USABLE MATH: Math Learning Through Problem Solving and Design

with
Sharon A. Edwards, Clinical Faculty

Robert W. Maloy, Senior Lecturer

Sai Gallupalli, Doctoral Candidate

Aubrey Coyne, Undergraduate Project Assistant

Usable Math is a free and accessible online interactive math problem solving platform for elementary school-age children and their teachers, tutors, caregivers, and families. It is being developed by a team of UMass Amherst researchers led by Sharon Edwards in the College of Education. Our workshop will highlight the site's design and functions, including:

• 17 problem solving modules featuring essential math concepts taught in elementary schools.

• Use of virtual coaches to support students' math thinking and learning.

• Motivation strategies to engage and sustain student learning.

• Storytelling modules connecting math with science, history and English/language arts.

• Students writing their own math problems and solving strategies

• GenAI-enhancements for teachers

Website: https://usablemath.org/#

Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools

with Dr. Justin Reich

Exploring new AI tools in education requires venturing into the unknown. For 20 years, Justin Reich has worked in schools on all kinds of projects: transforming curriculum, integrating technology, re-engaging students, making school meaningful and relevant to young people and families. Across these experiences, every successful school improvement effort has one thing in common: they all improve one step at time. Iterate: The Secret to Innovation in Schools is a playbook for making big, joyful changes in schools out of small, manageable steps. Iterate reflects insights about design, collaboration, and improvement from educators around the world, and from colleagues at MIT. For learning science, new technologies, and innovative theories to make a difference in the world, they have to make their way into the hands of classroom educators. Iterate offers new ideas for improving learning in classrooms, schools, or wherever you work to make learning better.

Iterate site: https://tsl.mit.edu/books/iterate/

Two free online courses with related material:

https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+11.155x+1T2019/about

https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+11.154x+3T2018/about

Two Design Thinking walkthroughs. : 

https://media.wiley.com/product_ancillary/00/11199135/DOWNLOAD/Reich913504_bapp01-4.pdf

https://media.wiley.com/product_ancillary/00/11199135/DOWNLOAD/Reich913504_bapp02-4.pdf

Strategies and Resources for Implementing the New National EdTech Plan (NETP)

The Learning Accelerator

with Dr. Beth Holland, Jin-Soo Huh, Rashida Kimbrue Major, and Michael Ham

With the release of the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) in January, The Learning Accelerator (TLA) identified a need to provide guidance to school and system leaders on how to consider and implement its recommendations within their own context. Come join the authors of an updated Digital Equity Guide and recently launched Problem of Practice series for an engaging conversation about strategies and recommendations for how to convert policy into action. This panel discussion will include several members of the TLA Team: Dr. Beth Holland, Jin-Soo Huh, Rashida Kimbrue Major, and Michael Ham.

Empowering Learners: Unleashing Agency and Achievement

with Starr Sackstein

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 from noon-1 PM ET

Join us for an enlightening session that delves into the transformative educational strategies presented in Starr Sackstein's groundbreaking work, "Student-Led Assessment: Promoting Agency and Achievement through Conferences and Portfolio". This session promises to revolutionize how educators approach assessment by shifting the focus from traditional teacher-led methods to empowering students through self-assessment, reflection, and portfolio development.

Discover how to implement student-led conferences and portfolio assessments in your classroom or institution, fostering a culture of self-directed learning and accountability. Learn practical strategies to guide students in setting personal goals, tracking their progress, and showcasing their achievements, cultivating skills vital for lifelong learning.

This interactive presentation will explore the theoretical underpinnings of Sackstein's approach and provide attendees with actionable insights and tools to create more engaging, meaningful, and personalized learning experiences. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or policy-maker, you'll leave equipped to champion student agency and drive academic success in ways that resonate with today's learners.

Don't miss this opportunity to be at the forefront of educational innovation and inspire a shift towards more inclusive, student-centered assessment practices.