Overview

Curator: Atoya Martin

Name & Link to Tech Tool or Tool homepage: Math Playground
Brief Description of Tech Tool: A gaming website where the fun side of math is explored.
This site includes thinking games, number puzzles and instructional videos.
Technical & Cost considerations: All games on this site are free. There are some
games specifically designed for iPads.
Evaluation
Description of Learning Activity
1. Learning Activity Types
LA-Practice - practicing for uency
LA-Present - (read or attend to) presentation of new content/ideas
! LA-Present-Demo - demonstration
! LA-Present-Explain - explanation
LA-Explore - exploring/investigating mathematical ideas
LA-Apply - applying mathematics to problems and situations
2. What mathematics is being learned?
NCTM Standards
NCTM-N&0-understand numbers - understand numbers, ways of representing
numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems;
NCTM-N&0-understand operations - understand meanings of operations and
how they relate to one another;
NCTM-N&0-compute fluently - compute fluently and make reasonable
estimates
NCTM-Alg-patterns - understand patterns, relations, and functions;
NCTM-Alg-symbols - represent and analyze mathematical situations and
structures using algebraic symbols;
NCTM-Alg-models - use mathematical models to represent and understand
quantitative relationships;
NCTM-Alg-change - analyze change in various contexts.
NCTM-Geo-analyze - analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-
dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about
geometric relationships;
NCTM-Geo-specify locations - specify locations and describe spatial
relationships using coordinate geometry and other representational systems;
NCTM-Geo-transformations - apply transformations and use symmetry to
analyze mathematical situations;
NCTM-Geo-visualization - use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric
modeling to solve problems.
Prociency Strands
PS-conceptual understanding
PS-strategic competence
PS-adaptive reasoning
3. How is the mathematics represented?
This site has games that introduce virtual manipulatives for students to model their thinking.
Many of the games are very colorful and content heavy. The site does not have any text-to-
speech or verbal reading of any problems and relies heavily on all students being able to read and
understand the directions.
4. What role does technology play?
What advantages or disadvantages does the technology hold for this role? What unique
contribution does the technology make in facilitating learning?
Students have the ability to choose different games to that practice specic skills. The layout of
the website makes it easier for teachers to focus and target different skills.
Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning
Computing & Automating -
Representing Ideas & Thinking - Modeling word problems using Thinking Blocks.
Accessing Information - Math Videos
Communicating & Collaborating - Working together to understand and navigate
site.
Capturing & Creating -
5. How does the technology t or interact with the social
context of learning?
The website is designed to be used by individual students however, I see a use of
partnerships because the directions are not very clear and some of the tasks require are
difficult. Mixed ability partnerships can use the site together and both students will
receive more math practice.
6. What do teachers and learners need to know?
Teachers need to know how to select games for students to practice on. Teachers also
need to know how to scaffold students that are not able to read all of the directions.