DEsMOs: Interactive way of learning Math

Author: Adrienne Williams

Overview:

Desmos is an online platform that many currently use for both easy assess for an online calculator and help students learn math and love learning math (Moynihan, Bejarano, &Meyer, 2021). More recently Desmos has added math curriculum for grades 6-8. Desmos house a plethora of lessons that educators can integrate in the classroom to increase student engagement. Desmos has problem-based lessons that promote mathematical curiosity building on the coherence and rigor of illustrative mathematics curriculum, according to Moynihan, Bejarano, &Meyer, (2021). Desmos also offers opportunities for collaboration as well as starter screens to get students talking and participating in lessons. Desmos house many lessons that introduce students to new topics through inquiry based learning. Desmos was originally used by some teachers just as a graphing calculator for students without access to graphing calculator outside the classroom, however now, Desmos has expanded offering much more then just a graphing calculator, but activities that get students engaged in learning. Desmos can be used to not only engage students but also stimulate curiosity.

Curiosity:

Students are able to complete inquiry based lessons in which they have the opportunity to explore concepts. Curiosity is a basic instinct that allows one to learn about and master new things. Using Desmos can play a role in stimulating curiosity and interest, as well as sustaining purposeful engagement according to research (Stenger, 2014)

Curiosity prepares the brain for learning. Students are able to go through discovery exercises under the teachers guidance to acquire new knowledge. Curiosity is aroused when one wants to close perceived gaps and/or it can be aroused from uncertainty (Reiser & Dempsey, 2018). Sometimes the best way to get students engaged is to get out the way and let them discover. When you let students discover you allow them to use critical and creative thinking and pursue the lines of inquiry that interest them. Desmos offers an multitude of pre made activities to allow students to learn through discovery, and also allows teachers to create activities to help students learn math and love math (Moynihan, Bejarano, & Meyers, 2018).

Emotional Engagement:

Educators can use Desmos to not only engage students intellectually but also emotionally. Desmos promotes positive emotions in students which will facilitate the learning process and keep students motivated and encouraged throughout the learning process. Desmos has starter screens that can be embedded into lessons that checks on students well being outside of just academics. Creating a learning environment conducive to learning can include teachers monitoring student moods and asking them how they are feeling in order to provide students with the support needed in order to be successful academically and feel positive, optimistic, or excited about learning (Great Schools Partnerships, 2016). With Desmos offering screen starters to check in with students, teachers are able to create an engaging learning environment from the beginning. According to Great Schools Partnership research, students are more likely to succeed if at least one adult in the school is building rapport/relationships through inquiring about both academic and non academic issues, giving advice, as well as taking interest in her out-of-school life, personal passions, future aspirations, and distinct learning challenges and needs (2016).

Relevance:

Motivation to learn is enhanced when the learning is perceived interesting and relevant. (Moynihan, Bejarano, & Meyers (2016), Desmos not only provide feedback but also

Desmos works in real time, thus allowing the opportunities for instructors to provide immediate feedback. Providing feedback provides students the opportunity to attach meaning to the learning as well as the thinking. Through Desmos, they offer many lessons, opportunity to be wrong while not being too embarrassed. Activities can be scaffold with checkpoints. When students are given large activities and no guidance they become disengaged, however, activities that are broken into chunks allow students to find relevance which equates to students staying engaged in learning (Best, 2020). When learning is scaffold with checkpoints students are able to navigate through learning at their own ability. Desmos offer real life situations that are scaffold to keep students engaged in learning. When students can make connections and find meaning to learning they will stay engaged in the learning process. As learners encounter more complex problems and tasks during instruction, they should be able to transfer that knowledge to work settings more easily (Reiser & Dempsey, 2018).

Best, J. (2020). 20 Student Engagement Strategies for a Captivating Classroom. 3PLearning. Retrieved from https://www.3plearning.com/blog/20-student-engagement-strategies-captivating-classroom/

Great Schools Partnerships (2016). Student Engagement. The Glossary of Education Reform. Retrieved from https://www.edglossary.org/student-engagement/

Moynihan, F., Bejarano, L., Meyers, D. (2018). The Desmos Guide to Building Great (Digital) Math Activities v2.0. Retrieved from https://blog.desmos.com/articles/desmos-guide-to-building-great-digital-math-2021/

Reiser, R.A., Dempsey, J.V. (2018). Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology

(4th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education.

Stenger, M. (2014). Why Curiosity Enhances Learning. George Lucas Education Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/why-curiosity-enhances-learning-marianne-stenger