Designing with Technologies

I have a background using AutoCAD which is a computer-aided design software. I began using this in high school to do architectural work and mechanical engineering work. It is very powerful and I began a career in engineering because of this class in high school. I remember being in awe when I started using AutoCAD. I loved it because it allwed me to be creative. I designed the house of my dreams (I have not built it yet).

I think programs like these are great because they allow students to create design and build things. Using software that facilitates this process is great for students. These types of websites allow students to easily remove or add a piece. It's much easier move a piece on the computer than it is to do it by hand. By designing everything on the computer, the student can make fewer mistakes when actually building their design. If a stduent was trying to design and build by hand, the student might become frustrated and not finish the project. Using a computer helps with the frustration level. You can erase everything and start over, or remove half of the design and redo it, all in a matter of minutes, seconds even. It's great. One time I was working on crocheting an afghan and I remember thinking, I wish I had AutoCAD so I can copy and paste the stitches over and over.

The Lego website is great for creating visual items. It opens up the creativity that students have and allows them to show that creativity. I also liked the music website because it allows students to create auditory masterpieces. It helps students with rhythm, patterns, and even self-confidence. It gives students the confidence that they have created something all by themselves.

I'm not sure how I would use these two specific sites in my math classroom. Maybe I can assign a point value to some of the Lego pieces and give the students an amount that they cannot go over. This will allow them to work on their addition and maybe even some fractions. They can create whatever they want as long as they don't go over the amount I have given them.