WCYDWT Live: Boat In The River

August 4th, 2010 by Dan Meyer

I haven't found an effective format for online professional development using WCYDWT-style problems. (Nothing, anyway, that compared to three hours of face time with the Kannapolis teachers last month.) So I'm trying something new and looking for twenty volunteers to get an advance look at my newest WCYDWT problem tomorrow afternoon and run through it with me as math students in a DimDim room.

Total time commitment: 45 minutes. I'll post the problem and the webinar results shortly thereafter.

If you're into it, leave a comment using an e-mail address where I can reach you. Feel free to push it past twenty. If any participants are absent or late, I'll start pushing invites out in the same order I received comments.

[Download Screencast, courtesy Jason Buell]

59 Comments »

59 Responses to “WCYDWT Live: Boat In The River”

on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:19 pm1 Mr. H

Count me in.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:40 pm2 David Cox

I’m in…assuming the kids are agreeable.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:41 pm3 Alvaro

I would be happy to help. What time will you do this? I am in a different time zone.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:47 pm4 Dan Meyer

3:00PM Pacific Standard Time. San Francisco is in my time zone.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:50 pm5 Jason Buell

Me too.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:54 pm6 Alvaro

That’s not too late. I’m in then.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:56 pm7 Bruce Moore

I would like to attend. Tomorrow is teacher’s first working day. I think I will be in my room at 3:00 but not sure I can get through the firewall.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 9:58 pm8 Bruce Moore

By the way Dan, I just started a blog with a post about my version of a WCYDWT activity at http://peacemaker70.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/sbg-claims-another-teache/
I would be honored if you could check it out and make any comments you thought were appropriate.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 10:07 pm9 William

Hey Dan,

I’ll give it a shot.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 10:30 pm10 Sandra Miller

Me too.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 10:34 pm11 Math Zombie

I’m definitely interested. That time should suit me nicely out east.
on 04 Aug 2010 at 11:21 pm12 Jen

I’m in!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 1:58 am13 Dan Lemay

Count me in.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 3:12 am14 Nick Hussain

Sweet! I’m in as well.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 3:15 am15 Martins Kalis

I’d be happy to join in!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 3:42 am16 Jenny

I wish I could do it (we’ll be headed to the airport to fly to SF at that time).

I’ll look forward to hearing about it!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 3:47 am17 The Virtuosi

Sounds fun.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 4:02 am18 Dave E

Professional development we can believe in – sign me up!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 4:27 am19 Monica

I’d love to try!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 4:44 am20 David Lloyd

I would like in on this as well.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 4:50 am21 Mary Jude Schmitz

I would love to try. I am central time so I am guessing that would be 5:00 PM.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 4:56 am22 Steven Peters

I would like to participate in this business.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:06 am23 Anne Laskey

I’m in!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:12 am24 Charity Hobbs

I want to participate please.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:16 am25 Adelyn

If you are still in need of participants, I’m in.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:40 am26 christy

Oh man!…am I too late to sign up? If not I’m interested.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:43 am27 Antonia Barkley

I’m a preservice teacher but I would like to participate if you will have me.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 5:59 am28 June

I’d love to try this if I’m not too late!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 6:10 am29 Dan Meyer

So I’ll send e-mails to everyone through Steven Peters at 2:50 PST today. Then at 3:00PM, I’ll send out e-mails to fill any available slots, starting with Anne Laskey. Thanks for helping me out here, team.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 6:11 am30 Chris

I would love to participate in this if there’s still room. Thanks.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 6:22 am31 blaw0013

I’m interested in your approach Dan; count me in if your have room.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 6:32 am32 Richard

Should have got up earlier today! I’d love to jump in if there is room. Next time.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 7:02 am33 Emily VA

Would love to participate, on the unlikely chance you got this far down the list.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 7:03 am34 Jen B

Sounds interesting!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 7:07 am35 Audrey

Count me in-I’m hoping I have calculated correctly that this will happen at 6:00 p.m. Montreal time!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 7:18 am36 Karim @ Mathalicious

Yep.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 7:32 am37 Debbie

I reckon that’ll be a bit late for me in GMT, but look forward to hearing all about it.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 8:08 am38 Michelle

I can help as a less advanced student, if you want. But I’m in Eastern Standard time.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 8:23 am39 Mark

I am definitely interested. Please count me in.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 8:24 am40 Scott Haluck

If there is some act of God that allows you to go this far down the list, I’m in.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 8:50 am41 Karen

East Coast! I’d love to join in I’d you decide to go with overcrowding or you have dropouts!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 9:00 am42 Teresa Ballard

I would love to try -if you get this far down the list….
on 05 Aug 2010 at 9:00 am43 Dan Meyer

For the record, I’d love to open this wider, but until DimDim proves itself as a professional development forum, I’m sticking with the free version, which limits to twenty participants. Thanks again for the interest.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 9:09 am44 Michaela

Wow i am far down the list but would love to try it.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 9:17 am45 Aaron

Looking forward to hearing the results.

