I don’t think I have a solution, but I may have found a starting point that at least gives me hope. Several weeks ago, I was inspired by an article about a man who fought several speeding tickets using basic physics (found on the Twitter/blogosphere).

“What a neat application!” I thought. Use pictures and time stamps to figure out how fast an object is moving. To solve for the speed of the truck, I needed more info on the truck, so who would know better than the man himself, Mr. Will Foreman (the accused). I found his e-mail address and sent him a message explaining who I am, what I was trying to do, and how he could help. His reply follows:

Frank

Yes, my company’s encounter with the speed cameras in the Town of Forest Heights Maryland could provide an interesting example for class. Sadly it might prove more valuable to a social studies, or civics class.

During my most recent visit to the courthouse I was contesting 15 citations. I was confident as the evidence was obvious and the law is quite clear. To my surprise, the evidence and the law didn’t matter. I experience first hand how our justice system “works” for the poor and uneducated. I was naive to think facts and the law matter. They do not. Money matters!

Judge Devlin treated me as though I had an extensive criminal record. I was guilty the moment I arrived in his court room. F. Lee Bailey could not have helped. I was threatened with contempt if I simply presented the photos from the citation. The same photos that are supposed to be the evidence against us. It was a very sad day.

I have been a victim of theft before. So-called customers and employees have stolen parts and cash. Never before have the perpetrators been in uniform or robes. That afternoon costs my company $937.50. It was a very sad day. I am appealing.

As far as the lengths of the vehicles, the red Ford Ranger is exactly 16 ft 6 in. Most garages are 20 ft deep. You can find the vehicle’s lengths on line with Wikipedia etc. Suffice it to say our delivery vehicles are between 16 – 18 ft.

Here is a link with some more photos. I put the distance required for validation.

https://picasaweb.google.com/113334693289323989329/August272011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCK-KgaHJs7eyigE&feat=directlink#

Best of luck with your lesson.

Will

Mr. Foreman’s reply helped me see a bigger picture. This is not just an application of physics, but it brings up the issue, “What role does science, math, and technology play in our legal/justice system? How can it be used to argue for against one’s innocence?” In trying to address the big issue on our mind, “So am I getting a ticket??”, Mr. Foreman’s reply also reminds me that this ties into issues beyond stating a case and backing it with evidence. The social issues become apparent. “If we can provide a persuasive argument using math and science, is that enough to make the changes we seek? How do we go about making social change? How do we become effective leaders???” The questions are endless! :oO I would have no idea how I would connect that to social studies, but I think it would at least create a good starting point for a conversation with a social studies, civics, leadership etc teacher.

I think situations like this help emphasize that much of what we do in math and science, especially in terms of problem-solving (word problems), are really tools we need for solving problems in a bigger picture (fighting a ticket, defending/prosecuting a suspect, making social change).

WCYDWT

So… “What can you do with this?” At this point, my more concrete ideas are limited to physics applications. Some projects students can do regarding this context (refers to some resources, listed at the end of the post):

• In my PowerPoint presentation, I show Mr. Foreman’s superimposed photo (sans attached data) and ask “Is it possible to calculate the speed of the car? If not, what else do we need to know?”. Let students brainstorm. More questions may pop up. “What’s that? Looks like we have more data here…” (next slide includes time data)

The media can be used as an assessment…

• For a lower level analysis focusing on just the concept of constant velocity, present students with the speed camera photograph and give the prompt:
  “You are Mr. Foreman’s attorney. Use the photographic evidence to present a case to the judge, defending Mr. Foreman.”
  Remix: “The judge isn’t very well educated in math and science. (How does that change your presentation?)”

• For higher level thinking, present them with the speed camera photograph, maybe the audio recording of the court hearing, and the information about the speed cameras from the manufacturer website, then give the prompt:
  “You are the judge. Based on the information and evidence available, do you think the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Why? In your argument, show that you weighed information from both sides.”

As for my own implementation of this, I introduced the scenario, then connected it to motion maps (a rough sequence can be seen on my PowerPoint presentation, also embedded above). I felt the students were “hooked” by the proposed scenario. As I delved further into the “content” the next few days, the connection seemed to weaken as an interesting context turned into interpreting diagrams, graphing, plugging things into equations, etc. I’d like to connect back to this context somehow in my summative  assessment (a relative term, in SBG) of this unit (constant velocity). Meanwhile, I’m also doing the quintessential constant velocity buggy labs. So far there’s little sign the students see connections between the things in this unit, and only seem to focus on one activity at a time, isolating the things they learn. Perhaps I’ll have them reflect on how everything we do can be applied to the speeding camera situation so they can strengthen those common threads.

