The Function of Videos f (V) in the Math Class

From LIS5313

by Ana Leon

Math and Its Branches and Math-related Words

[edit] Introduction

Math headache. A heat-sensor's view of what Algebra does to my head by grapefruitmoon[1]

Math is a difficult subject to teach as it involves abstract concepts that are not so easily understood by everybody. The negative reaction of students to the subject varies from a little discomfort to anxiety. Math anxiety in students results in conceptual barriers that make it harder, if not impossible, to understand the concept as stated by Robert Siegler, Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and quoted by Cavanagh (2007). In an article written by Bower (2001), he outlines the experiments conducted by Mark H. Ashcraft and Elizabeth P. Kirk, both psychologists at Cleveland (Ohio) State University that showed that math anxiety affected the “working memory” required to work on math problems mentally. This greatly impairs the ability of students to learn math, making an already difficult subject even harder to learn.

Videos in the classroom can be used as a strategy to help students overcome math anxiety and/or facilitate learning math. The videos, for the purpose of this paper, are short, usually between 5 to 15 minutes long. They are not intended to replace the class lecture but to supplement it. In this paper, they are categorized into two: digital stories and instructional videos. Digital stories on mathematical concepts include real-life applications but may or may not attempt to show how a particular equation can be solved. An example of this is the Pythagorean Theorem from the Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling web site of the University of Houston's College of Education. The main purpose of this type of video is to show how math is relevant in the things we see around us. The instructional videoson the other hand explain how to solve a specific mathematical problem.

[edit] Digital Stories

According to Diaz and Fields, “a digital story is a story told using some combination of digital still images, video clips, voiceover narrative, and music " (Diaz & Fields 2007 p 131). It allows the storyteller to share with his audience stories about an important someone, something or event in his/her life. For more information on digital stories see section on Creating Digital Stories on Mathematical Concepts.

Students have to write a story before they can determine what resources to use in the production of their digital story. Writing a Story by LeeBrimelow[2]

In an telephone interview with Dr. Bernard Robin, Assistant Professor of Instructional Techonology at the University of Houston, College of Education, he stated that young people are media-oriented and the prospect of creating a digital story serves as a great motivational tool. Creating a digital story allows the students to polish their writing skills since they have to write the story before they can work on the images to use with it. This is evident in an article written by Banaszewski (2002), where surveys showed that the number of students in his class who viewed themselves as writers increased from sixty percent at the beginning of the school year to ninety-nine percent after a class project involving the creation of a digital story. In the Place Project, the students were asked to choose a place where they could be themselves and create a digital story to show what that place meant to them. Dr. Robin also mentioned that creating a digital story gives students the opportunity to learn about something in depth and the information used to create the story is retained better than data obtained by reading or listening to a lecture about it. He also added that it is easy to connect to a digital story and anyone who can use a computer can become a digital storyteller. When asked about creating digital stories on mathematical concepts, Dr. Robin admitted that it is not easy to create digital stories on topics involving math and science. Examples of digital stories on mathematical conceptscan be found in the Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling of the University of Houston’s College of Education web site. Although the creation of digital stories in itself is a great learning experience for students, this paper explores the use of digital stories in the math classroom to enhance learning and promote understanding of mathematical concepts.

[edit] Instructional Videos

Instructional videos explain mathematical concepts. Calculus 2 Rules by kalebdf [3]

Instructional videos are either created commercially by companies catering to the educational sector or by a teacher for a specific topic. These videos typically show how to work on a mathematical equation similar to how it is done in a classroom. Some teachers who create their own videos add their personal touch making the videos different. Prof. Larry Perez of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California created one such series. What makes the videos Prof. Perez creates unique is the introduction of a second person in the video, a student named Charlie who the professor interacts with. In reality, the student is the professor himself. In a telephone interview with Prof. Perez, he explains that the use of a second person gives the viewer a “safe” place. The viewer is not the one being lectured to and so feels less intimidated and more relaxed. According to the professor, this strategy reinforces the idea that he is approachable, making it easier for his students to ask him questions in class.

Another instructional video created by Mrs. Mindy Jurus, a fifth grade teacher at Weller Elementary in Centerville, Ohio had a different appeal. The video she posted in the web site TeacherTube not only showed how to solve for the area of a parallelogram but it also illustrated why it is the same formula used to get the area of a rectangle.

[edit] Videos in the Math Class

The class lecture is the traditional approach to teaching math. Calculus by phoosh [4]

Math is normally taught through a lecture given by the teacher on how a specific equation or problem is solved. The same steps are applied to examples presented. Understanding the steps through repetition is vital and worksheets are used to generate the required practice. This would appeal to a person who’s learning style is more verbal than visual (Felder 1993). However, according to Dr. Felder (1993), most people in western cultures are visual learners and would not be able to retain information given verbally. Is there room for videos in a math classroom?

