Edited by: Mujahed A. Al Tamimi
Modern approaches of education seek to reach innovative learning insight of the current phase of technological revolution. Education policies and developed mathematics curricula regularly include the term “STEM” which is structured around putting the children at the core of exploring math concepts in a technology based Environment.Using technology in exploring mathematics makes pupils more active learner from passive listeners and simplifies those concepts. STEM activities that requires using GEOGEBRA as a teaching tool makes pupils more active and motivated to learn Math.
What makes STEM teaching different from traditional teaching is the integration of Math subjects in real-life context such dance. These approaches provide those skills needed for the work environment of 21st century.
Martha Graham (1894-1991) was one of the best-known teachers and choreographers of modern dance. In romance words she describe the relationship between Math and Dance by her popular quote:
“We learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. One becomes in some area an athlete of God.”
Within STEM projects, GEOGEBRA promotes fantastic arts in learning Mathematics ; it gives students to practice life through pure concepts.
An activity plane was wrote in February 2021 to clarify both of teacher‘s and student ‘s roles and explain in details the steps of implement the activity. The plane is entitled :“Math_and_dance Activity plane”. The plane was assessed by three teachers in March 2021 before start implementing Math and Dance Activity and the results of this assessment shown in the following files(F1,F2,F3).
Schools are closed because of Covid -19 virus spread and education confined to online classes. All Dance activities done by students using GEOGEBRA GRAPHING CALCULATOR.Students began representing parametric function : cos(αθ±β), sin(αθ±β), circles ( x ^2 + y ^2 = r ^2) or lines (a*x+b=y) in order to get flowers.
Students works got extended after participation in the E Twinning project entitled : “Math Exploration” where students created dynamic videos based on GEOGEBRA activities required representing mathematical functions. Many flowers and dance videos created by students as shown in the following pictures.
All dance videos created by students gathered in a YOUTUPE Channel.
Finally, All these activities we had to put them together at the conference dedicated to STEM Discovery Campaign 2021. A way out, a solution to carry on this campaign was to organise it online on April,28 2021.
As a result, this challenge was a great experience for both teachers and students. Students were very pleasure to meet each other again, to share their ideas, emotions and to encourage each other. These kinds of activities assure the good development of students: critical thinking, communication, creativity, a collaboration that are extremely important for their life. Mathematics as seen during implementing these activity is very fun and highly related to students life.