Transcript Media education and mathematics

Media education and
mathematics
Alla Stolyarevska
The Eastern-Ukrainian Branch of the International
Solomon University, Kharkov, Ukraine
© Stolyarevska A., 2007
Abstract
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We consider the usage of the computer
technologies at education as a part of media
education.
The computer technologies are a set of methods
directed on delivering, processing and storage of the
information by means of computer.
The concrete methodical recommendations with
using the computer technologies are developed at
studying a course of higher mathematics in the
International Solomon University.
About International Solomon
University
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The Eastern-Ukrainian Branch of ISU provides preparation of the
students on specialty "Software of automated systems".
The grounds of studying are the plates of classical mathematics.
One of the new directions in studying connects with the
mathematical packages. We apply the mathematical package
Derive.
The process of training provides an active students’ mastering the
material of the course of higher mathematics. The study of
mathematics on the basis of mathematical packages we classify as
a deductive method that specifies the general way of the decision of
different problems. The methods of training on the basis of
mathematical packages are realized through the inclusion of the
system of laboratory works. They are directed on formation of the
generalized conceptual receptions on the basis of stimulation of
cognitive activity.
Media education – an agent of
change
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Education in general is of high significance in an information
society. Life-long learning replaces traditional education and
curricula.
Education is a process from heteronomy to autonomy. This
requires a critical approach to oneself and to society. Through
media education students can develop these skills.
Now we can use the following terms: media education, media
literacy education, and media literacy. Media literacy is seen as
outcome of media education. Some also differentiate between
media education and media literacy education. Media education
is at times divided into two components consisting of education
through media and education about media.
UNESCO definition
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According to the definition of UNESCO media education “deals with all
communication media and includes the printed word and graphics, the
sound, the still as well as the moving image, delivered on any kind of
technology”. Media education enables people to gain understanding of
the communication media used in their society and the way they operate
and to acquire skills in using these media to communicate with others.
Media education ensures that people learn how to
analyze, critically reflect upon and create media texts;
identify the sources of media texts, their political, social, commercial
and/or cultural interests, and their contexts;
interpret the messages and values offered by the media;
select appropriate media for communicating their own messages or
stories and for reaching their intended audience;
gain, or demand access to media for both reception and production”.
UNESCO (1999) “Educating for the Media and the Digital Age”
http://www.elearningeuropa.info/doc.php?ing=1&id=595&docIng=1 (with date of 01/09/04).
Different works
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Lemke J.L., 1997, “Metamedia literacy: transforming
meanings and media”: all literacy is a multimedia
literacy. You can never make meaning with language
alone, there must always be a visual or vocal
realization of linguistic signs that also carries nonlinguistic meaning.
According to him all semiotics is multimedia
semiotics, and all literacy is multimedia literacy. The
most defining characteristic of new multimedia
documents with their hypermedia structure and
interactivity is to determine a modality of presenting
information that differs from the traditional
documents.
Different works
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Gutierres M.A., 2003, “Multimedia Authoring as a
Fundamental Principle of Literacy and Teacher
Training in the Information Age”: Multimedia literacy
is not an addition to alphabetic or audiovisual
literacy, rather it integrates them while contributing
characteristics of its own derived from interactivity,
namely those of interpretation and association. On
one hand it produces the convergence of languages
and media, and on the other it substantially changes
the context and conditions of reception/absorption.
Mathematics Education Library
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This book offers a new conceptual framework for reflecting on the role of
information and communication technology in mathematics education.
The authors - Borba and Villarreal - provide examples from research conducted
at the level of basic and university-level education, developed by their research
group based in Brazil, and discuss their findings in the light of the relevant
literature. Arguing that different media reorganize mathematical thinking in
different ways, they discuss how computers, writing and speech transform
education at an epistemological as well as a political level.
The pedagogical approach
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Modeling and experimentation in the book are seen as
pedagogical approaches which are in harmony with changes
brought about by the presence of information and communication
technology in educational settings.
