Janice Novakowski presented on using iPad apps to support mathematics learning for all students. She discussed choosing apps that align with curriculum goals and can be used to capture student work and thinking through screenshots. Examples of math-focused apps were shown, including Touch Counts for number sense, Tangram and Numbers for spatial skills, and Math Tappers apps mapped to the BC curriculum. Attendees were invited to try apps and create learning stories by combining app screenshots with narration in apps like 30Hands or BookCreator.

1. Using iPad
Technology to
Support All
Students in Math
Janice Novakowski
Richmond School District
LRT session: March 30 2016
@jnovakowski38

2. Overview of Session
 Use of iPad-based apps
 Mathematics-specific apps
 Creation, representation, communication and
sharing apps
 App-smashing
 Embracing the transformative potential of iPad
technology
 Examples from Richmond classrooms

3. Math Apps
 Choosing apps that support mathematical thinking
 Align with our curricular goals, competencies and
content
 Use screenshots for students to capture traces of their
learning and then “smash” within another app to record
their own narratives of their learning
 Send an app list home to parents
 Have RT allocated devices on which you can load
student-specific apps to address IEP goals

4. Choose a math app…or two
 Choose one of the math apps and investigate
 How do you think your students would respond?
 What does it offer your students?
 How does it provide for differentiation?
 What structures within the app allow for you to assess
student learning?
 How might you use this app?

5. Touch Counts
 Developed by SFU
Education research team led
by Dr. Nathalie Sinclair
 Based on understanding of
importance of gesturing to
learning mathematics and
counting
 Two worlds – number
(counting) and operations
 Free
 Currently, languages
available are English, French
and Italian

6. Tangram for Osmo
 Developed by parents
from Stanford and Google
for their children
 Uses Reflective Artificial
Intelligence to create an
interactive play
environment
 Other apps include Words,
Newton and Masterpiece
 playosmo.com

7. Numbers for Osmo
 Just released
last year
 Uses both dot
and digit tiles
 More of a focus
on levels of play,
accumulation of
points
 playosmo.com

8. Math Tappers: Find Sums
 Developed by UVic
Education professors
 Use of visual tools to
scaffold students
learning…moves from
pictorial to abstract
 Strong connections to BC
math curriculum
 Free

9. Math Tappers: Multiples

10. Math Tappers: Numberline

11. Math Learning Center:
Geoboard
 The Math Learning Center
in Oregon (Bridges, Box It
and Bag It Mathematics)
 Free apps and also
available as web-based
applications
 Focused on visual models
to develop conceptual
understanding

12. Math Learning Center:
Number Frames

13. Math Learning Center:
Number Line

14. Math Learning Center:
Number Rack

15. Math Learning Center:
(Basic) Number Pieces

16. Math Learning Center:
Pattern Shapes

17. My First Weighing Exercises
 paid app ($1.99)
 Big mathematical ideas of
balance and equality
 Opportunities for mental
mathematics
 Calculations with whole
numbers, mass (ounces or
grams)
 Three levels of difficulty

18. Let’s do some app-
smashing…
 Consider what different apps offer in terms of
creating, representing, communicating and
sharing – ultimately, we want students to
choose from a variety of apps that they know
how to use
 Use an app like 30Hands, BookCreator or a
screencasting app to annotate and narrate a
learning story with the screenshots you took
using the math app earlier

19. Things to check out…
 mathtappers.com
 mathlearningcenter.org
 http://blogs.sd38.bc.ca/sd38mathandscience/
contact me through Richnet:
jnovakowski@sd38.bc.ca
@jnovakowski38
#sd38mathandscience
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