USING DIGITAL RESOURCES TO COMPLEMENT CLASSROOM TEACHING
provides the necessary motivation as students can see their own progress easily .’
Winning solution
The younger students ( up to Grade 5 ) have a dedicated Mathletics period each week . Every student has access to an iPad for the Mathletics session and for one other session during the week . Grades 6 to 12 do not have a dedicated Mathletics lesson , but will usually use the resource as part of their homework .
Karen finds that the reports are very useful for highlighting students ’ strengths and weaknesses . She can keep track of how many students are using the resource and can compare the performance of different groups . ‘ Using Mathletics has become second nature to our teachers now .’
Digital resources are designed to increase student engagement and motivate pupils to learn , but to also help pupils excel , resources need to complement the classroom teaching already taking place in schools .
Figuring out how best to embed a new resource into the teaching cycle can be a challenge for teachers and take up a lot of their time . The key to overcoming this is investing in a resource that offers more than just great educational content but also tools to help teachers assign work to students , schedule activities and plan ahead .
At the Nibras International School in Dubai , teachers using Mathletics ( a maths resource ) have found that a combination of online reports which help identify strengths and weaknesses , as well as immediate student feedback has enabled them to embed the resource into their teaching seamlessly .
About the school
Nibras International School ( NIS ) was established in 2005 and offers an American Curriculum for students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 . The initial curriculum was designed in consultation with the American University of Beirut ( AUB ). Since 2012- 2013 the school has adopted the Colorado State Academic Standards which are aligned with the US Common Core Standards .
The Issues Faced
The school was looking for a digital learning tool to complement maths teaching , align with the curricula and offer opportunities to practise and reinforce topics and skills .
Given the transient nature of Dubai and the fluctuating student population , it was equally important for teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the skills and knowledge of all new students quickly and easily . The requirement for a product that could offer students feedback , reward their achievements and involve parents in the learning process was a main priority for the school .
‘ Mathletics gives immediate results and students can witness their own performance ,’ said Karen Robinson , Assistant Principal Elementary and Middle School .
‘ Students practise and master a skill , answer questions , earn points , get a certificate and move on . Mathletics
Results
Mathletics has many advantages :
• It is a very visual learning tool
• It engages students
• It develops problem solving skills
• It supports the focus on mental maths with the younger children
• It encourages a healthy spirit of competition
‘ Students look forward to their Mathletics lesson and it is heartwarming to witness our students as they are keen to log in quickly and get started . It also minimises any possible disruption at the start of a lesson as students are extremely enthusiastic and get straight down to work .’
If you would like to find out more about Mathletics and trial the resource for free , visit www . mathletics . me or email middleeast @ 3plearning . com
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