Resources:

• Original news article
• Photographic evidence taken by speed cameras for various cars (to download, click on the desired picture, then look for the “Download” link on the lower right)
• More photos
• Audio recording of court hearing (on YouTube)
• Information about the cameras and their measurement method (manufacturer website)

The good

• I felt more focused by creating objectives and prioritizing objectives instead of like in the past, where I just throw things at them and “hope it sticks”. 90% of it sticks? “A” for you! 70% of it sticks? Even if none of it was a core idea? “C” for you!
• Students were relatively on-task for most activities, considering nothing was actually “worth points”. I was afraid the first assignment of the year would be met by a conversation like this:
  S: How much is this worth?
  T: um… your grade is determined by quizzes and tests
  S: … so, nothing?
  T: …
  S: [sits back and stares at ceiling]
  But that never happened. Sure, I had students who didn’t do diddly squat, but based on my prior experiences, I’d say these students would have done no more work than if assignments were worth points.
  At first it was a bit difficult not having the crutch of threatening students with loss of points, but this only encouraged me to make my activities more meaningful and engaging, and eventually it was overall liberating not feeling like I had to “motivate” my students by dangling the points carrot in their faces.

The bad

• Students focused on objectives by their labels (T3, CV2, EM4, etc.). I’m not sure they ever read the actual objective. So in their heads they were trying to “learn CV2″ instead of “learn how to calculate the average velocity of an object”. Instead of learning what was described, they were learning “how to do those types of problems labeled CV2″.
• Some or most students were motivated to remediate missed objectives, but it turned into a bunch of 1-on-1 tutoring sessions. I’ll need some way for them to remediate that’s not such a huge barrier that they would rather take the lower grade than relearn the material. Currently the only ways for them to remediate is to ask a friend (not a viable choice for everyone), ask me (takes up my time), or research on their own using the textbook or online resources (not going to happen). I’d like to create some accessible resources so if they do come to me for help, I can direct them to these resources. Or tell them if they’d like to re-assess, they must first offer evidence that they’ve gone over the resources.
• Homework completion was still an issue, although it’s hard to say how much meaningful completion there was compared to when I had “traditional” grading. Second semester I tried a homework incentive system (complete/attempt more than 70% of assignments, +1 grade letter). No significant increase in number of students doing homework. Also, if they fell below 70%, it seemed like less incentive to do homework than before. I felt like since I started dangling the incentive system in front of their faces, this replaced any intrinsic motivation they might have had.
• I’d like to have large and/or long-term assignments/projects. I think students can do short-term work in class (attempt a worksheet, whiteboard, do an activity) for no points, but I have serious doubts about students doing extended writing or any real “serious work” for no points.

Random notes

• I started out with too many objectives each unit. I now try to combine them down to 6 for each unit/model so the list doesn’t seem daunting. I feel like long list lowers motivation (“so many things to learn!”).
• I’ll keep the same formatting, which took a while to evolve into the current state. Objectives written at the top of each worksheet and assessment, and scores embedded in the objective list. (Another– although not great– reason for fewer objectives)

Questions

• How do I assess projects and provide the proper motivation/incentives?
• How do I assess students individually for projects?

Conclusion

I’ll never return to the old (traditional) grading system, which is relatively arbitrary and emphasizes points instead of learning. Although the “bad” list looks longer than the “good” list, the problems are less with the philosophy behind SBG, and more with my implementation of it this year. I will continue with the philosophy behind SBG, but I’ll need to adapt my implementation to how I plan to teach next year — with more projects, as activities and assessments (Project Based Learning is my next venture).

I made these last year as an attempt to help my students improve their number sense.

Directions: Print these out double-sided, cut out the cards, then follow the instructions on the handout.

Despite the directions being on top, I usually have to model the process for my students first. I’ll watch the student attempt it or check on them to see which cards they have trouble with, which has helped me diagnose what skills they lack (which are sometimes surprising for a high school level, but this allows me to address it now instead of never).

I welcome any feedback on how the instructions and activity can be improved.

Link: Number sense flash cards (DOC)
Link: Number sense flash cards (PDF)

Not like I make any money off them, but it’s nice to know the joy is being spread around the world.

http://www.cafepress.com/efrankshop

http://www.cafepress.com/evrythnghamster

The publishing of these comics ensures nobody misses the clever things I say to myself when no one else is around.

Jury duty was actually quite interesting, although I did nod off a few times.

Update your
operating system and applications

Security holes in software are often discovered, so the software developer usually distributes fixes/patches/updates
that address these issues. Virus and spyware scanning software also prompts you to update their definitions to detect more recent threats.

Scan for Viruses

UCLA provides Sophos Anti-Virus for free (www.bol.ucla.edu/software/sophos)
and we install it on the computers we issue, so I’ll assume that’s what you’re
using.

Scan for Spyware

UCLA provides Webroot Spy Sweeper for free (www.bol.ucla.edu/software/spysweeper).
Windows users should periodically scan for spyware…

Get a Second Opinion

No virus/spyware (aka malware) scanner detects all threats. To improve your chances of detecting and removing threats, or if you don’t have a virus/spyware scanner installed, try an online malware detection/removal utility.

