Spikey U
Specialist Maths School for responsible learners of all abilities, backgrounds and ages to master Maths of their choice when they are ready.
Targeted Readings. Our understanding is that students generally like targeted readings more than videos; targeted readings focus on exactly what the students need and can be reviewed more quickly than videos.
Reading Questions. These are intended to be relatively easy for anyone who had done the reading or already knew the material but difficult for everyone else.
Answer Checker. Students could input each answer into a box and find out if the answer was correct or incorrect. For problems for which the answers were formulas, students were asked to check their answers by inputting a numerical value into the formula. Students could use the problem set checker as many times as they wanted to, and they weren’t graded on this in any way.
Demonstrations and visualisations. These can be used to help students to understand abstract concepts but systematic use of visual representations helps to develop problem solving skills.
Clicker Questions. These are designed to help students think about concepts. Mathematics is not only about computing. It’s also about thinking, communicating ideas, and coming up with convincing arguments. We wanted students to learn how to debate in mathematics.
Learning Journal. It allows learners to record, reflect and retain their learning. The document submission framework allows learners to submit their work, receive the feedback timely and follow it through in a verifiable way.
Resource Hub. Student's prior knowledge, individual interest/determination and organisational skills determine the pace of learning. Having everything you might need at hand helps students to stay focused on learning.
Investigations and Practical Problems. These activities are open ended tasks to provide the opportunity for students to develop their own systems for generating results and to identify, express and justify any patterns they obtain.
Exam style questions. Few people genuinely enjoy exams and writing timed exam answers, and getting yourself informed about what to expect when you get to the exam room helps students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Lighthouse Navigation. Our understanding is that students generally recognise the areas where they need to improve and, therefore, are in position to set the learning targets. The advisor can focus on how to get and remain there.
The main benefits for educators:
Save time.
No student's work marking: Answer checker ensures the self assessment is reliable.
Lesson worksheet customization: a question can be removed or added with one click!
Formative assessment - Personalised Feedback - Feedback Follow up - Formative Assessment for each learner is recorded and available for teaching quality audit purposes.
Quality relationship with learners.
"Computer" grades the work based on the fully answered questions only and, therefore, the advisor improves the computer's grade by adding process/method marks when it is possible.
The learner says what he or she is not good at, the advisor helps him/her to get better.
The advisor gains recognition for truly personalised feedback by assigning different question from the same topic to individual learners.
Improved top grades for responsible learners.
The able students can be challenged efficiently at every lesson.
The clicker questions ensure that every learner had a go working independently and knows how to answer the question eventually.
Unlimited mock exams/unit tests.
The main benefits for learners:
Save time.
Fostering confidence and develop learning skills
Improve performance at exam
1. Save time:
When back in 2015 we attempted to re-create a learning environment where students are academically challenged, actively engaged, and personally supported known as "Flipping the Dice" at Mathematics Department, MIT or Technology Enabled Active Learning (TEAL), we faced few cultural and technological roadblocks.
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Spikey U is Specialist Maths School for responsible learners of all abilities, backgrounds and ages to master Maths of their choice when they are ready. Spikey U uses Spikey Suit tools to deliver individualised learning environment powered by technology.
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