Using Desmos
Engaging Your Students in Math
The purpose of this self-paced course is to provide background information about the Desmos learning platform and to demonstrate how Desmos can be utilized in the classroom to better engage students in math. The course is presented in three sections with an assessment at the end.
Quick Links to Explore the Desmos Program
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Section 1: What is Desmos
Desmos is a free collection of math software tools available to teachers to actively engage their students in math. The Desmos program also includes an interactive graphing calculator that aims to create visuals for students learning advanced math concepts.
In 2020, Desmos launched a 6-8 Math Curriculum combining the Desmos technology with Illustrative Math.
Section Assignment
Click here to read more about the creation and purpose of Desmos.
Section 2: Beyond Paper and Pencil
Traditional worksheets in math can present limitations for students. Desmos slides can offer an engaging alternative to the paper and pencil assignment.
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Desmos provides immediate feedback to students
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Teachers can monitor each student's progress
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Assignments are neatly organized within Desmos - no more misplacing worksheets or forgetting to submit an assignment!
Section Assignment
Watch the video (right) to see the student facing side of Desmos. Reflect: How can the program help students who are working independently or in small group?
Section 3: Keeping Students Engaged
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Desmos shows a class summary for an easy view of the progress of every student.
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Teachers can view individual student responses to check for errors and pacing.
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Desmos offers a screen shot option for teachers to quickly grab a student response to highlight or share with the class.
In a this new world of virtual learning, Desmos offers a platform for teachers to keep students engaged. The teacher view side of Desmos provides several ways to monitor student responses, pacing, and engagement.
Section Assignment
Watch the video (left) to see the teacher facing side of Desmos. Reflect: As a teacher, how can Desmos help me with pacing and monitoring student activity?
Module Assessment
For your module assignment,
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Log into Desmos using Google Chrome
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Create a new Class. You can title it Course Practice Class.
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Go to Custom Activities and in the top right hand corner of the screen, click Create New Activity.
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Title your activity and create at least 3 slides using at least 2 different response boxes.
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Assign the new activity to your test course.
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To submit your assignment, click here to complete the Google Form.
Click here for a samples Desmos Assignment that you can use or modify.
Credits
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Google Forms
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Videos self-created using PowerPoint Screen Recorder
Contact information: Click here for email address