Old School Math

Math has evolved from when I learned my math facts. Now students learn multiple ways to find answers to every type of arithmetic. While this has positive effects including encouraging discovery and deeper thinking, students can’t produce answers quickly and rely on calculators for simple problems. “My Math App” helps students learn their math facts for quick responses. Strength in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division can lead to growth in more complex topics like algebra and calculus. Discovery learning helps children grow as students, but the memorization of basic calculations is useful in higher math topics and the workplace. “My Math App” works on developing this speed and memorization.

“My Math App” has several positive characteristics, but also a few drawbacks. First, the app provides facts for all four skills in one place and students can choose which skill they would like to practice. Additionally, the graphics are colorful and engaging, and the text is large and clear, making the screen easy to read and look at for periods of time. Third, the activities are flexible to the student. Students can turn on and off the timer, choose specific digits to focus on, and change the number of questions. These abilities allow students to customize their learning to meet their needs. These strengths make “My Math App” a useful tool to become fluent in the basic math facts useful in more challenging topics.

However, the “My Math App” has ads. The ads pop up after leaving an activity before completing the session. If you always finish the set then the ads never become an issue, but they could be tedious if you consistently leave sessions early. Lastly, the lessons are limited. The skills don’t mix. Students must choose addition, subtraction, multiplication or division and cannot mix topics. Allowing for mixing topics would improve the app because students would have to adapt on the fly and be extremely fluent in their math facts.

This app would be a supplementary tool in math classrooms. The Common Core curriculum teaches students specific techniques for the basic math operations, but most of these techniques take time. Instead of other options including drawing a picture, the app gives students practice with memorizing the facts. Students still need to learn the longer ways required by Common Core, but the memorization of basic facts will be useful in the future. “My Math App” provides students with practice for these memorization skills. Whether teachers provide this time during math lessons or as an optional activity during free time is up to them. The app can be used at different times and in different settings because it is simple to use, doesn’t require teacher oversight, and is portable.

Many users have given “My Math App” positive reviews. The app has helped students improve their knowledge of simple math facts and speed in responding. Students have found it as an effective learning tool in producing fluency in basic operations. The app isn’t a substitute for the learning and lessons that occur in classrooms, but assists in the learning process. It is great for students in 3rd and 4th grades that are mastering the operations and moving into more difficult math topics.

References:

My Math Flash Cards App [image]. Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-math-flash-cards-app/id412496588?mt=8

Mitch Cogert (2012). Best iPad Apps for Kids: My Math Flash Cards App [video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dbh4pNJmK8