I have to admit that Math was the subject that I had struggled the most in meeting the standards throughout most of my K-12 school days. Unfortunately, I was that kid who would say that “I am not good at Math”. I have realized that is not a great phrase to use and that the statement does not help with the mindset of any student.
Everyone can actually be “good” at mathematics. Students just need some help in the form of various tools and support to understand how to approach and solve these problems. Keeping in mind that not all students have access to a tutor or a teacher at all times.
Fortunately, there are accessible math accelerators and solver tools that can help students with their math homework and learning.
Math Solver Tool in Microsoft Edge
The Math Solver tool in Microsoft Edge is a feature that allows you to snap a picture of a math problem or type it using a virtual keyboard and then get an instant solution with detailed instructions on how to reach it on your own. It also provides options to continue learning with quizzes, worksheets, video tutorials, and related concepts.
The Math Solver tool can handle various types of math problems, such as arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and more. It can also recognize handwritten or printed problems from websites or PDFs.
The Math Solver tool is currently available as a preview feature in Microsoft Edge (as of June 2021), which means that it may change or be removed in the future. However, you can try it out now by enabling it from the settings menu.
Using the Math Solver Tool in Microsoft Edge
To use the Math Solver tool in Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:
Click on the Math Solver button next to your address bar.
A sidebar will open on the right side of your browser window with two options: Select an area or Type math problem.
If you want to snap a picture of a math problem from a website or a PDF document,
– Click on Select an area
– Use your mouse cursor to draw a rectangle around
– The problem that you want to solve
– Click on Solve
If you want to type a math problem using a virtual keyboard,
– Click on Type math problem
– Use your mouse cursor or keyboard keys to enter your problem using the symbols provided by the virtual keyboard
– Press Enter or click on Solve
The sidebar will then show you the solution to your problem with step-by-step explanations for each method used to solve it.
You can also click on the ellipses icon in the top-right corner of the sidebar and select view solution to open it in a new tab for better readability
If you want to learn more about the problem or concept, you can click on one of the options below the solution, such as:
- Quiz me: This will take you to an interactive quiz where you can test your understanding of the topic
- Practice worksheet: This will take you to an online worksheet where you can practice more problems similar to yours
- Video tutorial: This will take you to an online video lesson where you can watch an expert explain how to solve problems like yours
- Related concepts: This will show you a list of related topics that are relevant to your problem, such as definitions, formulas, examples, etc.
Math Accelerators
Math Accelerator is a part of the Personalized Math Solution from NWEA, which combines interim assessment insights from MAP Growth and math personalized learning from MAP Accelerator with guided implementation and professional learning experiences for educators.
Math Accelerator uses MAP Growth scores and Common Core-aligned Khan Academy content to generate learning pathways for students in grades 3-8. These learning pathways include lessons, instructional videos, and practice problems that are tailored to each student’s needs and goals.
Math Accelerator also provides detailed analytics and straightforward reports for teachers to monitor student progress and adjust individual goals and learning pathways as needed. Teachers can use Math Accelerator to differentiate instruction for students who are on, above, or below grade level.
Reference: https://www.nwea.org/map-accelerator
Why Use Math Accelerators
Tools like the Khan Academy Math Accelerator help students personalize their math learning and practice at their own pace. According to a study by NWEA, students who use Math Accelerator 30 minutes each week achieve greater-than-projected gains in math—with increased scores across all grade levels and gender, race/ethnicity, and poverty levels.
Some of the benefits of using Math Accelerator are:
- It helps students master new skills and concepts at their own pace
- It reduces the manual work of differentiating math instruction for teachers
- It provides standards-aligned content that includes components of social-emotional learning
- It supports flexible implementation throughout the classroom—whether in self-paced work, rotations, or independent practice
It is important to keep in mind that as technology continues to advance and there are more applications and tools becoming available to the general public with some form of artificial intelligence, we must always remind students the value of learning and the importance of being honest about where our answers come from.
These should be tools and accelerators that encourage students to be agents of their own learning.
See You Real Soon,
Erin
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