I downloaded Photomath last week, hoping it will help me when I’m stuck on a question.
Some background: I am not super strong at math, but enjoy figuring out the answers. This last week, I tried to help some students with trig questions, and I was lost as I haven’t worked on trig in probably 10+ years. Afterwards, I downloaded Photomath.
I know this app has been discussed in past ETEC 523 posts, with people debating its usefulness for students at home vs. the risk that students use it to do all their work and not actually learn the math.
In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the risks. For example, I remember being 15 and stuck on math questions at home. The frustration that came from that likely limited my interest in continuing maths at higher levels. I believe any app supporting those seeking help is a great tool. Students can indeed use this app to skip learning how to do the math; however, they can also copy the answers off of a friend like students always have.
What do you guys think? Is this a valuable tool to show students, or do the risks outweigh the benefits?
Hi Elvio, I think you made a great point here. The worry for cheating with PhotoMath only comes with the need for cheating in the first place. As you said, students could easily find someone who has the answer and simply copy their homework, which happens regardless of PhotoMath. My concern with PhotoMath is finding out the answer too quickly without trying or proper problem-solving thinking. I think once one knows there is a tool that could easily solve the question for you (and considering how impatient we are becoming in this fast-paced tech-driven world), it takes a lot of self-control (or passion in math!) to stop one from putting those equations in the app.
But overall, I think it is a great tool. There is misuse for any technology out there. But for those that will be using it to their benefit, it is truly beneficial to have something in your hand that could give you a solution right away, eliminating the hassle of reaching out for solutions or researching for it (which can be discouraging in learning at times). Thank you for sharing!