• Trend Micro Housecall (Windows)
  http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

If you encounter anything puzzling or suspicious, contact me as usual.

1. Enable WPA (recommended) or WEP encryption on your router
   To oversimply, enabling encryption “password-protects” your wireless network. It’s kinda like your router and your computer doing a secret handshake before each transmittion. Yes, WEP and WPA can be hacked by moderately knowledgeable geeks. WEP can be hacked in minutes, but to do so is beyond casual Joe who just wants free internet. WPA is well… much stronger… so use WPA. If your router is so old it doesn’t offer WPA encryption, either use WEP (better than nothing) or buy a new router.
   Whichever one you use, always use a strong password (random is better) or the encryption becomes more or less useless.
   To enable encryption on your router, refer to the manual :oP. You’ll also need to configure the wireless profile on the computers connecting to the router.

Oh ummm… I guess that’s just the key thing for a relatively secure network. There’s a few other things you can try to make your network more secure, but I don’t mention them because they’re mostly crap. They don’t hurt though. It comes down to this:

• If Joe Shmoe wants to steal your internet, either of the afforementioned encryption methods is enough to keep him out.
• If Joe Shmoe is actually l337 h@x0r, he’ll quickly get through WEP and the other crappy “security measures” most articles suggest.
• It will be quite difficult or near impossible (not worth the effort) to get through WPA that has a strong key (“password”).

If all you do on the internet is read webcomics and blogs, you probably don’t have much to be concerned about, but if you manage any finances, consider using WPA encryption.

Remove unneeded startup items

Many applications run in the background unnecessarily and hog up system resources. If there are programs that automatically startup with Windows, you can disable this “feature” in some…

1. Dig around the program menus for “Preferences”, “Options”, “Settings”, or anything else that implies “You can change stuff about the program here”
   • If the program has an icon in the tray (lower-right part of the screen), right-clicking the icon may reveal a menu
2. Look for and uncheck any option that indicates “Run this program at Windows startup” or anything similar

Contact me if you can’t find the option or if you’re interested in disabling other startup/background items using alternative methods.

Run Disk Cleanup

This frees up some room on your hard drive by emptying the Recycle Bin and removing unneeded temporary and setup files.

1. Start the program from Start => Programs => Accessories => System Tools => Disk Cleanup
2. Select the default drive, C:, and hit OK
   • The program may take a few minutes to process. Enjoy a light snack.
3. Check all options except the last two (“Compress old files”, “Catalog files…”)
4. Hit OK and confirm the prompt
   • The program may take a few minutes to delete files. Enjoy another light snack.

Run Disk Defragmenter

Over time, your hard drive increasingly becomes “fragmented”. Without getting too technical, I’ll just say “defragmenting” your hard drive makes it run more efficiently.

1. Start the program from Start => Programs => Accessories => System Tools => Disk Defragmenter
   1. Make sure the default drive, C:, is selected.
2. Click the Defragment button

The process may take around an hour, so you may want to enjoy a meal or teach a class meanwhile.

Check for viruses and spyware

Viruses and spyware (aka “malware”) can slow down your computer by monitoring activity and/or communicating with other computers. I’ll cover this more in-depth in the next edition… Computer Maintenance, Part II: Security! :oO

Seating and Workspace

Seat you hips toward the back of the chair

Properly support your lower back to avoid leaning too far forward or slouching.

Position your keyboard and monitor directly in front of you

You shouldn’t have to twist your body or neck to use the keyboard or look at the monitor.

Set your monitor at the correct height and distance

Your monitor should be about your arm’s length away. The top of your monitor should be 0-3” above your eyes so that your view is at a slight downward angle.

Keep your wrists straight when typing

Your wrists should be straight, both in the forward/back and left/right axis. The top of your forearm should form a straight line to your knuckles. If you use a wrist wrest, use it only when you’re not typing. You may need to reposition your keyboard, flip the legs under them, or buy an ergonomic one.

Breaks

• Take a 1-2 minute break about every 30 minutes
• Move and walk around
• Focus your eyes on distant objects
• If your eyes feel tired, cover them with your palms

Software

Here is free software that periodically reminds you to take breaks:

• Workrave (Windows only)
  http://www.workrave.org/download/
• AntiRSI (Mac only)
  http://tech.inhelsinki.nl/antirsi/

Further Reading

The topic of computer/office ergonomics is quite broad, so I covered only what I think is most applicable to you. Here are resources I recommend if you would like to find out more:

• UCLA Ergonomics
  Apparently UCLA has its own ergonomics department. You can find ergonomics resources for more than just the office.
  http://www.ergonomics.ucla.edu/
• Lifehacker: Set up a healthy, usable workspace
  A good overview of an ergonomic workspace
  http://www.lifehacker.com/software/hack-attack/set-up-a-healthy-usable-workspace-256571.php