I've been playing around with some ideas about educational video. In addition to the Monday videos (a feature you'll be seeing for at least the next few months), I set up a YouTube channel where I can favorite some fun clips and even post some originals (more on that later).
To kick things off, I went by the Internet Archive (one of the best resources out there for researchers and educators) and pulled up this beautifully produced audio dramatization of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, narrated by the author and featuring an original score by Bernard Herrmann. This was the premiere episode of one of the CBS Radio Workshop, an outstanding series from the medium's Golden Age.
The whole series is worth checking out.
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Monday, January 26, 2015
Monday Video -- A robotic cheetah from MIT
Do I need to say anything more?
[Every Monday for the next few months, we'll be posting a short video clip here at You Do the Math. All will have at least a tenuous connection to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Teachers can use these as writing prompts or as starting points for larger lesson plans (I'll try to include some hints now and then), but the main purpose is simply to have a little fun.]
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Sometimes, it's enough just to be the bobble-head
We hear a lot about educational entrepreneurs these days. As a service to these bright young innovators, I have here a proposed product that can revolutionize the teaching of mathematics: the bobblehead instructor. Given a gentle nudge, the instructor will nod reassuringly and repeat one of the following phrases:
"Looks good."
"And now what do you do?"
"Let's try that."
"Um-hmm."
All kidding aside, when I was a high school math teacher, a substantial part of my day was spent doing just that. I generally reserved the last section of class for individual or in-pair work. Kids would finish up their worksheets and start on their homework while I would walk around the room.
When a kid was stuck on a problem, it was usually enough just to stand there and, in an encouraging tone of voice, say some combination of the phrases listed above. The students basically needed someone to hold their hand.
Learning to be the bobblehead can be surprisingly difficult for new teachers. You have spent years preparing for this job, mastering your subject, learning to be an effective teacher. The natural impulse is to jump in and start instructing. Most of the time, however, that is not what the students need.
Students often attempt problems as if their desk were wired to deliver electrical shocks whenever they made a misstep. They have to learn to be patient with themselves and to relax a little bit. Having a teacher who stands there reassuringly is often the ideal form of assistance.
"Looks good."
"And now what do you do?"
"Let's try that."
"Um-hmm."
All kidding aside, when I was a high school math teacher, a substantial part of my day was spent doing just that. I generally reserved the last section of class for individual or in-pair work. Kids would finish up their worksheets and start on their homework while I would walk around the room.
When a kid was stuck on a problem, it was usually enough just to stand there and, in an encouraging tone of voice, say some combination of the phrases listed above. The students basically needed someone to hold their hand.
Learning to be the bobblehead can be surprisingly difficult for new teachers. You have spent years preparing for this job, mastering your subject, learning to be an effective teacher. The natural impulse is to jump in and start instructing. Most of the time, however, that is not what the students need.
Students often attempt problems as if their desk were wired to deliver electrical shocks whenever they made a misstep. They have to learn to be patient with themselves and to relax a little bit. Having a teacher who stands there reassuringly is often the ideal form of assistance.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Monday Video -- Juggling and Geometry
[Every Monday for the next few months, we'll be posting a short video clip here at You Do the Math. All will have at least a tenuous connection to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Teachers can use these as writing prompts or as starting points for larger lesson plans (I'll try to include some hints now and then), but the main purpose is simply to have a little fun.]
Michael Moschen is the kind of juggler who wins MacArthur Foundation Genius Grants. Not surprisingly, his routines are fascinating to watch and there's enough geometry and physics in this one to kick off an appropriate lesson or just to remind kids that you can have fun with these ideas.
Michael Moschen is the kind of juggler who wins MacArthur Foundation Genius Grants. Not surprisingly, his routines are fascinating to watch and there's enough geometry and physics in this one to kick off an appropriate lesson or just to remind kids that you can have fun with these ideas.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Introducing Monday Videos
Introducing the video of the week
Every Monday for the next few months, we'll be posting a short video clip here at You Do the Math. All will have at least a tenuous connection to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Teachers can use these as writing prompts or as starting points for larger lesson plans (I'll try to include some hints now and then), but the main purpose is simply to have a little fun.
Our debut clip features one of my favorite pieces of cool technology, the rail gun. The following shows declassified footage of the test firings of the latest model.The soundtrack doesn't actually add that much so I would probably leave it off and either talk to the class or play music while the video was running.
Here are some of the highlights from the Wikipedia entry:
And here are some quick lesson ideas.
Writing prompts
This one is fairly easy.For younger kids, you could give them a scenario involving, for instance, a moon base. Have them talk about how railguns and other technologies might be used. You might also have them include an illustration. For older kids, the focus would be a bit more serious and realistic and might include potential problems with applying this technology.
Every Monday for the next few months, we'll be posting a short video clip here at You Do the Math. All will have at least a tenuous connection to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Teachers can use these as writing prompts or as starting points for larger lesson plans (I'll try to include some hints now and then), but the main purpose is simply to have a little fun.
Our debut clip features one of my favorite pieces of cool technology, the rail gun. The following shows declassified footage of the test firings of the latest model.The soundtrack doesn't actually add that much so I would probably leave it off and either talk to the class or play music while the video was running.
Here are some of the highlights from the Wikipedia entry:
[The Navy] gave the project the Latin motto "Velocitas Eradico", Latin for "I, [who am] speed, eradicate"....
In 1944, during World War II, Joachim Hänsler of Germany's Ordnance Office built the first working railgun, and an electric anti-aircraft gun was proposed. By late 1944 enough theory had been worked out to allow the Luftwaffe's Flak Command to issue a specification, which demanded a muzzle velocity of 2,000 m/s (6,600 ft/s) and a projectile containing 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) of explosive. The guns were to be mounted in batteries of six firing twelve rounds per minute, and it was to fit existing 12.8 cm FlaK 40 mounts. It was never built. When details were discovered after the war it aroused much interest and a more detailed study was done, culminating with a 1947 report which concluded that it was theoretically feasible, but that each gun would need enough power to illuminate half of Chicago....
In 2003, Ian McNab outlined a plan to turn this idea into a realized technology. The accelerations involved are significantly stronger than human beings can handle. This system would be used only to launch sturdy materials, such as food, water, and fuel. Note that escape velocity under ideal circumstances (equator, mountain, heading east) is 10.735 km/s. The system would cost $528/kg, compared with $20,000/kg on the space shuttle.
And here are some quick lesson ideas.
Writing prompts
This one is fairly easy.For younger kids, you could give them a scenario involving, for instance, a moon base. Have them talk about how railguns and other technologies might be used. You might also have them include an illustration. For older kids, the focus would be a bit more serious and realistic and might include potential problems with applying this technology.
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