Collaborative learning with TI-Nspire™ Technology

Module G

TI-Nspire™ Technology

In this lesson you will:

• Learn about the basics of collaborative learning;• Learn how TI-Nspire Technology creates a powerful learning

environment by using hard- and software;• Explore the classroom workspaces of TI-Nspire™ Navigator™ Teacher

Software.

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Collaborative learning

Researchers report that: • Students learn best when they are actively involved in the process;• Regardless of the subject matter, students working in small groups tend to learn more of what is taught and

retain it longer than when the same content is presented in other instructional formats; • Students who work in collaborative groups also appear more engaged with their classes.

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Collaborative learning

• Goes far beyond “clicker systems” with a wide range of features that let you instantly gauge student understanding at any point and adjust instruction on the spot;

• Stimulates students to stay focused and engage in effective group learning; • Creates more time for instruction when you can wirelessly send documents and collect, grade, save and record student work.

TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Software:

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TI-Navigator ResearchResearchers found that • Use of TI-Navigator can encourage a more open pedagogy when teachers believe that mathematics is socially constructed and that mathematics teaching must involve students in investigating and discussing mathematics. (Sinclair, Owston et al. 2009)

• Students' behavior seems to be deeply modified by public display (anonymous or not) of their work. Using TI-Navigator in the classroom was observed to make students more likely to display their work, which helps other students proceed and provides them a greater range of solutions for consideration. (Hivon, Pean et al. 2008)

• Students are more engaged, able to understand complex subjects, more interested in topics, able to gauge their own level of understanding and more willing to take part in discussions when the TI-Navigator system is incorporated into classroom instruction. (Center for Technology in Learning 2004)

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TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Software

• Create and manage classes on the classroom network;• Transfer files between your computer or your TI-Nspire handheld and

your students’ handhelds or laptops;• Use different tools to create, distribute and analyze educational content;• Delete files from your students’ handhelds or laptops and send files to

your students.

The TI-Navigator solution provides the hardware and software tools you need to set up a wireless classroom network. The system lets you:

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TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Hardware

The system is composed of two parts, hardware and software. The hardware creates a wireless communications network so that your computer can communicate with your students.

The hardware consists of:• An Access Point you connect to the teachers’ computer;• Wireless cradles for all TI-Nspire handhelds or Wireless Network Adapters specifically for TI-Nspire CX handhelds.

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Charging Bay

• The wireless cradles can be charged using the TI-Navigator Charging Bay.

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Docking stations

• The Wireless Network Adapters for TI-Nspire CX handhelds don’t have a battery inside. They use the battery power of the rechargeable battery of the handheld.

• These batteries can be charged by using either the TI-Nspire CX docking station or the standard docking station.

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TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Software

• Sharing tools. Multiple tools that let you send, collect, and delete data files on your students’ handhelds or laptops.

• Quick Poll. Lets you send polls to your students, receive the students’ responses, and review the poll results with your students.

• Screen Capture. Lets you capture and vizualize your students’ screens.

• Portfolio. Lets you collect students assignments, and review and distribute students assignments and scores. You can analyze students answers for the entire class or for individual students and print analysis reports.

The TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Software lets you communicate with your students TI-Nspire or TI-Nspire CAS handhelds or laptops. The software contains a number of tools, including:

10 | Lesson G.1

In this lesson you learned:

What is meant by collaborative learning; That TI-Nspire Technology creates a powerful learning environment by

using hard- and software; That you need specific hardware to setup the classroom network, which

comes with the TI-Nspire Navigator Teacher Software; How to setup classes and add students in the Class-workspace; That you can switch the student view in the Class-workspace; That you can change the way student names are presented.

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Congratulations!

You have just finished lesson G.1!

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Collaborative learning with TI-Nspire™ Technology

Module G

Lesson 1: Elementary concepts