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The Effectiveness of Seesaw in Elementary Mathematics

Brianne Yount

Lamar University
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Abstract

This paper will include an introduction into what Blended Learning is and how it can

help your classroom. Blended Learning is the blend of both online and in class activities that

complement each other and meet individuals need. It can be used in many various ways. This

review will give details about a specific type of Blended Learning variant and the different ways

it can be put into action. The type of Blended Learning it will focus on is eportfolios and how

they can benefit learning. An eportfolio is the use of a site to include personal assessment,

reflection, and activity collection. It shows a student’s learning and growth over the year of

collection. It helps students reflect on their learning and grow from their mistakes and

accomplishments. This literature review will then focus in on a type of program that can be used

as an eportfolio, Seesaw. Seesaw is a program that was built with elementary students in mind. It

is an easy format that younger students can navigate and perform what the teacher assigns.

Finally, it will discuss how both eportfolios and Seesaw can enhance mathematics learning and

improve math scores. It will discuss how current math instruction is failing our students, and

how changing our instruction to include more problem solving and technology enhancement can

improve our math instruction drastically.

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The Effectiveness of Seesaw in Elementary Mathematics

Blended learning is the concept that a classroom should have a blend of online content

and instruction inside or outside of its walls. Some content should differentiate instructions to

meet the students’ needs. Whether it is the online content or the actual teacher that differentiates,

it does not matter. Another piece of blended learning that is important is that students take

control of some part of their learning. They should be able to do things at their own pace or make

their own choices or take their own path. Teachers can implement this model in several different

ways, but they should ensure that all components of Blended Learning are being included (Staker

and Horn, 2012). The form in which blended learning occurs does not as much matter as the way

that it is planned. The teacher must intentionally and purposefully plan a blended classroom for it

to be efficient and effective. All of the components should be thoughtfully planned to create an

environment that is rich with learning (Linder, 2018). The student’s needs should guide the

format in which the teacher plans the layout of their blended learning. (Yount, 2019).

This literature review will focus in on how the use of one form of blended learning,

eportfolios, can improve mathematics instruction and assessment growth. It will narrow even

more onto one form of eportfolio, Seesaw for elementary classrooms, and how it can enhance

mathematic instruction and student assessment growth. Eportfolios are online collections of work

that showcase student’s thinking. abilities, assignments, group projects, videos, images, and

written pieces. An eportfolio is used to engage students in deeper learning and reflection.

(Morris, n.d.). Seesaw is one program online that can be used as an eportfolio, to enhance

learning and conserve students’ work over the years. This can be an effective tool to build up

students’ ability to think and reflect on their learning. They can also learn skills that help them

explain and analyze how they got to their conclusion or answer.

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How Blended Learning includes Eportfolios

There are four different models of blended learning. The instructor needs to ensure that

they are using the model that they can best manage with the resources they obtain and that best

meets the students in their classroom. The different types of blended learning are rotation model,

flex model, self-blend model, and enriched-virtual model. The rotation model lives up to its

name because students rotate between time on technology, time with teacher, and time in

collaborate stations or activities. Flex model allows students to work through content in a fluid

schedule, where teachers are the face- to- face intervention or as-needed instruction.

Self-blend model is when students take some of their courses online where their online instructor

is their main instructor. Students can work on these courses throughout the day either at school

or at home. The last model is enriched-virtual model where students may attend their first course

at a brick-and mortar location, but complete the rest from home, as long as they maintain a C or

higher (Staker and Horn, 2012). (Yount, 2019)

The model that eportfolios best fit in is the rotation model, because students should still

be receiving instruction inside of the classroom and the main point of eportfolios is to stretch

their learning through reflection, explanation, and collaboration. The other models of blended

learning include instructions online and this is not what eportfolios in the elementary classroom

should be used for. They should be used to enhance the instruction they are learning in the

classroom. Elementary classrooms are unique to middle and high schools, because most of the

content that students are learning is brand new concepts that they have no background

knowledge on. In high school and middle school, most of the content is building on previous

knowledge of that subject. This is why elementary teachers should use eportfolios as an

extension of their teaching not a replacement.

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What is an Eportfolio?

