Con+Peda+Tech+Rationale

Content of learning space:
 * My learning space is focused on material that is for introductory trigonometry having to do with sine functions and how they can be manipulated. These will include the general shape of the graph, vertical shift, phase shift, period and amplitude. This project can be used either in a specific trigonometry class, advanced algebra 2 class, or near the end of a pre-calculus class depending on the school's curriculum. I feel that two days of in class time would be beneficial to the students since they are working in groups, but after that they need to spend some time outside of class to finish up the project so overall maybe a week total of time to complete the projects.

Pedagogy of learning space:
 * Students' learning will be influenced heavily by a project-based learning pedagogy which will focus on the content explained prior. For more information on this style of learning please click on the learning model rationale page connected to this wikispace.

Technologies used in learning space:
 * Here are the technologies that are being used on this wikispace and a brief rationale for each:
 * **Wikispace:** This is the driving force behind the whole project. It allows for the students to be connect to the page and allowed to edit within reason some pages. A good resource for students to use to see other's progress on the project.
 * **Surveygizmo**: This includes a poll that the students can use to see what others are choosing as their data set for their projects. Also with this resource I am including a quick survey that fellow students in Ed538 can critique the space as well as my students and parents who are involved with the projects.
 * **Rubistar**: As an assessment piece I have created a rubric from this online source that will be used to grade each project. Most likely the teacher will grade the students, but I would also like the students to grade each other in order to get peer reviews.
 * **Google Friend Connect**: I felt this would be a good addition to the page because it allows for students to post questions or comments with their names attached for myself or other students to respond. Also since I will be suggesting most students use GoogleDocs for their media this will fix nicely together.
 * **Google Conversation:** This is the main reason why I wanted to use the Friend Connect app from Google, for this Conversation piece which will allow students to communicate with their names attached and will be monitored by the teacher.
 * **Embedded videos**: There are videos throughout the space that are from either youtube or another resource that I feel are well related to the material being covered as well as a great link to the Kahn Academy which has hundreds of good short video lessons for mathematics in general.
 * **Simple Graphing Calculator**: I found this from the WolframAlpha site and have embedded it into this site to allow students to explore the manipulations of a sine wave. There are better ways to graph the data sets the students will be using, but this will be a good little tool in the beginning.
 * **Google Maps**: Since a lot of the data sets are centered around locations around the world I figured that this would add to the ease of use for the students and it is a fun little app.
 * **Google Docs**: Within this tool I feel the spreadsheet and presentation pieces will be very useful. When the students are introduced to the project for the first time I think it will be important for the teaching to quickly show ways of using this tool because if they don't see it at least once they will probably not want to use it.