Chapter 5: Nonlinguistic Representation

Because I require my students to keep up with a mathematics journal, and now a science journal starting this year, I think that using the software provided through Inspiration would make the process a lot easier. The students would be able to enter their notes, or other data, into the program and then neatly organize their information. Because many of the students, and myself included, often understand definitions more thoroughly when pictures are provided, the students could also use the Inspiration software to incorporate graphics into their notes. This would be a much easier way of notetaking for the students, and it also enables them to become more familiar with the computer and its many functions.

Previously, I have used Vernier probes in my math class to demonstrate temperature changes and speed. I think that these tools are wonderful, and when used with a graphing calculator, they provide students with easy to read data. These tools also save time...allowing students and teachers to focus on the concept of the lesson, and the TEK, rather than drawing every chart and graph by hand. Some students have difficulties labeling the x-axis and y-axis correctly, and knowing which one is dependent and which is independent. Using the Vernier probes resolves that issue for children, while getting them used to seeing the appropriate placement of each. Eventually, students should be able to construct such a graph without the use of so much technology, but in a technological society (and job force) it's necessary to know how to use the probes and read the results.