An eportfolio is an online tool that instructors can use for various reasons. Eportfolios

can be used to “teach students to self-assess, to monitor and evaluate their learning progress, to

think critically and actively about their learning processes, to take ownership of their work, and

to practice planning, implementation, and revision—all of which enhance meaningful, long-term

learning.” (Morris, n.d.). They can be used for personal development, a presentation of students

works, and assessment portfolios. This literature review will focus in on how eportfolios can be

used for learning development and enhancing student learning. Eportfolios include evidence of

student’s progress, their creativity and individuality, files in various formats, such as pictures,

videos, and text, and it includes examples of work they created in class. (Eisner, 2012).

Benefits

Using eportfolios in older grades such as high school or college has proven research that

they benefit them in their future careers. These eportfolios showcase important information about

the potential employee and gives future employers a glimpse of their skills and critical thinking.

It is a chance to make their professional self shine and be on display for their future employers.

(Eisner, 2012). For younger grades, it can be used to help students better communicate with

others and effectively collaborate with classmates. Also, one very large factor that

Theodosiadou and Konstantinidis (2015) found is that eportfolios promote self-esteem

and confidence, and this can be beneficial to all students especially those with learning

disabilities. Although there is not a lot of research in primary grades, eportfolios are very

beneficial to elementary students, as it teaches them important skills of how to reflect on

learning how to analyze learning and how to showcase their learning in new and exciting

ways.

Barriers
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There are so many benefits to using an eportfolio that they far outweigh the

challenges of using, but the barriers should still be considered. Building an eportfolio

can be very time-consuming and difficult for students that are not very strong with

technology. Although most students have been exposed to technology in their short live,

some have not had access. Assessment of eportfolios can be difficult, because they may

vary as much as the students’ personalities do. Since they are so unique, teachers need

to know exactly what they are looking for and students need to be given a rubric of

things they must include. However, the students can take the assignment in their own

direction as long as they meet the necessities of the assignment. If teachers assign tasks

to be done on the eportfolio, then who truly owns the eportfolio. If it is truly for the

student’s benefits, then how can the teacher control what is placed on the eportfolio.

These are all things to be considered when having students create eportfolios, and

teachers must know the purpose of their eportfolio before they begin the year.

(Theodosiadou & Konstantinidis, 2015).

Using Seesaw as an Eportfolio

Clark (2017) says that Seesaw is often used as a learning journal and it should be used to

make their learning visible and give insight to teachers and how their students are growing.

Seesaw can be used as an eportfolio to store student work, show student learning, have students

collaborate with each other through the program, have students reflect on the learning that is

occurring in the classroom and show student growth throughout the year. Seesaw is a program

where students can use various types of ways to show their thinking. The seven ways that are

available to students are: photo, video, drawing, camera roll, note, link and add file. These are all

ways students can create different works that show their thinking and learning. They can use

Seesaw to help in writing in these ways: take pictures of the writing they just created, illustrate
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their writing, record themselves reading that writing, or get ideas for pre-writing from different

photos provided. There are so many ways that Seesaw can be used in math: they can take photos

of shapes and use the drawing tool to describe their shape, they can explain a story problem

using the drawing tool to explain their thinking, and they can explain how they got an answer

through the video component. Seesaw is an easy, valuable program that helps students of all ages

create powerful examples of their thinking and learning. It is also a very valuable tool to

continue student’s work in their language tools. (Clark, 2017).

Another key component of Seesaw for elementary classrooms is that the eportfolios can

be shared with parents. Parents are able to view and comment on their child’s work. This

component of Seesaw helps have that home connection, and the conversation about students’

learning can be brought home for discussion. Using Seesaw helps students engage in their

learning and they are able to take ownership of what they learned. With this home connection,

parents no longer need to ask students what they learned at school, they can view it on their

Seesaw eportfolio, this will allow parents to make conversation that is relevant to things that

their child is learning at school. They can also specifically see how their student understands the

concepts being taught at school. (Kyoko et al., 2017).

How Eportfolios Can Innovate Math

Meyer (2010) says that math instruction has failed in the U.S., because there are two

factors to mathematics: computation and math reasoning, and teachers are not giving students a

foundation in math that needs to exist for them to be able to retain the information. He continues

to explain that the reason math instruction is wrong is from these factors: “lack of initiative, lack

of perseverance, lack of retention, aversion to word problems, eagerness for formula.” (Meyer,

2010). Students expect simple problems and simple solutions. Students are given all the
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information in the problems and can easily find the solution if they apply the right formula. How

does this prepare students for life? There has rarely been a problem in life that presents all the

sides at the beginning. The key to math reasoning is beginning with the broad question, and

letting the students formulate the problem. Finally, Meyer continues to say that now in this

digital world math can be even more innovated. If instructors include videos and pictures and

technology tools, then students are more engaged and able to apply math to real life. This is

where the eportfolio can innovate math. Students can create videos, pictures, text that explain a

broad mathematical question, and formulate ideas and numbers to create the mathematical

reasoning on how that real-world phenomenon could happen. If instructors start letting students

own their intuition and they help less, then students might start thinking for themselves.