Hope it works out!

If you could include a critical evaulation of the whole Dim Dim process that would be great for those
not-so-techie-techie-enthusiasts such as myself.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 1:45 pm46 Audrey

How do we access the archive? I didn’t really understand about the email instructions before, sorry!
on 05 Aug 2010 at 2:47 pm47 Dan Lemay

Feedback from dimdim session.

I liked the initial idea. Brainstorm what question we wanted to answer.

I also liked the the opportunity to “agree” on some values. Time to run up the up escalator and time to run down the stairs.

I would have liked to then have had some time (more than a few minutes) to play around with the these values. I did not want to miss any of the dialogue and got distracted and never reached an answer.

For an online training: Do the initial stuff. Take a break and prepare as much of a solution as possible. (Break out sessions using dimdim if you want small group work?) and then return with some wiki pages of work to show everyone.

Thanks for your time Dan.
on 05 Aug 2010 at 2:59 pm48 Kate Nowak

So sad to be too late to the party! Sounds super fun.
on 06 Aug 2010 at 12:30 am49 Jazo

Soooo jealous that I missed this! Will you be doing something like this in the future?
on 06 Aug 2010 at 7:44 am50 Dan Meyer

I’m not particularly thrilled with the results of this conference, but we’ll try it a few more times before moving on to another format. Hope to see you in there next time.
on 06 Aug 2010 at 9:27 am51 dy/dan » Blog Archive » WCYDWT: Boat In The River

[...] I had no idea who was finished and who needed more time. (I called us back together too early it turns out.) [...]
on 07 Aug 2010 at 1:21 am52 Tim

OK – neophytical type question here.

I see tremendous possibilities for my physics class (9th grade – conceptual) in using clips like this. BUT … what’s the learning curve like?

What do I need in order to be able to

a) video the event – some form of ccd camera with video capabilities I’m sure
b) and here is where I predict the asymptote begins to be noticeable … how does one combine 4 shots in one.

I assume that the camera is tripod mounted and remains stationary between all 4 trials … but then how is it combined into one frame? Will I need a masters in video editing to pull it off. (btw … I’m a PC …. and I see that dan’s a mac)

Tim
on 07 Aug 2010 at 8:44 am53 Dan Meyer

Honestly, the part I was proudest of here was thinking to use an iPod to keep time. That’s the top of the asymptote for me.

Your other assumptions about how I shot this thing are right on. The final part, combining four plates into one, is more expensive than difficult. It’ll cost you $360 at Academic Superstore. I’ll have a tutorial up shortly so you can decide if this is a skill you’d like to pursue, invest in, etc.
on 20 Aug 2010 at 11:35 am54 dy/dan » Blog Archive » WCYDWT Live: Dirt

[...] found our last live session fun and extremely profitable. I'm grateful to everyone who participated live in the DimDim room and [...]
on 22 Aug 2010 at 6:49 am55 Maria

Can someone tell me where to find the “Dirt” problem. I’ve clicked every logical link, googled every relevant term I can think of and I can’t find the original clip/problem! Help! I’m feeling quite foolish (and out of the loop) right now!!!!
on 22 Aug 2010 at 8:39 am56 Dan Meyer

Hi Maria, thanks for the inquiry. I’m posting that one, plus the results of our live session, early this week.
on 22 Aug 2010 at 9:54 am57 Maria

Thanks, Dan. I didn’t stay in the discussion yesterday because I felt the spot would be better used by someone who had knowledge of the problem. Looking forward to seeing that one and future problem-solving ideas. They are really opening up avenues of creative thought for me and consequently, my future students.
on 24 Aug 2010 at 7:26 am58 WCYDWT Live: Reflection « Clarify Me

[...] of great ideas to take into the classroom. Dan’s upped the ante lately with WCYDWT live. Here’s how he put the word out about the first session. Online in DimDim: 20 people, 45 minutes, 1 [...]
on 06 Sep 2010 at 5:44 am59 dy/dan » Blog Archive » “The best learning begins with a good worksheet.”

[...] readers who introduce me to new ideas, who offer me their time and energy to field-test my latest harebrained schemes, readers who have helped me pinball quickly from failure to [...]