Advantages of
Integrating Technology - Mathematics
One challenge schools face is shifting the way many teachers
work, however technology can often be used as a “catalyst to move teachers
towards an instructional style that is more student-centered, active, and
relevant to the world we live in” said Roblyer & Doering (2013, p.
310). Technology can also be used by the
students to learn concepts that were once more physically hands on, but can now
be taught through virtual manipulatives.
According to Roblyer and Doering (2013, p. 312), Virtual Manipulatives
are replicas of real manipulatives that are accessed via the internet and can
be manipulated through a keyboard or other input device. These type manipulatives allow the students
that have a somewhat hands on experience with the data, however it is via a
clean, graphical representation of the concept.
The technology of a calculator has also helped many students to
understand and process concepts that may have otherwise remained foreign to
them. According to Roblyer and Doering
(2013), as students acquire number sense, they begin to make generalizations
that lead to concepts in algebra, which in turn they can use along with
technological tools to explore the critical concept of functions; hence using a
graphing calculator.
Here is a video that discusses how technology is used in
math to help students connect the concepts to real life.
Disadvantages of
Integrating Technology - Mathematics
What seems to be the largest disadvantage to integrating
technology is that access to technology seems to be one of the fundamental issues
that all schools mathematics programs face, according to Roblyer & Doering
(2013). An issue of integrating
technology that teachers face is learning which tools to use and how to teach
most effectively with those tools. The
key to handling this issue is for the teachers to familiarize themselves with
the tools that are available, including virtual manipulatives, spreadsheets,
calculators, graphing calculators, CBI, data loggers, and simulations (Roblyer and
Doering, 2013). The fact that technological
tools are always changing can often create another disadvantage to integrating
technology. The resources needed to
integrate and maintain the tools may be more generate more trouble than there
is advantage in utilizing some tools.
Here is an article that discusses whether technology in the
math classroom is a tool or a crutch.
Specific Activities,
Programs, Etc.
The Principles and
Standards for School Mathematics, released by the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics, is used by all who make decisions that affect the
mathematics education of students in pre-kindergarten through 12th
grade. This documents provides a vision
of math teaching and learning, which calls for a common foundation of
mathematics to be learned by all students (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). Many programs have been developed to help
meet these standards, including Geometer’s
Sketchad, Maple, GeoGebra, Fathom, and Cognitive
Tutor.
References
Engleward, Andy (2012, November 13). Technology
in Math Education: the iPad a Game-Changer? Retrieved from http://www.extension.harvard.edu/hub/blog/math-teaching/technology-math-education-ipad-game-changer
National Science Foundation (2009, February 4). The
Role of Technology in Math Education. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn7rHDRljO0
Roblyer, M.D. & Doering, A.H.
(2012). Integrating
educational technology into
teaching
(6th ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Hi Tamara. What you said about utilizing calculators use is a good example of capitalizing on the usefulness of older technologies. According to Roblyer & Doering (2013, p.10), "teachers must be useful, analytical, consumers of technological innovation." Recognizing new technologies that integrate well with proven but older and technologies is a good strategy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that "learning which tools to use and how to teach most effectively with those tools" is very challenging for teachers. According to Roblyer & Doering (2013, p.10), "Planning must always begin with this question: What specific needs do my students and I have that (any given resource) can help meet?" in order to help in the planning and implementation process.
ReplyDeleteI noticed one of the issues for teachers in the science classroom was that scientific theories are always changing (Roblyer & Doering, 2013), similar to the issue you described of technology always changing. I have never understood this issue; do any math or science teachers expect that they will never need to learn anything new to maintain competence in the classroom?
ReplyDeletegreat answers
ReplyDelete