Michelle Passmore :: Blog

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2009/01/we-are-number-1-oops-we-are-num

According to a list of the top 200 jobs, Mathematicians have the best job. Teachers, unfortunately, hit the list at 127 - right between Vending Machine Repairer and Buyer.

See the related story, sent on to me by Dr. Doug Franks - maybe he was trying to cheer Dr. Dan Jarvis up on his birthday!

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/12/added-equation-editor-to-my-blo

If you scroll to the very bottom of the page you should see an equation editor that I found via the Charlotte Area Math Teacher's Wiki (recommended by Vic in the comments to the previous post).

You can generate mathematical text visually or using Latex and save the resulting image as a .png. The Latex code is also useful in various other equation editors or for embedding mathematical text in blogs or wikis.

How cool is that!

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/12/web-20-for-grade-7-12-mathemati

Jeff, Greg, Frank and I are presenting Web 2.0 to a group of Mathematics Leaders for a full day in February. We have been thinking about how to introduce them to the Web 2.0 world and make connections to their personal learning (easy) and their classroom practice (harder).

Here is a test of the strength of my professional network:

What topics, concepts, exercises, or messages would you see as vital for such a day? What pitfalls should be avoided? What is the elevator pitch for Web 2.0 to Math teachers?

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/absolutely-bone-chilling.html

I have been casually following the case of Julie Amero, a computer-illiterate supply teacher, who fell into the hands of the law after a disturbing run-in with pornographic pop-ups.

Now, from Ars Technica,

"It's over," said Julie Amero. "I feel wonderful."

This is not, to be sure, how most people would react upon being slapped with a $100 fine and having their professional credentials revoked. But after a four-year ordeal, during which the unassuming substitute teacher was decried as "disgusting" in the local press and convicted of felonies carrying a 40-year prison term, the plea agreement she reached with Connecticut prosecutors Friday must have come as a relief—even though a forensic report made public today shows she probably did nothing wrong.

The whole story is worth reading, even if it gives pause to anyone involved with using the internet with children in an ignorant and self-protective bureaucracy.

As per the subject line above, I've posted the materials from Bob Regan's presentation in the File Storage Area.  There was one file that was part of the archive (big archive that wouldn't upload on its own), i.e. the Visual Literacy White Paper, that I couldn't extract from the original Archive.  I'll work on posting it as well but for the meantime the rest of the material is now available.

Enjoy

 

d.

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-laughed-out-loud.html

From Doug Peterson's del.icio.us stream:

Let me google that for you
This is for all those people that find it more convenient to bother you with their question rather than google it for themselves.
(tags: weird web utilities useful tools share)

I visited the site, typed my favorite search term ("Ubersketch") and laughed out loud when I saw the result. Now, will I be brave enough to send that to a querier (that is someone who poses a query - which reminds me of an off-colour joke about the effeminate English teacher...)?

Geoff Day told me again that there is no such thing as a dumb question, but in my heart of hearts, I tend to disagree.

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/myers-briggs-for-blog.html

Just last week a colleague explained how I am a ENTJ.
The Typealyzer site, via Web Tools for Teachers, indicates that my blog is not:

The analysis indicates that the author of
http://mathfest.blogspot.com
is of the type:
ESTP - The Doers

The active and playful type. They are especially attuned to people and things around them and often full of energy, talking, joking and engaging in physical out-door activities.

The Doers are happiest with action-filled work which craves their full attention and focus. They might be very impulsive and more keen on starting something new than following it through. They might have a problem with sitting still or remaining inactive for any period of time.

Makes you wonder if I am creating an alternate persona for general consumption.

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/nomination-for-2008-edublog-awa

Here are my nominations for the 2008 Edublog Awards:

1. Best individual blog: Doug Peterson Off the Record

4. Best resource sharing blog: Jane's e-Learning Pick of the Day

5. Most influential blog post: The Time is Now - Bob Sprankle

6. Best teacher blog: Teaching College Math - Maria H. Andersen

9. Best elearning / corporate education blog: Presentation Zen - Garr Reynolds


11. Best educational use of video / visual: dy/av series - Dan Meyer

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-is-your-dream-interface.ht

I have often thought how much I would like a computer to be more like a large drafting table where I could move and manipulate a bunch of Windows. The keyboard might just be one of those moving windows.

Now, SMART seems to be marketing something like this for primary students.



Do you think this will gain traction?

http://mathfest.blogspot.com/2008/11/interfaces-topology-and-magic.h

I saw this at the Teaching College Math blog some time ago , but thought that Doug Peterson might blog about it, since he is fond of quoting Arthur C. Clarke:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

This interface uses an "inspired hack" inspired by topology. It is fun to hear such a bright person talk unassumingly about his work too.



I think students should see and hear stuff like this.