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Effective Technology Use in Math Class

Ensuring that the technology we bring into math classes fosters active
engagement is key.
By Gina Picha
October 17, 2018

©istock/ferrantraite

Incorporating technology in mathematics classrooms enables educators to craft

powerful collaborative learning experiences that support problem solving and
flexible thinking. With strategic integration of both content-specific and
content-neutral technology, students and teachers can construct their learning
together in authentic ways that elevate mathematics learning.

Until recently, one of educators’ primary concerns around educational technology

was the lack of access that existed in many American schools. That gap has
decreased, but a new digital divide has emerged: The updated 2017 National
Education Technology Plan explains that in today’s classrooms many students
are using technology as a tool for passive learning rather than engaging in active
learning experiences that promote student agency.

T H E I M P O R TA N C E O F CO N T E N T- S P E C I F I C P E DAGO GY
In order to create technology-infused experiences that support active mathematics
learning, educators must of course have pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)
—an understanding of best practices specific to mathematics.

One method a teacher can use to analyze the effectiveness of technology

integration is the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK)
framework. This tool supports careful educator reflection on pedagogy, content,
and technology not only as separate entities but as overlapping and intersecting
domains.

Reproduced by permission of the publisher, ©2012 by tpack.org

The TPACK framework

For example, when planning to integrate technology into a lesson, educators can
take into account the technology knowledge the students will need, the
mathematics content knowledge they’ll need, and the best practices for teaching
both the technology and the math. This process is extremely important because
without it, the technology may be integrated in a way that is pedagogically
inappropriate for mathematics instruction.

U S I N G P C K TO S P OT U N H E A LT H Y A P P S A N D W E BS I T E S
Teachers start from their understanding of PCK, or best practices for mathematics
instruction, in choosing effective technology tools for the mathematics classroom.
We know that mathematics should not be focused on speed or quick answer
finding. And timed fact testing is a known trigger of math anxiety , which can
lead to low mathematics achievement and mathematics avoidance. Yet math apps
and websites that focus on speed and rote memorization are readily available and
widely used.

This use of technology can promote fear and stress, and it also sends inaccurate
messages about the purpose of mathematics. Math is about thinking deeply,
discovering patterns, and making connections. Automaticity with math facts and
math skills is critical, but how we get students to automaticity matters. A focus on
memorization without understanding promotes a joyless, nonsensical form of
mathematics that requires remembering a large amount of seemingly disconnected
information.

In addition, technology that simply transfers a gradual release—the “I do, we do,

you do” structure—to an online format is a form of passive learning that strips math
of student agency and rigor. Although gradually releasing responsibility is an
effective model in other content areas, in mathematics this model is best flipped to
give students the agency to decide what strategies they want to use and how they
might solve a problem.

That’s because students should productively struggle with math. We need them
to problem solve rather than learn to repeat a specific list of procedures given by
the teacher. Problem solving skills are more valuable than memorization, and
they’re the true work of mathematicians. If we’re integrating technology into our
classrooms to engage students in real-world experiences, our students must be
given opportunities to do real mathematics.

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T E C H N O LO GY T H AT F O S T E R S D E E P M AT H E M AT I C A L T H I N K I N G
When used appropriately, both content-specific and content-neutral technology
can be effective in the math classroom. Research indicates that content-specific
apps and websites that focus on math learning with the use of virtual manipulatives
are highly effective, and in some cases more efficient than physical manipulatives.

The Math Learning Center , for example, provides several manipulative options,
such as rekenreks, geoboards, number lines, and number frames. Apps and
websites that provide these types of virtual tools are easy to use, support students
with conceptual understanding, and increase student access to math tools.

Content-neutral technology includes tools such as virtual whiteboards, handheld

clickers, and student collaboration apps. Virtual whiteboard and websites, such
as Explain Everything , promote self reflection, enable students to make their
learning visible and share and connect ideas, and have been linked with high-level
student thinking and teacher questioning .

But content-neutral technology that promotes fast answering, such as handheld

clickers, is associated with decreased cognitive demand, most likely due to the
likelihood of being used with minimal student discourse.

B E I N G A C R I T I C A L CO N S U M E R O F T E C H N O LO GY
The educational technology market is flooded with new apps, tech tools, and
gadgets, and in some instances, teachers are commended for increased technology
use whether it supports healthy math learning or not. Technology can have a truly
positive impact on student learning, but it should not replace teaching or ignore
research-based best practices for math instruction.

If we believe that students of mathematics need opportunities for discussing math,

creating and connecting visuals, analyzing models, discovering patterns, and
making generalizations, the technology that we introduce into our classrooms
should match those values.

There was a time when simply getting technology into the hands of our students
was a goal, but the time has come to slow down and plan for technology
integration that truly supports healthy and productive mathematics learning.

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