Differentiated Instruction Using Math XL

1. Differentiated Instruction Using Math XL How it can help you and your students in a mathematics classroom Jennifer Hallett Southeastern Regional

2. Background • First used in 2001 and has been used in almost 2000 colleges nation wide • More recently MathXL has been used as an 8-12 program • Material is used with Pearson Addison-Wesley and Prentice Hall textbooks • Offers homework, tests, guided solutions, multimedia and tutorial exersises

3. What makes MathXL different? • Program can be linked directly to relevant pages in a student’s textbook • Students do not need anything installed on a computer, so they can do it anywhere • The program can be customized by the instructor to cover material at any level • This is a math-specific program so it offers all kinds of usuful components for entering “math” answers into a computer

4. How helpful is homework? • MathXL give students immediate feedback when answering homework questions • Students are able to have a more meaningful homework experience • Fewer questions can be assigned knowing that the students comprehension will be better • MathXL can be locked after so many attempts to prevent guessing

5. Help Me Solve This! • Tutorials allow students help at home – like having a tutor there with you on the computer • Tutorials give students prompts to guide them toward the answer • The program automatically regenerates the example after using a tutorial!

6. Ask My Instructor • Students are able to email their teacher right from the program • The email will let you know what question students emailed from • This is also helpful when students have questions about due dates or are having problems with the program

7. Print Not able to get to a computer? • MathXL allows you to print assignments for students who do not have technology at home • Although this does not offer all of the multimedia features, it can be very helpful for students who are not able to access a computer

8. Calendar Organization like you would not believe! • There are no papers to lose, no forgetting to write your homework down and no signing agendas! • The caldenar feature offers students a visual organization of assignments due each month so the students know when it was assigned but more importantly when it is due!

9. My Results • This feature lets students know which assignments they have completed, how many were correct, the score (%), the total time spent on the assignment and the last date and time they worked on it • This also lets students open the assignment and view which questions they got right/wrong

10. Study Plan • All kids like more work! • Study plan will let kids know which of their skills were weak and makes suggestions for more examples • Teachers cannot “assign” the study guide under assignments but are able to access student progress in these areas • MathXL will also tell students which topics they have mastered!

11. Good for the kids, good for the teacher • MathXL is user friendly • New courses are easy to create • More than one teacher can use the same course • Assignments are able to transfer between sections • MathXL grades itself!

12. Differentiated Instruction • Multiple assignments can be made at different levels, even within a class • MathXL will remediate students and give them study guide problems based on performance • Different types of multimedia for different kinds of learners • Videos, animations and examples are easy to use and students have access to them 24-7!

13. Let’s Take a Look! MathXL for School