#mathematicalexperience

I had my first interview with two 8th grade students today using my tool.  Below are some questions and things that came out of that 45 minute interview/task exploration. This post is just based on my notes from the observation, I have not started transcribing yet.

- They quickly found the triangle and circle but had difficulty finding the parabola and ellipse.  After some time working on the first task of finding conic sections from the clay model they created, we had a short discussion about all conic sections and I set up the next task (design an interesting space that someone could occupy using the pre-printed conic section pieces and the 3D pen).

- I wish I had videotaped the students completing the tasks instead of audio-taped.  The students were talking about the shapes they were using without identifying them.  Although I took as many notes about their decisions as I could, I feel like having the video tape to refer back to would be really helpful.  

- Because I only had one 3D pen, I asked them to collaborate on the design task.  I’m not sure if I lost anything by doing this.

- They thought deeply about the design but decided they would create something better next time. 

- I plan to go back to interview/present this task again.  I’m deciding whether i want to explore what the students meant by “better” and see what other design they may come up with after thinking about design (and learning how to use the 3D pen) or if I want to see what a new set of students will complete the task from beginning to end.

I have sent all of my files to print.  It was difficult to work in 123Design to create some of my pieces but I’m hoping the final product will be useful.  I plan to test using the pieces in conjunction with the 3D pen myself when they print to see how designing will work.  My hope is to have 3 cone molds for students to use and reuse as needed to discover the conic sections and then several sets of different sized conic sections for them to design with. I don’t intend to limit them to these pieces but want to have them available.

Last week, I contacted my former principal to set up student interviews.  She responded and is willing to have me in, I just have to work around PARCC dates.  Eighth grade students are testing next week so I’m hoping I can go in the afternoon on one or two of those days. 

I’ve decided to use the clinical interview for my project hoping to gain an understanding of how students are thinking about mathematical design.  The Ginsburg reading points out that clinical interviews can focus on discovery or hypothesis testing. I think my interview will be focused on the former idea of discovery, observing what students are thinking and what, if any, connections are made between their discovery and use of conic sections for the purpose of design.