Life After Covid-19

As we navigate this new normal, what will the mathematics class look like moving forward? The new social distancing guidelines put in place by the Centers for Disease Control could make the teaching and learning experience in America very, very different for years to come.

#EdTech Has Taken On a Brand New Role.

What I once used as an add-on to my daily routine has now become the foundation of my curriculum. Google classroom was formerly used only occasionally to push out digital learning opportunities. Now, Google classroom is a hub where all of my instructional materials and daily lessons are posted and graded. EdPuzzle, Desmos, Quizizz, Kahoot, Google Meet, Google Docs, Google Forms, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Khan Academy, Jamboard, Edulastic, YouTube, Screen-Cast-O-Matic, Equatio, and Algebra Nation have all been explored and implemented (with varying degrees of success), but in the end I have learned a lot (about what NOT to do in some cases).

We quickly realize that when we are not seeing the faces of our students each day, that we must do so much more to create learning experiences that draw students into the lessons, keep them there long enough to engage with the content and provide legitimate opportunities to participate and truly learn challenging mathematical concepts. Technology can help, but pedagogy is more important. Our level of preparation for teaching must reach new heights if we are to educate this new generation. Sitting and listening, taking and reading notes, passive consumption must now be replaced with active participation, autonomy, exploration and curiosity. We need to develop experiences for our students that make learning more engaging and make learning more likely (more so than ever before) if we want to truly educate students in this socially distant environment.

I am on a quest to explore like never before.

This week I have started a website, created a new twitter account, explored dozens of different technologies, began listening to an educational podcast (The Edufuturists), and started building my professional learning network (#PLN) on twitter with some amazing educators who are harnessing the power of educational technology to improve the distance learning experience for their students.

This is my contribution to those who are on this expedition with me. I will share my videos (yes, even the ones with mistakes), my lessons, my ideas and most importantly, my experiences that have made me improve my teaching. Hopefully, something you read or discover here will inspire you to keep going and keep growing.

Here's to the new normal.

Learn something new today and share it with the world.

Susan Carriker

@TechKnowMath on Twitter