EDMA 501 - Real-World Applications for Algebra (3)

“When will I ever use this?” That’s the common complaint from students when they first face the rigors of higher mathematics, starting with algebra. Unfortunately, many teachers’ response is to give them an off-the-cuff answer (that they’ll forget five minutes later) and then go back to talking about equations.

However, you can teach algebra in a way that helps students see its connections to their lives and future careers. By creating authentic assessments that relate to real-life problems, you can increase your students’ engagement and motivation in learning the basic principles of algebra.

In this course, you will learn to adapt traditional algebra lessons to incorporate modeling and project-based learning. You will examine how students develop problem-solving skills so you can design lessons to aid in that process. Finally, you will create an authentic algebra-based project that you can start using in your class immediately to help your students see the connections between what they’re learning and what’s beyond the classroom.