Many classrooms and schools make use of technology when teaching mathematics. Inequities exist among the budgets, types, and training provided for such tools, but ultimately, it is the methodology behind technology use which can lead to either fantastic or dismal learning outcomes. The use of calculators, for example, has been studied for the last 40 years, with data justifying their use in fostering learners’ operational and problem-solving skills (Ronau et al., 2013), yet in many classrooms their limited use as computational processors has only marginally improved or sustained the way teaching has been done for many years.
Calculators, mobile applications (which are also often web-based), and computer simulations are mathematical action technologies that offer learners the opportunity to access mathematics dynamically (Dick & Hollebrands, 2011). If we, as educators, understand students learn using different modalities, obtain mastery at different times, and want to support the mathematical identities of every learner, mathematical action technologies must be embedded within our instructional practices. One way to create this shift is to consider how conveyance technology, or those which are not specific to mathematics, are prominently featured in the classroom and put to use as platforms for advancing mathematical knowledge. Presentation software, spreadsheets, wikis and audience response systems should be used in tandem with mathematical action technology to reimagine how learners think about mathematics (Dick & Hollebrands, 2011). To disrupt the status quo, the use of technology must become more than a supplement to instruction, an accommodation tool, or part of a “special” activity after the material has been presented in a traditional format.
I believe the integration of technology into mathematics is an art as much as it is a science. While not identical to educational theory, this artistic constructivist movement emphasized building and science. Constructivist artists carefully analyzed the behavior and properties of materials, to build art reflecting the concrete world. In The Manifesto for Concrete Art, Carlsund, Van Doesbourg, Helion, Tetundjian, and Wantz state “a work of art must be entirely conceived and shaped by the mind before its execution” (as cited in Saitta & Zucker, 2013, p. 413). Similarly, the goal is for learners to utilize technology in constructing hypotheses, designing tests, to build meaningful conjectures and generalizations about mathematical ideas. For this level of learning to take place, the classroom teacher must organize technology use around instructional practices around well-developed lessons promoting collaboration, the sharing of ideas and meaningful discourse (Dick & Hollebrands, 2011). Thorough planning, which includes the development of key questions about mathematics and technology prior to executing a lesson, create a canvas for the scientific discovery and creative thinking of learners to flourish.
To maximize the benefits of technology use in classrooms and schools, it is important to evaluate accessibility, cost, function, and connection to the content. Stakeholders should also assess where and how technology use has been historically been limited to maintaining current practices as opposed to transforming learning outcomes (Christensen, Horn & Johnson, 2008).
References
Christensen, C, Horn, M., & Johnson, C. (2008). Disrupting class: How disruptive innovation will change the way the world learns. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Dick, T., & Hollebrands, K. F. (Eds.) (2011). Focus in high school mathematics: Technology to support reasoning and sense making. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Hillegas, L. (2019, January 4). Constructivism Brought the Russian Revolution to the Art World. Retrieved from https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-constructivism-brought-russian-revolution-art
Ronau, R. N., Rakes, C. R., Bush, S. B., Driskell, S., Niess, M. L., & Pugalee, D. (2013). Using calculators for teaching and learning mathematics. Technology research brief. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Retrieved from https://www.nctm.org/uploadedFiles/Research_and_Advocacy/research_brief_and_clips/2011-Research_brief_18-calculator.pdf
Saitta, L., & Zucker, J. D. (2013). Abstraction in artificial intelligence and complex systems (Vol. 456). New York: Springer.
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