Tollhouse teacher develops math app with his son

TOLLHOUSE, Calif. (KFSN) -- A teacher in Tollhouse has teamed up with a programmer to develop his own app and help his students engage in math. Now its available to everyone on iTunes and it's adding up to be a big success.

Kevin Scritchfield has worn many hats over the 15 years he's worked at Sierra High School in Tollhouse.

"I teach pre-calculus this particular year, but I also teach classes in digital video, cloud computing class for freshman, I also am the yearbook advisor and that covers my day."

Now he can add one more to the list -- taking technology in the classroom one-step further.

In December, he and his 16-year-old son released an application for the iPad, iPhone and iPod called Alge-Bingo.

Its an interactive tool designed to make learning math more fun. "You can go in and choose what type of bingo game you want to play in terms of a straight line all the way up until a blackout. T's and L's or whatever shape you want to play and then it goes through 13 levels of algebraic equations progressively more difficult as it goes to develop a students equation solving skills."

So far it's received positive reviews. Within the first few weeks on iTunes, Scritchfield sold more than 1,000 copies -- earning it a 5 star rating in the App Store and some praise among his toughest critics.

"I like that it's actually a game, but you're learning at the same time" said Sierra High student Bethany Marton, "as you go you get faster and faster, but you don't even realize you're actually getting better at it as you go."

Scritchfield plans to have an updated version of Alge-Bingo in the next few months. He is already looking to expand into other subject areas.

In the meantime, the long-time math teacher says this is just the first step in the equation in achieving app-solute success. "It's just the future of education and so for us to be able to get kids to where they're playing a game, but yet learning at the same time, that's the goal."

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tollhouse, fresno county, technology news, linda mumma

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