Curator: Sarah Mathis
Name & Link to Tech Tool or Tool homepage: XtraMath
Brief Description of Tech Tool:
XtraMath was started by a non profit organization based in Seattle. "The goal of the site is to develop effective, efficient, adaptive and intrinsically rewarding supplemental math activities for free (https://xtramath.org/home/people)." In short, this tech tool is a web based system that allows students free access to differentiated math practice that has been tailored to their level.
Evaluation
Do a significant portion of your students struggle to recalling basic addition facts? Many students in my class do. This tech tool is a web-based system that allows students a platform to practice their math facts at their own specific level. Levels are determined in two parts. The teacher sets the area of focus (i.e. addition for most of my grade 1 students). Below you can see a list of the focus areas that the site offers. Teachers create a student roster and then students can log on to take a quick diagnostic test. This tool provides students with differentiated practice with their math facts both at home and at school. There is a classroom feature that cycles through students with little to no support from the teacher. An additional benefit is that the site tracks student log ins and personal growth. This information is sent in a weekly progress report. I use this in my daily routine because I feel it's important for my students to have ample practice with their math facts. I believe that my students benefit more from an inquiry-based model of learning. We focus our valuable class time on exploring math and this site enables my students to also the the extra practice in addition to the exploration.
Can also be used to practice subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Description of Learning Activity
I implemented this into my students daily independent study routine because it gives them individualized practice on their own and leaves our already limited classroom time open to instruction that is grounded in inquiry and understanding. I suggest setting this up on a computer during math centers. You can set up the classroom sign in and it literally cycles threw your students. My first graders adapted exceedingly well to signing in, completing their practice, and then quietly letting the next person in line that it was their turn. In the photo below you can see a screenshot of the classroom view. The students with a check have completed practice for that day. The next student up is Smurf. I also assign practice for homework sometimes.
1. Learning Activity Types
2. What mathematics is being learned?
NCTM Standards
Proficiency Strands
3. How is the mathematics represented?
This tool has a predominantly numerical representation. It offers graphical representations showing students the facts they have mastered and the facts they are working on. It also offered students the opportunity to get familiar with the numbers on a keyboard or use the mouse to click the virtual buttons on a calculator.
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?
In this digital age technology is paramount when discussing education. Students need to have a solid foundational understanding of how to use technology. The advantages of this technological role when discussing XtraMath are vast. What is most poignant in my eyes is the access to individualized practice with automatic feedback coupled with very little maintenance and support from the teacher. This allows the teacher to maximize their time. The disadvantage would be a lack of creativity. Fluency practice is, in my opinion, not very much fun. XtraMath keeps practices short and sweet. And offers studnets the ability to feel a sense of accomplishment by keeping the math at their instructional level rather than at a frustrational one.
Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning
5. How does the technology fit or interact with the social context of learning?
The social context of this technology is independent practice on a computer because of the individualized nature of the tool. The technology facilitates independent growth. It does not offer any opportunity for collaboration.
6. What do teachers and learners need to know?
If teachers are planning to use XtraMath in their classroom I suggest setting aside about 30-40 minutes to get everything set up. Teachers will need to register their students by entering their names. After all students are input they should print the parent fliers and passwords. These can be sent home. In my own classroom I laminated a list of the passwords because my students struggled with remembering their passwords. Using XtraMath is very easy. There are a variety of tutorials and a video for students to watch. It is quite user friendly.
Name & Link to Tech Tool or Tool homepage: XtraMath
Brief Description of Tech Tool:
XtraMath was started by a non profit organization based in Seattle. "The goal of the site is to develop effective, efficient, adaptive and intrinsically rewarding supplemental math activities for free (https://xtramath.org/home/people)." In short, this tech tool is a web based system that allows students free access to differentiated math practice that has been tailored to their level.
Evaluation
Do a significant portion of your students struggle to recalling basic addition facts? Many students in my class do. This tech tool is a web-based system that allows students a platform to practice their math facts at their own specific level. Levels are determined in two parts. The teacher sets the area of focus (i.e. addition for most of my grade 1 students). Below you can see a list of the focus areas that the site offers. Teachers create a student roster and then students can log on to take a quick diagnostic test. This tool provides students with differentiated practice with their math facts both at home and at school. There is a classroom feature that cycles through students with little to no support from the teacher. An additional benefit is that the site tracks student log ins and personal growth. This information is sent in a weekly progress report. I use this in my daily routine because I feel it's important for my students to have ample practice with their math facts. I believe that my students benefit more from an inquiry-based model of learning. We focus our valuable class time on exploring math and this site enables my students to also the the extra practice in addition to the exploration.
Can also be used to practice subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Description of Learning Activity
I implemented this into my students daily independent study routine because it gives them individualized practice on their own and leaves our already limited classroom time open to instruction that is grounded in inquiry and understanding. I suggest setting this up on a computer during math centers. You can set up the classroom sign in and it literally cycles threw your students. My first graders adapted exceedingly well to signing in, completing their practice, and then quietly letting the next person in line that it was their turn. In the photo below you can see a screenshot of the classroom view. The students with a check have completed practice for that day. The next student up is Smurf. I also assign practice for homework sometimes.
1. Learning Activity Types
- LA-Practice - practicing for fluency
2. What mathematics is being learned?
NCTM Standards
- NCTM-N&0-compute fluently- compute fluently and make reasonable estimates
Proficiency Strands
- PS-conceptual understanding-Student have the opportunity to apply their conceptual understanding and strategies during this practice time.
- PS-procedural fluency-This tech tool most effectively targets procedural fluency. Students should be working with facts that they are able to conceptualize
3. How is the mathematics represented?
This tool has a predominantly numerical representation. It offers graphical representations showing students the facts they have mastered and the facts they are working on. It also offered students the opportunity to get familiar with the numbers on a keyboard or use the mouse to click the virtual buttons on a calculator.
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?
In this digital age technology is paramount when discussing education. Students need to have a solid foundational understanding of how to use technology. The advantages of this technological role when discussing XtraMath are vast. What is most poignant in my eyes is the access to individualized practice with automatic feedback coupled with very little maintenance and support from the teacher. This allows the teacher to maximize their time. The disadvantage would be a lack of creativity. Fluency practice is, in my opinion, not very much fun. XtraMath keeps practices short and sweet. And offers studnets the ability to feel a sense of accomplishment by keeping the math at their instructional level rather than at a frustrational one.
Affordances of Technology for Supporting Learning
- Computing & Automating – This game offers students differentiated practice and instantaneous feedback. These are both quite crucial to learning. XtraMath is programed to automatically target the facts students are working on and also checks work once it is entered. It is a sophisticated program for fluency development and makes purely independent practice a possibility
- Representing Ideas & Thinking -
- Accessing Information -
- Communicating & Collaborating -
- Capturing & Creating -
5. How does the technology fit or interact with the social context of learning?
The social context of this technology is independent practice on a computer because of the individualized nature of the tool. The technology facilitates independent growth. It does not offer any opportunity for collaboration.
6. What do teachers and learners need to know?
If teachers are planning to use XtraMath in their classroom I suggest setting aside about 30-40 minutes to get everything set up. Teachers will need to register their students by entering their names. After all students are input they should print the parent fliers and passwords. These can be sent home. In my own classroom I laminated a list of the passwords because my students struggled with remembering their passwords. Using XtraMath is very easy. There are a variety of tutorials and a video for students to watch. It is quite user friendly.