***If you have not yet seen the blog posts from Keeler, Bell, and Curts, they are worth exploring.***
Math teachers have longed for the days when technology can be used to make math instruction better.
Nope. Scratch that.
Math teachers have longed for the days when technology can be more of a useful resource and not an obstacle for high quality instruction.
There. I'm happier with that.
Google Forms and Google Docs, while incredible, powerful, amazing, and beautiful, really weren't built for math and physical science teachers. Thanks to John McGowan and the folks over at Texthelp, that has changed.
Math teachers have longed for the days when technology can be used to make math instruction better.
Nope. Scratch that.
Math teachers have longed for the days when technology can be more of a useful resource and not an obstacle for high quality instruction.
There. I'm happier with that.
Google Forms and Google Docs, while incredible, powerful, amazing, and beautiful, really weren't built for math and physical science teachers. Thanks to John McGowan and the folks over at Texthelp, that has changed.
I hesitated to blog about this as soon as it was released because I wanted to process how this would be a game-changer in math education. I didn't want it to become a new way to do an old thing, but for some, it will. I didn't want it to become a hindrance on the quality of Google Forms, but for some, it will. I didn't want it to be intimidating, but for some, it will. With that said, here are three reasons why I think you should give Equatio a hard look:
Predictive capabilities
Dang! What's the shortcut for the fraction again?! I forgot.
With Equatio's predictive machine, users can start typing and a list of options pops up. Not sure how to create a fraction? Here are a few ways to do it in Equatio's predictive math generator:
/
fraction
out of
over
See?! There are so many ways to say it in English and many of them are able to be picked up and turned into a fraction. For students who are creating representations of their learning using Google Docs (or filling out a Google Form), Equatio makes the learning accessible.
With Equatio's predictive machine, users can start typing and a list of options pops up. Not sure how to create a fraction? Here are a few ways to do it in Equatio's predictive math generator:
/
fraction
out of
over
See?! There are so many ways to say it in English and many of them are able to be picked up and turned into a fraction. For students who are creating representations of their learning using Google Docs (or filling out a Google Form), Equatio makes the learning accessible.
Did I read that right? Is that the quadratic formula? Sure is. It, and a bunch more, are also loaded in and available for you to use by simply starting to type out their names. How's that for the "easy to use" category?
Voice to Math
Voice-to-text programs have been around for quite some time, and they are incredibly helpful for students with disabilities, as well as folks who find it easier to speak their emails than type them.
Do you type your text messages? Or do you use the speech option?
With the audio feature, users can speak into the computer's microphone and it works to only extract the math in the sentence(s). Takealookadis!
Do you type your text messages? Or do you use the speech option?
With the audio feature, users can speak into the computer's microphone and it works to only extract the math in the sentence(s). Takealookadis!
No, it isn't perfect. Yes, it is SUPER cool. And it's going to get a lot better over time.
And yes, it will be very helpful for students and teachers who want to verbalize their math. In the example above, the math it extracted wasn't perfect (and my example was rather silly), so I can go into the box on the right, change what I want to change, and then insert the math into my document or form.
And yes, it will be very helpful for students and teachers who want to verbalize their math. In the example above, the math it extracted wasn't perfect (and my example was rather silly), so I can go into the box on the right, change what I want to change, and then insert the math into my document or form.
Compatibility with Forms
This is all well and good, but it needs to work in Google Forms from the student side; oh yes, it does that, too.
See that blue box next to the "Your answer" section? Contain your excitement. I CAN SEE YOU GETTING EXCITED. Contain yourself.
See that blue box next to the "Your answer" section? Contain your excitement. I CAN SEE YOU GETTING EXCITED. Contain yourself.
When students have the extension added to their profile, a blue box shows up to any free response question and students can click on it to activate Equatio.
Now, when completing a Google Form assessment, students have the option (and opportunity) to respond with meaningful and accessible mathematics.
... isn't that what we're going for?
Now, when completing a Google Form assessment, students have the option (and opportunity) to respond with meaningful and accessible mathematics.
... isn't that what we're going for?
Shut the front door. Did you want to add math to a google form? @Jstevens009 just showed us Equatio a google chrome extension by @texthelp pic.twitter.com/SadeQ62vTj
— Nanette Johnson (@Math_m_Addicts) April 29, 2017
I spent an entire weekend in Arcadia at the CUE Rockstar Math Camp talking about being mindful of what assessment platforms we use and why. Hopefully you aren't using the next best thing because it's the next best thing. Hopefully you are sitting down with your team (if you have one... if you don't, email me and we can chat) and writing down some things that you love and things that you don't.
Equatio has opened up a brand new window of opportunity for teachers and students to make math digital. Yes, Desmos exists and it is fantastic, as are Quizizz, GoFormative, and others. With whatever we do, though, we need to think hard about what we are giving, why, and how we are going to use it to drive instruction from that point forward.
If you have any questions about Equatio or how I am using it to support my teachers, please feel free to reach out.
Happy "Digital Math" Fishing
And as a bonus for making it all the way through the email, I want to give you a little teaser... Google Slides is going to be getting the Equatio treatment, too.
Yup!
Equatio has opened up a brand new window of opportunity for teachers and students to make math digital. Yes, Desmos exists and it is fantastic, as are Quizizz, GoFormative, and others. With whatever we do, though, we need to think hard about what we are giving, why, and how we are going to use it to drive instruction from that point forward.
If you have any questions about Equatio or how I am using it to support my teachers, please feel free to reach out.
Happy "Digital Math" Fishing
And as a bonus for making it all the way through the email, I want to give you a little teaser... Google Slides is going to be getting the Equatio treatment, too.
Yup!
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