Examples of research about on-line mathematics education
courses, and Internet used in regular mathematics courses, are
presented and discussed at a theoretical level. In this book,
mathematical knowledge is seen as developed by collectives of
humans-with-media.
The authors propose that knowledge is never constructed solely
by humans, but by collectives of humans and technologies of
intelligence. Theoretical discussion developed in the book,
together with new examples, shed new light on discussions
regarding visualization, experimentation and multiple
representations in mathematics education.
Mathematics’ studying
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Mathematics continues to grow, spreading into new fields and
creating new applications, in its open-ended search for patterns.
Several factors – the growth of technology, increased
applications, impact of computers, and expansion of
mathematics itself - have combined in the past century to extend
greatly both the scope and the application of the mathematical
sciences. The changes must be reflected in the schools if our
students are to be well prepared for tomorrow's world.
Mathematics is a language and science of patterns. As a
language of patterns, mathematics is a means for describing the
world in which we live. In its symbols and vocabulary, the
language of mathematics is a universal means of communication
about relationships and patterns.
An education in mathematics
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To be well informed as adults and to have access to desirable
jobs, students today require an education in mathematics that
goes far beyond what was needed by students in the past.
All students must develop and sharpen their skills, deepen their
understanding of mathematical concepts and processes, and
hone their problem-solving, reasoning, and communication
abilities while using mathematics to make sense of, and to solve,
compelling problems.
All students need a deep understanding of mathematics; for this
to occur, rigorous mathematical content must be reorganized,
taught, and assessed in a problem-solving environment.
A computer education approach
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While studying mathematics we propose a computer education
approach based on students and teachers as multimedia authors as an
alternative to the norm, which is to think of learners as users of general
purpose programs.
Our approach relates computers to alphabetic and audiovisual
languages and is more congruent with the world of multimedia
communication in which the modern day individual will have to perform.
That’s why in the scientific teacher training we propose to include
learning the operation of equipment and such software as the
mathematical packages, however these subjects must be approached
with predetermined objectives, with the intent of using them as tools,
and with an idea of what we want to do with those tools. In this way will
we prevent the means becoming the ends.
In addition to this scientific training common to other professionals, the
educator needs educational training about ICTs, to analyze their
potential as educational resources, and the advantages and
disadvantages of new media in teaching.
Computer & Textbook
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Such approach allows coming to such form of education at which the
computer and the textbook are in parallel used in educational process
Advantages of this form: it combines successfully the basic property of
the textbook - availability and the basic property of a computer – a high
quality of presentation of information.
According to it the students perform in searches of the educational
information either to a computer, or to the textbook at their desire, i.e. at
work on a computer they can use the textbook, and at reading the
textbook - to address to the computer information.
The skills of the user, the certain level of knowledge in the basic
subjects allow the student to use a computer as the basic means of
training. At absence of similar skills prime means of training will be
traditional, and the skills connected to application of a computer to
students should be got in parallel with the studying the basic subject.
The using ICTs is effective
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The similar form of training puts on the qualitatively higher level all
process of training which basic components become the contents of
training, activity of teaching and learning.
The contents of the course of higher mathematics act now as one of the
basic sources of knowledge and stimulate the students’ cognitive
interest. Activity of the learning receives a direction on formation of
skills to acquire new knowledge and to apply them in various situations.
Use of system Derive lifts cognitive independence of students on a
creative level. To the teacher which activity is directed not simply on the
control of knowledge and skills trained, and requirements grow by
diagnostics of their activity, rendering of the duly help by the qualified
actions, elimination of were outlined difficulties in knowledge and
application of knowledge.
The analysis of philosophical and pedagogical bases of using ICTs has
shown, that their introduction as a method of training is capable to
increase qualitatively all components of process of training to
mathematics.
The scientific conference
Conclusion
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Generalizing the received results, we came to
a conclusion, that, since the first course, it is
necessary to apply new computer
technologies which are ICTs, in teaching
mathematics at studying theoretical bases
and for the decision of mathematical
problems, combining various forms of the
audience works with independent activity of
students.