Name of the Technology: Geogebra

Link: Geogebra.com or Geogebra app

Overview:
Geogebra is an amazing tool that can be used in any math based class from basic
algebra and geometry all the way through college courses. At the first screen the user
selects from algebra, geometry, spreadsheet, CAS, 3D graphics, or probability. Once in
the right category, the possibilities are endless. Any type of function, shape, set of data, or
math problem can be modeled through the use of geogebra. It is available in many
languages and allows interactive tools to be put on teacher websites and embedded within
assignments. Geogebra is an internationally awarded software and is easy to use for any
one from technology experts to total novices. GeoGebra gives kids a way to access math
that moves beyond straightforward computations. Traditional methods of constructing
geometric and algebraic materials with a compass and a ruler can take a lot of time and
be very frustrating for kids. GeoGebra makes any mathematical activity quick, easy, and
fun as long as the kids have clear directions.
Analysis:
Geogebra has amazing application in a middle school classroom because of how
easy it is to use for students and teachers. For teachers it is a fantastic software to model
graphing equations and creating any type of polygons that the class may be working with.
Geogebra gives a clear way for the teacher to model their lessons perfectly as well. There
are no more issues with points or graphs looking out of proportion.
In order to use Geogebra to its full potential, teachers will need to spend some
time with the tutorials in order to familiarize themselves with the program and what it can
do. The administer tutorials provide options to let teachers post GeoGebra files onto their
existing class sites using Moodle, Canvas, Weebly, Wix, and others. GeoGebra also lets
teachers make their own interactive worksheets or use free materials created by others.
After you click on Download from the homepage, the site gives you the option to
use WebStart or Applet Start. WebStart downloads a program using your computer,
requires Java, and gives you an icon on your desktop. Applet Start is fully functional and
just uses your browser window. So Geogebra can be accessed from literally any computer
whether it has Java or not.
The best part about using Geogebra in any type of classroom is the fact that it is a
free tool. Most technologies with as many applications as Geogebra cost a lot of money.
But Geogebra is a very budget friendly option for any school no matter what their
funding situation is.
Overall Geogebra is an invaluable tool for any mathematics classroom. It brings
student engagement to a whole other level while still making it easy for teachers to
incorporate in to their every day lessons. Any math class all over the world is stepped up
to a new standard for both students as well as teachers when Geogebra is implemented in
to their classroom.

Name of the Technology: Desmos

Link:
Overview:
Desmos is an online graphing calculator that encourages kids to practice math
skills as well as play with math to express their learning using technology. Kids enter an
unlimited number of mathematical expressions and instantly see results graphed on the
page. A variety of colors and features make it possible to turn mathematical graphs into
many sorts of drawings or art projects as well.
The website is well designed and very easy to use. Kids type expressions into the
chart area on the left, and whatever expression is entered appears automatically on the
graph paper to the right. Students and teachers can pick colors for the different
expressions to help emphasize the different lines or end up with pictures that are created
from the different functions and equations. Sliders automatically appear for expressions
with undefined variables, and tables can easily be added by clicking on the table icon.
With a free Desmos account, students and teachers can save graphs to revisit later. Help,
Options, Print, and Share (to popular social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and
Google) are functions easily accessed from buttons within the main screen.
Analysis:
With a wide range of functions and the option to save and share graphs, Desmos
is a great example of how technology gives students a much more concrete representation
of mathematics. Students who say they are "math people" will definitely enjoy turning
their world of mathematics into art, but students who are new to graphing expressions or
who already struggle with the concepts will need some structure to make the most of this
technology.
Several features make Desmos a fantastic math tool for students with varying
math skills. Students who are struggling benefit from the ability to use sliders as
substitutes for undefined variables. This way, kids can actually watch the graph move and
change shape as they click and drag to change the value of the variable. A feature that
may appeal to more advanced users is the ability to graph tables and inequalities. Tables
can be copied and pasted from another source or entered manually, and they let students
graph groups of numbers at the same time.
Desmos is a decent tool for helping students connect mathematical concepts to
concrete, real-world shapes and pictures. Videos are available to help students and
teachers use Desmos , but they don't explain the underlying mathematical concepts. You
get no additional help on teaching functions, equations, or graphing concepts. The site
would be far more useful if it offered a way for beginners to get their feet wet with
tutorials that explained, for example, how to draw a circle using functions. Overall
Desmos is a great beginner software but when getting in to more advanced mathematics
something like Geogebra would serve the user much better.

Name of the Technology: Google Sketchup

Link: http: https: http://www.sketchup.com/
Overview:
Google SketchUp is a 3D sketching tool. "Google SketchUp is software that you
can use to create, modify and share 3D models. It's easier to learn than other 3D
modeling programs, which is why so many people are already using it."(SketchUp
website)
SketchUp comes in two versions. Google SketchUp Pro 6 and Google SketchUp
6. The major difference between the two is their ability to save, open, export, and import
files to and from other CAD applications such as AutoCAD. SketchUp Pro costs about
$400 and is used mainly in a commercial setting. However SketchUp is free and is meant
for use by the general public and by educators. Both are available for download directly
from the SketchUp site. While the free version is limited in most of its features, it does
allow you to import all types of CAD files. This is a key component in using the software
in an every day classroom
Analysis:
SketchUp is a great software to use in any sort of class where 3D modeling is
done. The most applicable setting I thought of was using SketchUp to create models of
cells and molecules in
Most 3D software is complex and confusing for newbies, but when using
SketchUp there is no difficult CAD terminology, and you can leave open the animated
Instructor panel for additional help if you need it.
Google SketchUp's aoftware consists of a large, drawing area in the center of the
screen and a left-hand toolbar containing most of the icons needed to build models. The
rest of the features are available from the Main Menu atop the screen. Since the setup
leaves most of the tools to the side there is maximal space for drawing. But on the other
hand you can choose to show up to 12 toolbars that make working in SketchUp easier
depending on the task you are trying to complete/
SketchUp is a very smart software. For example to create all you have to do is just
drag around the mouse to draw rectangles, arcs, segments, or circles, then select the
Push/Pull tool to extend shapes into the third dimension. The tools do most of the heavy
lifting for you. As you draw freehand, with straight lines, or with the pencil tool,
SketchUp guesses where you want endpoints to meet and snaps them shut for you.
SketchUp also highlights the edges and the centers of shapes when the cursor passes over
them, making it painless to draw with accuracy. Similarly, guidelines appear when you

cross the cursor over another line, so you can visualize how your object relates to the rest
of the document.
SketchUp is a super cool tool that would probably fit best in a high school
classroom but it could really be used in any classroom that has any type of 3D or 2D
construction involved in it.