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Peer Review

Algebra Review

Reviewed:

Nov 22, 2014 by Mathematics
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.8 stars
Content Quality: 4.8 stars
Effectiveness: 4.8 stars
Ease of Use: 4.8 stars
Overview:

This site provides GeoGebra activities from which nine are in algebra and three are about geometry.
Type of Material:

Drill and Practice. The user can interact with the application and control the location of points.
Recommended Uses:

This site can be used for individual or group exploration and learning.
Technical Requirements:

Java
Identify Major Learning Goals:

To provide a visual representation of how changing the location of points affects the answer of algebra and geometry concepts. To review some of the key concepts from beginning algebra and a few concepts from geometry.
Target Student Population:

Students who are enroll in algebra or geometry courses. Students who are reviewing for the algebra assessment exam or are in a geometry or intermediate algebra class and just want to review algebra.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Beginning algebra.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:

This site is an interactive Geogebra based algebra review that allows the user to interact with graphs and try to come up with equations and/or solutions to problems found in algebra and geometry. The student can choose to show the answer and/or the worked out solution. Instead of just giving problems for the student to work out, the student can interact with the program by moving points on the graphs to create their own problems to work out. The content ranges from lines to the quadratic formula, right triangles, and Heron’s formula.
Concerns:

In the Point Slope Equation Practice activity, it does not handle vertical lines with “x = a”. Instead it gives y = infinity x + infinity. Also in the Slope-Angle Practice, it gives “undefined” for a right angle.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:

This site can serve as an excellent tool for reviewing and practicing some of the basic algebra concepts. Since it shows the answer and solution, a student can easily work independently to review the concepts by repeatedly practicing problems that are given.
Concerns:

The “get a hint” should be written as “see solution” since it provides all the steps and not just a hint.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:

Any student reviewing algebra should be able to open up the activity and get started without any assistance. This site contains easy to follow instructions. The student just has to drag points around to get a new problem. The “Check Answer” and “Get a Hint” buttons are self explanatory and the steps that the activity shows to solve the problem clearly stated.
Concerns:

Since it uses Java, there is a challenge to get the browser to open each activity. It would have been helpful to provide a link to material that explains the algebra behind each activity.
Other Issues and Comments:

It is essential that the Point Slope Equation Practice activity and the Slope -Angle Practice show the correct solution for vertical lines and right angles.
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