Curating Resources #1 - Purplemath

For this week's resource, I have decided to discuss a website called Purplemath (http://www.purplemath.com/index.htm). If the name is any indication, it offers simplified math lessons tailored for the struggling student. Students are able to access the web page and find topics that they are struggling with, ranging from grade 5 math to high school algebra, even going so far as to discuss college level math for the overachiever. Purplemath's lessons are easy to follow, providing plenty of examples, videos, and even widgets to help students grasp more abstract concepts. Students are encouraged to find the topics that they are struggling with after a lesson so that they can consolidate their learning in a short 10-15 minute read.

One of the reasons that I chose this website is that I had relied upon many of its lessons during my run in high school and even returned to it to refresh my memory once I started university. As such, I feel that it can help other students should they need help as well!

One of the limitations of the resource is that unlike some other websites, the lessons lack any extra questions for the student to answer (and thus lacks the "now you do one" learning strategy) that students will often use to solidify their understanding. Thus, students will likely have to turn to Khan Academy or other websites to find questions that test their understanding. However, as the lessons are web-based and simple to follow, I will certainly be providing it to my future students as a resource!

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