Welcome to an exciting session of Happy Hour on Air with Common Sense Media! Today, we have a special guest, Emily Palonsky from Novi High School, who will introduce us to a fantastic educational website called Brilliant. Each month, Common Sense Media hosts these sessions to highlight innovative apps and websites that educators are using to enhance learning in their classrooms. You can find detailed reviews of these resources on our platform, Graphite.org, where teachers share their experiences and insights.
Brilliant is a free online platform designed for advanced learners in math and science, with a strong focus on physics. It offers a unique approach to learning by engaging students in interactive problem-solving. We encourage you to join our conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #HappyHour to share your experiences with Brilliant in the classroom.
Emily Palonsky is a seasoned science teacher at Novi High School and a reviewer for Common Sense Media. She holds a National Board Certification and teaches subjects like biology, genetics, and medical career explorations. Emily has also taught a range of mathematics courses from algebra to calculus. She is passionate about integrating technology into education, driven by her students’ enthusiasm and leadership.
Emily shares her experience as an advisor for the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) group, where students have embraced digital platforms like Facebook and Remind 101 for communication and organization. This shift to digital has transformed their meetings and activities, demonstrating the power of student-led technology adoption.
Brilliant offers a user-friendly interface that resembles social media platforms, making it appealing and accessible to students. Upon joining, students select at least two topics, such as algebra and physics, and take a pre-test to determine their skill level. This personalized approach ensures that students receive a tailored learning experience with a feed of problems suited to their abilities.
A standout feature of Brilliant is its collaborative environment. Students can view and discuss solutions from their peers, fostering a community of learning and encouraging diverse problem-solving approaches. This aspect of peer interaction is where Brilliant truly excels.
Emily’s review of Brilliant highlights its strong pedagogical foundation and supportive resources. However, she notes that while the platform is intuitive, the engagement level could be enhanced for some students. Despite this, advanced learners, particularly those preparing for competitions, often thrive in this environment.
One limitation is the absence of a teacher dashboard, which restricts the ability to track individual student progress. Teachers can use hashtags to direct students to specific problems, but monitoring progress remains a challenge.
Overall, Brilliant is an excellent resource for advanced learners, promoting collaboration and critical thinking in math and science education. It is a valuable tool for both classroom use and homework support, encouraging students to engage deeply with the material.
Thank you, Emily, for your insightful overview of Brilliant. As the Pittsburgh Regional Manager for Common Sense Media, I am always on the lookout for effective educational tools on Graphite to enhance teacher training. Brilliant is just one of many resources available, and I encourage everyone to explore Graphite.org for apps, websites, and games aligned with Common Core standards. We offer curated lists for various subjects and skill levels to help you find the best resources for your needs.
Thank you again, Emily, for sharing your expertise. We hope everyone enjoys the rest of their day!
Engage with Brilliant by selecting two topics of interest, such as algebra and physics. Take the pre-test to assess your skill level, and then dive into the personalized problem feed. Discuss your solutions with peers to explore different problem-solving strategies and enhance your understanding.
Form small groups and choose a complex problem from Brilliant. Work together to solve it, and then present your solution to the class. Highlight the different approaches each group member contributed, and discuss how collaboration influenced your problem-solving process.
Use the hashtag feature on Brilliant to find and solve specific problems related to your current curriculum. Share your solutions on social media with the hashtag #HappyHour, and engage in discussions with other students and educators about your problem-solving journey.
Maintain a journal documenting your experiences with Brilliant. Reflect on the problems you found most challenging and the strategies you used to overcome them. Share your reflections with your peers to gain insights into different learning experiences and techniques.
After using Brilliant for a few weeks, participate in a workshop to provide feedback on the platform. Discuss its strengths and areas for improvement, focusing on how it supports your learning in math and science. Use this feedback to suggest enhancements that could make Brilliant even more engaging and effective.
Welcome, everyone, to Happy Hour on Air with Common Sense Media! Our guest host today is Emily Palonsky from Novi High School. Thank you all for joining us as we relax and learn about a website called Brilliant. Each month, Common Sense Media hosts an Happy Hour on Air that showcases great apps and websites that teachers are using in their classrooms. We review these different resources on our newest platform, Graphite.org, where you can find a variety of reviews hosted by teachers for teachers.
Today, we will be showcasing Brilliant, a free website for science teachers that focuses primarily on physics and other areas of science. As we go through this Happy Hour, I encourage you to follow us on Twitter and use the hashtag #HappyHour. We’d love to hear how you’re using Brilliant in the classroom through our Twitter conversation.