[edit] f(V) (Function of Videos)

Videos in a math class can provide the visual stimulus that would benefit students in the following ways:

1. Motivate students by showing how math is relevant in the world around us
2. Reinforce math concepts learned in the classroom

[edit] Motivational Tool

You need a knowledge of calculus to launch rockets like this. 2-Stage Rocket Launch by jurvetson [5]

When students fail to see the relevance of what they are learning, they loose interest and get easily bored. Most math concepts cannot be directly connected to everyday life giving the student the impression that he or she is wasting time learning it. Digital stories and some instructional videos can help show how math can be applied in real life. Digital stories from the University of Houston, College of Education’s Educational Uses of Digital Storytellingweb site are excellent examples. The digital story on the Pythagorean Theorem shows how the formula is used in solving problems that involve the mast of a sailboat, the wheelchair ramp and the size of a TV screen. The supplemental video on Trigonometry created by Prof. Larry Perez entitled MuchoMath Moves shows how lines and curves formed by equations are similar to some dance moves.

In an interview with Mrs. Esperanza Sanchez, a math teacher from Coral Reef Senior High in Miami, Florida, she stated that she browses web sites for videos to answer her students’ questions as to why they are studying a mathematical concept and where it will be used. She found that showing videos to her students allowed them to have an appreciation of the topic being discussed, kept them engaged, interested and more motivated to learn. Another math teacher from Coral Reef Senior High, Mr. Guillermo Leon, stated that using videos in his AP Statistics class to show real-life applications has given his students not only conceptual understanding but practical knowledge of the concepts discussed in class.

[edit] Reinforcement Inside and Outside the Classroom

Videos shown in class can be used to introduce or reinforce a mathematical concept. My classroom at ITP (NYU) by jeanphony [6]

Instructional videos may be used both inside and outside the classroom. In the interview with Mrs. Jurus, she stated that she uses instructional videos in her class as an introduction to the topic. She had used a couple of videos from YouTube and had witnessed the response of her students. She found that they were talking about it for some time, even months after she had shown them. She saw that the videos had the power to enable her students to see the math concepts they were discussing. Since she could not find videos that would illustrate what she wanted to show, she created her own videos with her personal Wacom Tablet and Mac computer. She would create instructional videos on topics of a specific chapter that she felt would be best explained visually and with animation. She added that her students have gotten used to the videos as part of their class and that it has become a real tool. This is evident when she hears the “Oh, I get it !” statements from her students when the videos are shown. Mrs. Jurus has her instructional videos available in her web site to allow her students to view them any time and reinforce the concepts learned in class.

In the interview with Prof. Larry Perez, he pointed out that the instructional videos he created were meant to be supplemental materials to class lectures. He does not use them in class because he believes that videos do not appeal to all types of students. He created the videos in an effort to help his remedial math students succeed. The idea of creating instructional videos came after interviews conducted of students prior to enrollment in remedial math classes revealed that they did not have time to use the support services provided by the college.

Instructional videos available on the web allow students to view the course material at their own pace and in the privacy of their homes. Study by Adriaan Bloem [7]

Prof. Perez responded by:

• creating the videos and made them accessible to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week by posting them in web sites like TeacherTube, YouTube and in his faculty web site
• burning a CD for students who had a computer at home but did not have internet connection
• providing worksheets to accompany the videos to promote active learning by allowing them to work along with Charlie, the student in the video

The professor started creating instructional videos on selected topics from pre-algebra and beginning algebra but his ultimate goal is to have a video for all the topics in both classes. According to the professor, students are embarrassed to admit to their peers that they are struggling with basic math skills. This has prevented them from asking for help. The videos, on the other hand, can be viewed in the privacy of their home and as many times and as often as they want according to their individual pace. It is the professor’s hope that in this case, the student reaches a level of confidence in his/her math skills empowering them to seek additional help. Students have sent Professor Perez emails regarding his videos. The Professor has kept a log that can be viewed in his faculty web site under the heading “Chem 108 Student Reviews”. One student commented that he liked the format of the video and appreciated having a worksheet to go along with it. He added that the ability to stop and start the video allowed him to go at his pace without making him “feel like Forest Gump in front of his peers”.

This type of format has proved beneficial to students using the Media Vision Courseware (MVCW). MVCW is a video-based course management tool that was created to meet the needs of students at Case Western Reserve University (Shapiro, Mentch & Kubit 2007). Students have unlimited online access to all course materials including lectures and review sessions. Of the students surveyed, about 85 percent reported that reviewing the lectures with MVCW has allowed them to control their pace of learning, making learning more effective. A total of 1,345 students were surveyed across all semesters and 75 percent of those students felt confident that they would reach their academic goals due to having access to the videos. Of the students surveyed, 75 percent agreed that they did better due to MVCW.

