Enhancing Mathematical Learning with Technology and S.A.M.R. Guidelines

Outline

1. Introduction & Context (5 minutes)

Experience: Watch short videos introducing tessellation and M.C. Escher’s work.

Engagement: Discuss with a partner how art and math connect in your own classroom context.

Learning Outcome: Understand translation, rotation, reflection, and tessellation, and see how these concepts can be applied creatively.

2. Digital Design & Creation (10 minutes)

Experience: Follow along as the presenter demonstrates Tinkercad to create polygons and tessellations.

Engagement: Hands-on activity on your device, creating your own basic or advanced tessellation shape.

Learning Outcome: Gain practical skills in designing tessellations digitally, and consider differentiation strategies for students at different levels.

3. Makerspace & Tangible Application (10 minutes)

Experience: Watch examples of student designs being transformed into wooden projects in Makerspace.

Engagement: Discuss how these hands-on approaches could be adapted in your own classroom without high-tech resources.

Learning Outcome: Understand the process of turning digital designs into physical projects and strategies to make learning authentic and hands-on.

4. Interdisciplinary Art Gallery & Reflection (5 minutes)

Experience: Explore sample tessellation projects and see how students present their work.

Engagement: Participate in a simulated gallery walk and leave constructive feedback on sample designs.

Learning Outcome: Learn how to facilitate peer critique, reflection, and interdisciplinary integration of math, art, and technology.

5. Integration & Takeaways (5 minutes)

Experience: Reflect on ideas for implementing similar projects in your classroom.

Engagement: Share 1–2 actionable strategies with peers.

Learning Outcome: Leave with practical methods to integrate tessellations, transformations, and technology, aligned with ISTE standards, and ready-to-use assessment and reflection strategies.

Overall Engagement Tactics for Attendees:

Peer discussions and think-pair-share exercises

Hands-on device-based creation in Tinkercad

Interactive gallery exploration and critique

Reflection and action planning for classroom implementation

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the mathematical concepts of tessellation, translation, rotation, and reflection, and connect them to artistic design.

Analyze M.C. Escher’s artwork to identify how geometric transformations create complex patterns.

Apply digital tools, such as Tinkercad, to design original shapes for tessellation projects.

Facilitate student-centered activities that integrate math, art, and technology, including collaborative creation, peer critique, and gallery presentations.

Guide students in translating digital designs into tangible forms using Makerspace resources.

Evaluate student work through constructive feedback and reflection, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and iterative design thinking.

Implement strategies for differentiation, supporting learners at various skill levels—from using pre-made polygons to designing complex, curved shapes.

Design interdisciplinary lessons that provide authentic, hands-on experiences linking STEM and the arts, which can be replicated in their own classrooms.

Participants will leave the session with:

Practical classroom strategies for teaching transformations through creative projects.

Ideas for integrating technology and hands-on design into math lessons.

A framework for guiding students through the full design process—from concept to tangible art.

Examples of student-centered assessment, including exit tickets, peer feedback, and reflective practices.

Supporting research

https://www2.gvsu.edu/oxfordj/teach.html

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-42267-1

https://platonicrealms.com/minitexts/Mathematical-Art-Of-M-C-Escher

https://www.waldenu.edu/online-bachelors-programs/bs-in-elementary-education/resource/the-benefits-of-a-makerspace-learning-environment