How to Use Eportfolios/Seesaw in Math

Eportfolios can be used to integrate the use of technology into the math class by having

students create work related to their math problems on their eportfolio. Math should involve

multiple minds coming together to find the solution. Eportfolios, including Seesaw, are set up for

peer collaboration. In Seesaw, students are able to see other’s work and comment, post a video,

or post a picture on their work. This could be a place that students can communicate their ideas

with each other. They could also produce a video that more than one student is in and they can

work together to describe the solution to the problem. This not only benefits their math skills but

also their language and social skills. (Ray, 2017).

Improving Math Scores Through the Use of Eportfolios

Seriously Addictive Mathematics (2019) found that the key to improving math scores

include the following five strategies: Ask open-ended questions, use manipulatives, think about

thinking, adopt holistic approach to teaching, and personalize your child’s learning experience.
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These strategies have all been found in the use of eportfolios in the classroom. Student’s

eportfolios are their personalized site that allows them to reflect on their thinking. One of the

main goals of eportfolios is metacognition and thinking about their thinking. The goal of using

eportfolios in mathematics should be to have students create works answering open-ended

questions. They help guide the student through mathematical reasoning and creating the problem

that needs a solution. Eportfolios also provide a different form of manipulatives that can be used

on-line, such as the drawing tools on Seesaw. That tool allows students to use different images

and drag and pull to create digital manipulatives. The holistic approach is used in eportfolios as it

uses several skills to create work and multiple strategies are used to find mathematical answers.

If these tools can be used to increase math scores, then eportfolios are the perfect answer to

student growth.

Gaps in Literature

There are several gaps in literature that applies to the use of Seesaw in the classroom.

There is also a gap in the use of eportfolios in the classroom. Literature does not focus on how

eportfolios can enhance math instruction and increase math scores. There needs to be more

research involving the use of eportfolios in the math class. There also needs to be more research

on the use of eportfolios in the elementary classroom. There could also be limitations in the

further research, as student’s reactions to eportfolios can vary. Every student’s needs are

different, and they may not use the eportfolio to their fullest. An eportfolio has this limitation

that it only gives what a student puts in. If the student does not fully reflect on their learning, but

instead just does what they can for credit, then they do not learn as much as they could have. The

other limitation to this research of how eportfolios effect math scores is that it could depend on

the quality of education that is occurring in the classroom. Each teacher has a different style, and
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this could change the results of math scores. (Theodosiadou & Konstantinidis, 2015). Further

research is needed to know how effective Seesaw is in raising math assessments and growth in

the elementary classroom.

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References

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https://www.edtechteam.com/blog/2017/08/seesaw-making-thinking-visible-

machine/

Eisner, C. (2012, Jan 23). Building an eportfolio. Academic Coaching &Writing. Retrieved

from https://academiccoachingandwriting.org/academic-writing/academic-writing-

blog/i-building-an-eportfolio

Johns K., Tronacle, J., Trucks, C., Calhoun, C., and Alvidrez, M. (2017). Cool Tools for

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Linder, K. (2018). The Blended Course Design Workbook – A Practical Guide. Sterling,

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Meyer, D. (2010, March). Math Class Needs a Makeover [video file]. Retrieved from

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Morris, G. (n.d.) Teaching with ePortfolios. Sweetland Center for Writing: University of

Michigan. Retrieved from https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/sweetland-

assets/sweetland-

documents/teachingresources/TeachingwithEportfolios/TeachingWithEportfolios.pdf

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from http://dx.doi.org.libproxy.lamar.edu/10.1044/leader.APP.22052017.np
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Seriously Addictive Mathematics. (2019) 5 Strategies to Improve Math Scores, Backed by

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Staker, H. & Horn, M. (2012). Classifying K-12 Blended Learning. Innosight Institute.

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