Math Class #7

I learned a lot in class today, some specifically about math, and more about teaching with technology in a classroom.  For math, I learned about measurement and how you can use anything to measure with.  It was also so cool to see the wolframalpha site in action. 

What really resonated me and will most affect my own teaching is what we talked about with technology.  Part of what was bothering me with implementing technology in the classroom and assigning technology as homework was that some students may not have access to a computer or the internet at home.  What Robin said today about how students 20years ago had to go to the library to do research for projects was an "a-ha" moment.  I was one of these students, and it did not seem out of the ordinary to do this.  This is the same for the students who now do not have access to technology at home.  They have a wonderful resource nearby: the public library.  Or alternatively, they can use a classroom computer before or after school, or a library computer at recess. 

The more we talk about technology, I wonder how technology will continue to change the teaching and learning in the public schools.  When I was in high school and took the SAT, we had to do all of our calculations by hand.  A few years after I graduated, students were able to use calculators.  How important is it for us to teach the "long way" of performing math calculations, etc. vs. letting the students use the technology?  In the near future will there be an app that measures items, as Robin suggested?  Will rulers go the way of protractors?  I wonder if math curriculum will change or if we will continue to teach antiquated methods.