[edit] Conclusion

f(V) = (appreciation + motivation + better understanding) of math

The use of videos in a math class enhances the ability of the student to learn the mathematical concept. It helps them deal and overcome the conceptual barriers caused by math anxiety. Digital stories allow a student to have an appreciation of the use and relevance of math in our everyday lives. This gives them the necessary motivation to pay attention and stay engaged in the class discussion, giving them a better chance to understand the mathematical concept. Instructional videos provide the visual component that appeals to visual learners. Inside the classroom, instructional videos help students stay engaged by presenting the concept in a different format. Making instructional videos available for use outside the classroom gives the student the opportunity to study the topic at their own pace, as often as necessary, without worrying about what their peers might think. Why aren’t they more widely used? Lack of technical skills, reluctance to try something new, lack of awareness of available resources are some of the reasons why instructors have not tapped into this valuable resource. Whatever the case may be, I am confident that once teachers realize the benefit their students can derive from the use of videos, they will find a way to utilize them. Videos definitely have a place in the math class.

[edit] The Relevance of Math in Everyday Life

These photos show possible themes that can be used to create digital stories on mathematical concepts.

Tessalations are created by using geometric shapes in a specific pattern. Hirschhorn tiling by Ethan Hein [8]

Mathematical shapes Science Museum London January 2007 - 73 by Gaetan Lee [9]

Another example of tessalation. Penrose tiling by Ethan Hein [10]

Archs can be represented by a mathematical equation. Sunshine and Shadow Arch by Ross2085[11]

We need math skills to determine if a sale is good or not. Sale.jpg by SteelCityHobbies[12]

A different mathematical equation would represent this arch. Wellington Arch by victoriapeckham[13]

[edit] Creating Digital Stories on Mathematical Concepts

This is a sample digital story introducing fractions. Click on What's for Dessert? in order to view it.

The seven elements of a digital story as listed by Joe Lambert (2007, pp. 9-19), co-founder of the Center for digital storytelling are:

• point (of view)
  • The point of the author is the reason why the author is creating the story while the point of view is the perspective from which the story is being told (e.g. personal view).
• dramatic question
  • This is the focus of the story that could be skillfully hidden to add a twist. In a digital story on a mathematical concept the focus would be on showing how a concept is relevant in the world around us. An example would be how the Pythagorean Theorem is used to caluclate the size of a television set.
• emotional content
  • This is the appeal to the emotions of the audience that allows the storyteller to create the connection with them.
• the gift of your voice
  • This refers to how the author can express emotion through the narration.
• the power of the soundtrack
  • Music or soundtrack can be used to set the ambiance or change the mood of the story.
• economy
  • This deals with using the right amount of images and using the appropriate juxtaposition to tell the story while pacing refers to the tempo.
• pacing
  • Showing the pictures at a faster pace, combined with an upbeat music would give the viewer a feeling of suspense and the impression that something is about to happen.

Prof. Perez and Mrs. Jurus noted that most students have a problem with certain concepts which could also be a topic for a digital story:

• Geometry concepts such as volume, pi
• Fractions
• Decimals
• Converting units of measurement

[edit] Resources with Extensive Information on Digital Storytelling

• University of Houston, College of Education's Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling
• Center for Digital Storytelling

[edit] References

Banaszewski, T 2002, ‘Digital Storytelling Finds Its Place in the Classroom’, MultiMedia Schools. Available from: http://www.infotoday.com/MMSchools/jan02/banaszewski.htm [15 April 2008]

Bower, B 2001, ‘Math fears subtract from memory, learning’, Science News Online, vol. 159, no. 26, p. 405. Available from: Science News Online. [13April 2008].

Cavanagh, S 2007, ‘Understanding Math Anxiety’, Teacher Magazine. Available from: http://www.teachermagazine.org/tm/articles/2007/02/21/ew_math.html. [13 April 2008].

Diaz, K & Fields, AM 2007, ‘Digital Storytelling, Libraries, and Community’ in Library 2.0 and Beyond, Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow’s User, ed N. Courtney, Libraries Unlimited, Westport, CT, pp. 129 – 139.

Felder, RM 1993, ‘Reaching the Second Tier: Learning and Teaching Styles in College Science Education’, Journal of College Science Teaching, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 286-290. Available from: http://www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/Papers/Secondtier.html. [15 April 2008].

Lambert, J 2007, ‘Digital Storytelling Cookbook’, Center for Digital Storytelling. Available from: http://www.storycenter.org/cookbook.html. [28 February 2008].

Shapiro, W, Mentch, M & Kubit M (2007), ‘Streaming Video: The Bridge between Tradition and Innovation’, EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 68-69. Available from: http://connect.educause.edu/Library/EDUCAUSE+Review/StreamingVideoTheBridgebe/44600. [4 April 2008].

[edit] Resources for Videos on Mathematical Concepts

TeacherTube.com is a repository of videos on different subjects including math. You need to subscribe to be able to download the videos but subscription is free.