An intro lesson with FullProof

The lesson's goals

1. Setting expectations.
2. Explaining the system and demonstrating how to solve a question in it.
3. Creating a user account for every student.
4. Students trying out the intro task.

Preparing for the intro lesson

Knowing the system

It's very important that the teacher knows the system before the lesson. A full explanation of getting started for teachers is on the teaching with FullProof page.

Preparing the students

It's very important to let students and parents know before you start working with the system: it's a significant change from the familiar way of learning, and it may meet resistance. You can send them the link to the what is FullProof? page.

Choosing a suitable intro task

Before the intro lesson, create a new class in the system. When you create it, an intro task matching the class's grade (7, 8–9, 10–11) is assigned to it automatically.

The intro task is the main tool for learning how to write proofs in FullProof, so it matters that it suits the students' level — not too hard, to avoid frustration, and not too easy, to avoid disdain and boredom. If the automatically assigned intro task doesn't suit the class, you can remove it from the class and choose another intro task from the ready-made tasks.

The intro lesson

We strongly recommend holding the intro lesson in a computer room, with at least one computer for every two students.

Check in advance with the school's IT person that the site isn't blocked at school and that there are no other technical problems. Also make sure you remember your username and password and have completed the intro task yourself, so you can help students during the lesson.

If possible, get help in the first lesson: another maths teacher who can help with the geometry even without knowing the system, students from other classes who already know it, or a CET representative. Another option is to pick a few pioneer students who get to know the system before the rest of the class (for example in a one-on-one lesson) and can then help the others during the lesson.

The lesson plan

The lesson's stages:

1. Presenting the system and the principles of learning with it.

2. Demonstrating how to write a proof in the system by solving questions live in your own account.

3. Students open accounts. You'll find your class's registration code under Invite students, in the class's ⋯ actions menu. Here is the explanation for students on opening an account.

4. Students try the system on their own - it matters that students start with the intro task, which introduces the system's main functions step by step, and complete it to a full and precise solution of every question. There usually isn't enough time to finish the whole task in the lesson; students can then finish it at home or in the next lesson.

5. Wrapping up the lesson.

After the first lesson

Every student should make sure they have completed the intro task as well as possible - every question marked Excellent. Students can use the videos, so every student can complete the intro task.

In your Task report, aim for every student and every question to be marked Excellent.

A second lesson

Once the students have completed the intro task and tried the system on their own in homework, it's important to hold another lesson with the system. In it we recommend covering:

1. Technical difficulties signing in and writing proofs.
2. Feedback on the students' solutions, with examples of solutions they wrote in the system.
3. Showing the task report with Hide student names, so students see how the teacher sees the task's results.
4. Demonstrating a more advanced question solved with the system.

Everyday use

At first, we recommend giving students tasks of about 2–4 questions, graded in technical and/or geometric difficulty, so every student has successes with the system and improves at the technical side of writing proofs in it. Remember that at first, solving questions in the system is slower than in a notebook. Fixing mistakes takes time too, but that is how students get the full benefit of the system.

Throughout the year, we recommend solving the tasks you assign in advance, so you can spot the challenges students will meet. We recommend that students practise in the system every week. Consistent use ensures it takes hold and that students' abilities improve.

Once students are used to working with the system and have become skilled at writing proofs in it, you can gradually increase how much you use it and how hard the tasks are. More on creating tasks here. You can bring the system into class lessons in many ways. More on face-to-face and online teaching with FullProof on the diverse teaching practices page.