Criteria 1 Criteria 2 Criteria 3 Criteria 4 Criteria 5 Criteria 6 Criteria 7 Criteria 8 Review
Classifying digital technology resources
Blooms digital taxonomy (while hierarchical in nature – see criteria 2 for concerns) (Churches, 2010) accounts for new behaviours, actions and opportunities that have appeared in the 21st century with technological advances. While Desmos is a highly recommended/preferred tool in literature (Gulati, 2017; Liang, 2015; Montijo, 2018; Orr, 2017) Blooms taxonomy can be used to assess the suitability and importantly flexibility of digital tools.
Figure 1. Map of Blooms Digital Taxonomy (from Churches, 2010)
As described in criteria 3, providing different tasks is not effective differentiation; being suitably attuned to students differing needs and responding to them as required is. This means that not all instruction should be focused on higher order thinking skills as learning is a process.
Figure 2. Blooms Learning Process (from Churches, 2010)
As such, Blooms digital taxonomy is useful in assessing the flexibility and usefulness of a digital to all learners at all stages of the learning. Below is a quick highlight of the strength and flexibility of just a single Desmos learning activity against Blooms digital taxonomy.
Linear Relations – Marbles learning activity
Review – students must remember, recognise, name and highlight the components of linear function and its graph (Remembering).
First Task – Experimentation with basic linear function transformations - Students are required summarise and share with classmates (commenting within Demsos) their interpretation of the components of a linear function and its graph (Understanding).
Second Task – Students playing a challenge controlling the path of marbles using linear graphs. Students are applying their knowledge of linear functions executing function commands (Apply).
Third Task – Students are presented classmates solutions to the previous task that they are to validate, critique and share feedback on (commenting within Desmos) (Analyse).
Fourth Tasks – Working in pairs both students submit to each other solutions to problems similar to task 2 (marble control). The students must review, hypothesis if correct and then test for success. Afterwards the pairs must collaborate and refactor their solutions together and submit one agreed upon ‘best solution’ (Evaluating).
Fifth Tasks – Students are to produce and image of their own choosing using linear functions and publish to their classmates (Desmos class share) (Create).
Conclusion
It is clear from the literature, and brief analysis against blooms digital technology that Demsos is an incredibly flexible learning tool. It is suitable for all learners (novice, capable and proficient) to help develop their understanding of mathematical functions and their graphical representations.
References
Churches, A. (2010). Bloom’s digital taxonomy. Australian School Library Association NSW Incorporated.
Gulati, S. (2017). Create your own interactive activity. At Right Angles, 6(3), 81–88.
Liang, S. (2015). Teaching the Concept of Limit by Using Conceptual Conflict Strategy and Desmos Graphing Calculator. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 2(1), 35. https://doi.org/10.21890/ijres.62743
Montijo, E. (2018). The effects of Desmos and TI-83 Plus graphing calculators on the problem-solving confidence of middle and high school mathematics students. Dissertation Abstracts International Section A: Humanities and Social Sciences. ProQuest Information & Learning. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2017-29361-010&site=ehost-live
Orr, J. (2017). Function Transformations and the Desmos Activity Builder. Mathematics Teacher, 110(7), 549–551.