Yesterday I spent the day at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR where I attended a one-day workshop featuring research-based best practices for creating math and science classrooms that are engaging and motivating for girls. Based on the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) practice guide, Encouraging Girls in Math and Science, we explored strategies for implementing a more relevant math and science curriculum, engaging students in real-world problems, and recognizing the diverse needs of students when it comes to math and science learning and motivation. It was a very interesting day where I met some great people and hopefully will be able to follow up with this new network to bring some new and exciting ideas into my classroom. 
The day began with a keynote by Dr. Diane Halpern, a professor of psychology at Claremont McKenna College and lead author of the Institute of Education Sciences practice guide Encouraging Girls in Math and Science. She discussed what research says about supporting girls in science and math classrooms through strategies such as project-based learning, use of technology, and group work on real-world problems. After Halpern’s address, I attended a panel discussion by teachers that focused on applying the research findings to support girls’ pursuit of STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics) careers. After lunch, I had time to work on action steps for my classroom and to learn more about the mini-grants offered by the Seattle-based Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project. The afternoon concluded with a panel of women working in STEM professions, reflecting on what motivated them to follow this career path. The event was sponsored by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, Institute of Education Sciences, Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project, and the Lewis & Clark College Graduate School of Education and Counseling.
Overall, great day! As a teacher, it’s hard to leave your classroom sometimes but this was a very worthwhile day. Follow this link if you’d like to download the practice guide, What Does Research Tell Us About How to Encourage Girls in Math and Science.
Pre Calculus students have finished their mathcasts of trigonometry involving right triangles.
Projects are now posted at Mathematics with Mrs. O’Flynn: Mathcasts under Pre Calculus, Periods 2 and 5, Ch 6 Triangle Trigonometry. Their next task is to evaluate their own movie using this checklist and feedback form and to get at least one other person (adult or student who is not a group member) to give them feedback.
My students would appreciate your feedback! Please send feedback to 
Students were randomly placed in groups using the “pick a student” feature in CPS and were then given a problem having to do with polynomials from an ExamView problem bank. Each group or pair then created a mathcast of their solution and their reasoning. Some groups still have to finish up tomorrow but several are now posted at Mathematics with Mrs. O’Flynn: Mathcasts under Periods 1 and 6, Ch 6 Polynomials. Their next task is to evaluate their own movie using this checklist and feedback form and to get at least one other person (adult or student who is not a group member) to give them feedback.
My students would appreciate your feedback! Please send feedback to
I’m going to begin a book study soon of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works. There are four math teachers in our department with Hitachi Starboards, Avervision document cameras, and eInstruction student response systems, and we are going to use this book as a catalyst for our discussions of ways to better utilize these technologies in our classrooms. I plan to post my comments and reactions here throughout our book study.
I am also purchasing Engaging the Online Learner. I’ll be teaching an online math course next year and am definitely looking for ways to make it an interactive experience; hopefully this book will give me some ideas for this.
My Hitachi Starboard has been a real lifesaver this week. A student of mine had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix and will be gone until after Thanksgiving break. So, at the end of class each day, I am able to save my work from the Starboard as a pdf (built-in feature of the whiteboard software) and 
upload it to our webpage. Here are links to some of our recent class notes for Advanced Algebra:
Get well soon, Marley!
My students have published their first round of mathcasts this year. My Algebra 2 classes recorded portions of their cup lab in which they find a linear function that approximates the height of stacked cups, and our Pre Calculus mathcasts show and explain how to graph a sinusoid. You can view these projects at our school site under Mathcasts at http://www.woodlandschools.org/index.php?q=node/741 .
With less than one week left in the first Interwrite Makeover™ video contest, Interwrite Learning is announcing today the five judges who will evaluate the submitted videos for the contest. The selected judges represent internet communities, education blogs and social networks. You can learn more at http://pattyoflynn.edublogs.org/2007/09/23/interwrite-learning-teachertube-contest/#comments .
Each judge will solicit feedback from within their communities to help them select which videos best meet the contest criteria:
· Effectiveness of demonstrating use of technology in the classroom
· The extent to which the entry demonstrates collaboration between the student(s) and teacher(s) in creating the video
· Overall creativity and spirit of the entry
Fifteen finalists will be announced on Friday, October 26, 2007, and the one final winner from each grade segment will later be announced on Tuesday, November 27, 2007. Each interactive makeover is valued at approximately $15,000, with a total of more than $50,000 in prizes to be awarded. Included in that is a celebration party for each winning entry’s entire school.
Hitachi Software announced their new multi-touch whiteboard called the StarBoard FX Duo FX 77 that supports dual inputs allowing for multi-touch input. You can read about it here. I especially like the fact that the Duo allows you to use your finger or other object rather than only the electronic pen like my current Starboard panel, and it also allows you to control it using multi-touch hand gestures. I was impressed with it when I had the opportunity to preview this board earlier this summer and can’t wait to try it out!
Interwrite Learning has a contest open to all teachers and students who can creatively show how they are using (or would like to use) technology in the classroom. And the winners will receive a $15,000 classroom makeover! Visit the link to check out the details.
The submission deadline for Hitachi’s Starboard Summer School Contest has been extended to October 31st. See http://blog.svconline.com/briefingroom/2007/09/19/hitachi-software-extends-starboard-summer-school-contest/ for details.
