OTRNet Newsletter 33
 
Hi and welcome to our August 2003 Newsletter. 
 
 
The end of another month and we find ourselves looking at where we are up to in 2003.  MAWA's conference has just passed and the QAMT conference is soon.  To help you (or maybe your students) understand the passing of time this newsletter includes an Internet resource hosted by Britannica that looks at how we measure time.
 
The newsletter also looks at the OTRNet Teaching & Learning Resources pages for our Integrated Maths Modules.  A quick source of support materials arranged in topics where you could find the Britannica reference "Clockworks" under the module: Time.
 
Hoping that you will find something useful in this months newsletter,
 
 
Regards,
Mark
 
 
In this newsletter there is information on:
 
1.    The Latest on the Integrated Maths Modules
 
2.    Teaching & Learning  Resources Pages
 
3.    MAWA Conference Wrap
 
4.    Internet Resources
 
5.    Upcoming PD from the Associations
 
 
1.    The Latest on the Integrated Maths Modules
 
The next module that will be published is G04: Data & Simulations which should be available to schools and teachers early in September.
 
Information on this module can be found at the following page:
 
You can also download free samples of an activity and application from this module via the following page:
 
 
 
Twenty five integrated maths modules are now published and samples from all these modules are available from our website at the link below:
 
You can check availability of all modules at this page of our web site:
 
 
 
2.   Teaching & Learning Resources Pages
 
The Teaching & Learning Resources (TLR) pages hosted on the OTRNet website are available free for all to use.  These pages contain links to files produced by OTRNet which include worksheets and Excel spreadsheet files.  They also include links to other websites with resources that can be used with students in various topics.
 
There is a TLR page for most of the completed Integrated Maths Modules so you can find the resources according to topics such as "Data Collection & Analysis", "3D Shapes", "Quadratic Functions" or any of the other module titles.
 
The link below will connect you to the TLR page for the Quadratic Functions 1 module:
This TLR page provides worksheets, information websites, sites with Java Applets including a water balloons game on projectile motion, a spreadsheet lesson on quadratics and links to sites with online learning of quadratics.
 
Access to the other TLR pages is via the Module Information Pages which can all be reached at this address:
 
 
 
3.    MAWA Conference Wrap
 
MAWA's Annual Conference has now been and gone and once again it was a well organised and inspiring three days in the relaxing environment of Bunbury.  Congratulations to the Convenor, Jan Gray and all of the many others who contribute to its running.
 
The highlight of this years conference was the large number of "new" participants including a group of ECU students.  These people brought a new wave of enthusiasm and interests to the conference which was of benefit to all participants.
 
Thank you to people who attended my sessions or talked to me about maths education and resources at our exhibit.  Feedback of all types is encouraging and helps to determine the future directions OTRNet will be taking with resource development.  If you have any issue you wish to follow up please feel free to email me on the address below.
 
 
4.    Internet Resources
 
 
In the last issue I mentioned The Math Forum which is hosted by Drexel University in the USA.  Another useful part of this site is the "Problem of the Week" page.  Here you will find sets of problems in various areas of mathematics suitable for secondary students.  The site has an 'interactive' component with help available and the facility for students to submit solutions.
 
Another site that may be useful for both primary and secondary students is the Britannica site: "Clockworks - From Sundials to the Atomic Second".  This site provides a full history of how we have measured time including excellent graphics of many of the instruments.  (The site runs best with Shockwave which is a free, downloadable plug in.)  This site is one of the links on the TLR page for module B05:Time.
 
 
 
5.    Upcoming PD from the Associations
 
 
The following professional development opportunities are coming up from state associations.
 
MAWA:    Thursday 4th September - Rich Assessment Tasks with Dr Barbara Clarke and Dr Doug Clarke
 
MAV:    Monday 22nd September - Middle Years Maths Teachers' Day - Moorabbin
 
QAMT:   Monday 22nd & Tuesday 23rd September - QAMT 2003 Conference - Mathematics - Top Of The Range
 
MANSW:   Tuesday 2nd September - Mathematics and the Year 10 Computing Skills Assessment
 

 
Are you finding it difficult to motivate students?
 
Teachers using the Integrated Maths Modules series have found that the immersion at the start of each module and the applications that make connections to the students' world at the end of each module help to switch students on to mathematics.
 
If you have completed our free registration you can join the growing group of people and schools who order online and now receive 10% discount off normal prices!
 
OTRNet thanks you for your time in looking at our newsletter.
 
Please forward this newsletter to a friend if you think it may be useful for them.
 
 
If you received this newsletter from a friend and wish to get subsequent editions you can join here: http://www.otrnet.com.au/
 
If you wish to receive this e-mail in plain text format send an e-mail to plaintext@otrnet.com.au .
 
If you do not wish to receive this newsletter in future send an e-mail to unsubscribe@otrnet.com.au.
 
 
Mark R. O'Brien
Online Teachers Resource Network
C.O. Post Office
Wooroloo  WA   6558
Phone: (08) 9573 1367
Fax: (08) 9238 1334