Hello colleagues,
The Florida Literacy Coalition (FLC) has created a new webpage of video links to help adults prepare for the GED math test. Because they felt that YouTube is very limited in terms of how one can organize videos, they decided to develop a special page, linked to from their YouTube playlist, that organizes videos into specific math subject areas covered on the GED. Their new page includes over 200 ad-free videos (mostly from Kahn Academy), a student tracking sheet that students can download, print and then use to track which videos they have watched, and section quizzes to help them test their knowledge. The FLC developed this for Florida adult learners' and programs' use, but they also want to make it available to other individuals and adult secondary education and GED preparation programs that may find it useful. Here’s a link to the site http://www.floridaliteracy.org/mathvideos.html
If you check out this new webpage and would like to share your comments here, I'll see that they get them.
David J. Rosen, Moderator
LINCS CoP Integrating Technology and Program Management groups
Comments
Hi David,
This video list would be a great answer to the eternal question: "What's on the test?" It looks like a useful resource for getting students comfortable with the scope of content assessed by the GED. I would probably recommend it to my HiSET testers, too, especially the foundations, algebra, functions, and geometry lists. This might be good brush-up for students who already have a good grasp on the material, and it might help students working independently who need a little help understanding a textbook's explanation of a topic. That said, we should warn students (and volunteer tutors) that simply watching a video is not going to teach students everything they need to know.
In order to learn something new, students need to actually do the math themselves. Khan Academy does have practice exercises and quizzes, so students could use the FLC list to select topics on that or any other math study site (or book). However, if students just watch the videos without actually trying to do exercises, they are likely to get tricked by a false sense of familiarity with the topic (there's a good explanation here). The quizzes that FLC put together are a good first step toward fighting that, but they would be even better if they included instructions on what to do when you answer a question wrong. (What topic should you study? Where can you find practice problems? etc.)
In general, though, I like the site. It is clear and easy to navigate. I like the fact that clicking on a video does not send you to YouTube or another webpage, as is sometimes the case. I'm sure many teachers have been wishing for a list of videos like this! My job is to support our volunteer ABE/HSE tutors, and I will be sharing this link to them with the caveat listed above and some other ideas for using Khan Academy effectively. Thanks for the great resource!
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
All good points. Thanks.
At the end of the short introductory video on the FLC math videos page, the narrator says that the FLC encourages learners to use these in the context of an adult secondary education program and explains how to find a local program. I think the FLC staff recognize that short math videos are not the same as good math teaching, and learning, but could be useful in the context of blended (integrated face-to-face and online) learning.
Given that many more people, especially young adults, and including those doing HSE prep, have and use their smartphones for learning largely by watching YouTube videos, I wonder if what the FLC is doing is also an effective new way to reach potential learners for classes and tutorials, if online learners find face-to-face or blended model programs as a result of first finding YouTube instructional videos. Has anyone tried to do ASE or HSE prep class outreach in this way, through reaching people who find HSE prep videos? If so, I would like to hear what you have found.
David J. Rosen, Moderator
LINCS CoP Integrating Technology group
Thanks for your feedback Rachel. FLC never meant to imply that students simply watch the videos without trying exercises and practicing the math. Maybe we need to clarify this more on the webpage. Ideally this will be one of a number of resources that they use to prepare and we always encourage folks to take advantage of local adult ed classes and tutoring programs. It would be fantastic if some folks find their way to such programs by watching Youtube.
I think David’s comments regarding the potential in using YouTube videos as part of a blended instructional approach are right on the mark. We too believe that quality videos have lots of potential to help students enhance their learning outside the classroom.
I know this is being done by some adult ed teachers and would love to hear what’s worked and hasn’t worked. Has anyone tried a flipped classroom approach with math instruction?
Greg
I am new to the adult education world, but have been a junior high and high school math teacher for years. I have researched the flipped classroom model and tried it in that setting. I found that it's great for some learners, while other learners seem to need a "real life person" explaining new steps to them so that they can ask questions as the lesson progresses. Students that aren't intrinsically motivated and students who doubt themselves seemed to prefer the more traditional classroom so they can have encouragement and help staying focused. Students who like to hear things more than once without having to ask in front of their peers, preferred the flipped classroom. Students who pick up on math quickly, preferred the flipped classroom so that they didn't have to wait for their peers to catch up to them before moving on. When I tried it, I found that a blended classroom seemed to work best for my audience. FLC has put together a great resource for a blended classroom; I'm sure students and teachers will find it very useful.
Outside of the school day, I found that the internet wasn't accessible to all of my students. It was a real struggle for some of them to watch videos or post homework online once they left the school. Do you think the majority of adult learners have internet access at home?
Hello Lisa and others,
Thanks, Lisa, for your introduction and for your post about your experience with a flipped classroom. In the beginning the flipped classroom model was well-defined. Now there are many variations on the idea, so please tell us about the model you have used. Typically a teacher assigns a web-based instruction video, such as those found on Khan Academy or on YouTube, to be watched outside of the class (in the computer lab, at home, on a smartphone or tablet with Internet access). If there is an instruction management system, such as Khan Academy offers, with assessments (often quizzes) and reporting on student progress, before the class begins the teacher can see who watched the video and who did not, who took the quiz and who did not, and for those that took the quiz, how they did. Students who did well on the quiz can move on through the assigned videos at their own pace. Those who need help might be asked to meet in a small group or one-on-one with the teacher, or might be assigned a peer tutor during class time or, if they haven't watched the video yet, they might do that if there are Internet-accessible computers or other digital devices in the classroom. The point was to use class time to provide help for those who need it, or, if no one needs help, to provide opportunities for reflective discussion, teacher modelling of problem solving, or more advanced small-group work. Lisa, how is the model you have used similar to or different from that?
I assume "FLC" refers to the Florida Literacy Coalition, and their new free website with GED math videos. For those who may be reading this in their email, this message is part of that discussion thread.
The answer to your question about Internet access that it varies greatly. In some communities, especially for low-income adults, there is little if any access to the Internet from home. However, in some very low-income affordable housing projects that are part of the federal government's Connect Home initiative there might be excellent broadband access in every apartment, and/or in a free housing development computing center. Usually when I ask ESL/ESOL teachers about their students' access I am told that although the students often don't have computer access to the Internet at home, nearly all have access by smartphone. Then next question might be how to help low-income families get access to affordable broadband. Are you familiar with everyone.org? This might help them. In many parts of the country Everyone On offers inexpensive computers, and Internet packages for $10-15 per month, for families whose children are eligible for school lunch subsidies. Also, increasingly public libraries are offering loaner laptops for a few months or up to a year. If yours doesn't, you might ask if they could consider such a program.
David J. Rosen, Moderator
LINCS CoP Integrating Technology group