that, I have them chant the 'percent of is' to replace their prior knowledge, however, it isn't introduced to them until there is the conceptual understanding of percentages, proportions, and fractions. It is hard to explain through typing, but I can tell you more about it latasss. Have a great trip and see you when you get back!