Michael Todd Edwards

Screencasting as a Tool to Capture Moments of Authentic Creativity

In the context of working with preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs) in a course on mathematical problem solving with technology, we tested the potential of technology to both inspire and capture moments of authentic creativity in the mathematics classroom. In a case study of two PSMTs working in partnership to solve a task using Interactive Geometry Software (IGS), we documented a rich narrative based on four episodes of creativity. These four episodes can be characterized as moments of creative insight because they represent moments that inspired either the development of new solutions or strategies (Problem Solving Insights) or spurred new questions (Problem Posing Insights). At the heart of the case is a task that requires constant negotiation and discussion in a digital workspace. Capturing an authentic narrative can be challenging with verbalized thinking alone, as the articulation of insight is not always possible. Screencasts are a tool that captures verbalized thinking as well as on-screen activity. This case study illustrates the power that this tool has in preserving the authenticity of those moments, but also in creating a record of practice to which both students and teachers might refer when making learning processes explicit.

A tale of two sliders

The word slider may conjure up visions of interactive mathematics tools that enable exploration of parameters and graphs. Walker and Edwards discuss ideas for using Desmos, a freely available online calculator, to investigate a scenario about tasty sliders. By automating the construction of sliders, Desmos makes their use more accessible for students and teachers alike.

And Now this . . . Problem

As mathematics educators, much of our professional time is spent preparing candidates for future careers as classroom teachers. Although most of our students use technology routinely in activities outside the classroom—for instance, textmessaging friends between classes or posting videos to YouTube—many are surprisingly inexperienced users of mathematics-oriented teaching technology. For this reason, we spend considerable instructional time investigating the “how-to’s” of teaching technology with future classroom teachers.