I’m excited to introduce our reviewer today, Emily. Thank you for joining us! We’re looking forward to hearing all the great things about Brilliant and how it can help other educators. Emily is a science teacher at Novi High School and a reviewer here at Common Sense Media. She is a National Board Certified high school science teacher, teaching subjects like biology, genetics, and medical career explorations, and has previously taught mathematics from algebra to calculus.
Emily, would you like to share a little more about yourself?
Sure! To frame this, I was recently asked what I’m doing with technology right now. I wanted to emphasize that the students are really driving the technology for me. I’m currently the advisor for a group called Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA). The kids have taken charge of everything digitally; we don’t have traditional meetings anymore. Instead, we use platforms like Facebook and Remind 101 to handle everything. If it weren’t for the kids, I would have wanted to stick to traditional face-to-face meetings. Now, we have a group of 120 kids, and I’m taking 78 of them to the state championships on Thursday.
That’s fantastic! Good luck on Thursday! It’s great to see how students are leading the way in technology.
Now, let’s hear about Brilliant!
Brilliant is a math and science site, and I want to emphasize that it’s primarily for advanced users. I’ll share some screenshots and talk you through my review.
When you first visit Brilliant, you’ll notice it has a very familiar feel, similar to social media platforms. Students can like, read, and respond to posts, which makes it appealing from a design perspective. This flexibility allows for a more student-driven approach in the classroom.
Students begin by selecting at least two topics to follow, such as algebra and physics. After choosing their topics, they take a unique pre-test that helps place them at the appropriate level. Once placed, they receive a personalized homepage with a feed of problems suited to their skill level.
One interesting feature is that students can view solutions from their peers after attempting a problem. This collaborative aspect is where I think Brilliant shines. Students can debate different approaches and solutions, fostering a community of learning.
In my review, I scored Brilliant highly for pedagogy and support, but I noted that the engagement could be improved. The platform is intuitive and easy to navigate, but some of the problems may not be as exciting for all students. However, advanced students often thrive in this environment, especially those preparing for competitions.
I also found that while there are helpful support pages, the lack of a teacher dashboard limits the ability to track student progress. Teachers can use hashtags to guide students to specific problems, but there’s no way to see how each student is progressing.
Overall, I think Brilliant is a fantastic resource, especially for advanced learners. It encourages collaboration and problem-solving in a community setting, which is essential for math and science education.
Thank you, Emily! That was a detailed overview, and I learned a lot. As the Pittsburgh Regional Manager for Common Sense Media, I’m always looking for websites and apps on Graphite to enhance teacher training. Brilliant seems like a valuable tool for both classroom use and homework support.
This is just one of many great resources available on Graphite. Teachers are constantly writing field notes about different tools, making it a great place to find the best tech resources for your classroom.
I encourage everyone to visit Graphite.org, where you can search for apps, websites, and games based on Common Core standards. We also have curated lists for various subjects and skill levels, making it easier to find what you need.
Thank you again, Emily, for sharing your insights about Brilliant. We hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the day!
Math – The abstract science of number, quantity, and space, either as abstract concepts (pure mathematics), or as applied to other disciplines such as physics and engineering (applied mathematics). – In advanced math courses, students explore complex equations and theorems that form the foundation of engineering principles.
Science – The systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. – Science has enabled us to understand the fundamental laws of nature, leading to technological advancements.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or teaching. – Continuous learning in the field of data science is crucial due to the rapid evolution of technology and methodologies.
Physics – The branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy. – Quantum physics explores the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scales, offering insights into the fundamental workings of the universe.
Algebra – A branch of mathematics dealing with symbols and the rules for manipulating those symbols, representing numbers and relationships. – Algebra is essential for solving equations that model real-world phenomena in engineering and economics.
Calculus – The branch of mathematics that studies continuous change, through derivatives and integrals. – Calculus is used in physics to determine the motion of objects and the forces acting upon them.
Technology – The application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. – Advances in technology have revolutionized the way scientists conduct research and analyze data.
Collaboration – The action of working with someone to produce or create something, often seen in scientific research and development. – Collaboration among scientists from different disciplines can lead to groundbreaking discoveries and innovations.
Problem-solving – The process of finding solutions to difficult or complex issues, often using mathematical or scientific methods. – Effective problem-solving in engineering requires a deep understanding of both theoretical concepts and practical applications.
Education – The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university, often in scientific and mathematical disciplines. – Education in STEM fields is vital for preparing the next generation of innovators and researchers.
