A Second Language - Developing Presentation Skills in STEM Students
My students need the capabilities of an Apple Pencil and new generation iPad in order to develop the proper presentation skills to convey abstract mathematical concepts fluently.
My current students are Advanced Algebra II, PreCalculus, and Calculus students. These students are future members of professions within STEM fields. Much like their predecessors, they are mathematically gifted but often lack the ability to easily convey their knowledge to others.
Through the use of the iPad and Apple Pencil, I hope to help students develop the presentation skills needed to convey mathematical solutions fluently.
To be successful in a STEM field, one needs to not only be mathematically competent but able to convey information to others with ease.
My Project
We often find in STEM fields that students possess the mathematical ability to be successful in the field but often lack the necessary social and presentation skills to convey the knowledge they possess. The goal of "A Second Language: Developing Presentation Skills in STEM Students" is to help students achieve the ability to fluently convey difficult mathematical concepts.
The new generation iPad and Apple Pencil will allow students to unlock their ability to present difficult mathematical concepts fluently.
The students enrolled in advanced mathematics courses participate in a flipped classroom environment. This means that they view lectures and complete notes as homework and work problems in class. This environment allows students to collaborate on real-world application problems during class time.
Each section within the unit has application problems that are real-world in context and apply the objectives and concepts taught within the section. Each table of students within the classroom is assigned one or more application problems from the section.
Once the table has come up with a solution they must then create a presentation of their solution. It is now that students will experience the true impact of the iPad and Apple Pencil. Using the new generation iPad and Apple Pencil, they will create a short screen recording explaining and demonstrating their solution to the application problem. These recordings will be uploaded to YouTube for other class members to view and study for the upcoming unit exam.
Application problems will not only be graded based upon accuracy of solutions but also upon presentation. In developing future members of STEM fields, we strive to not only teach mathematics but the ability to convey mathematics.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Brannan and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
