Why use Popular Culture in the Classroom?

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Our students are accustomed to using technology in their daily lives, why not in the classroom as well?  A great lesson “hooks” the student into learning and then “links” to their daily lives.  Using a video clip from a movie that recently came out or a catchy (educational) rap song will often help the students remember the essential information.  It is crucial, however, that the student does not lose the essential information in the excitement of the video.  This is why questions should follow the video so that students connect to their learning.

Using video clips to introduce (or summarize) a topic, it allows the students to tap into their preferred learning styles:  visual and kinesthetic.  It also automatically relates to the student’s familiarity with technology (in this case, visual media).  

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List of Math Videos and Songs I have collected
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My research on the effective use of pop culture in a math classroom
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