Towards new models of teaching and learning in technology enriched mathematics classrooms

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate some pedagogical issues in using graphing calculator technology in secondary school mathematics classrooms. At the beginning of the last decade it was predicted that technologies such as computers and graphing calculators would have a significant impact on mathematics teaching and learning, and provide new opportunities for students to engage constructively and critically with mathematical ideas. In particular, it was anticipated that technology would bring about changes in classroom communication structures, in that teachers would act as facilitators of student discussion and exploration, and students would work collaboratively with peers while becoming more responsible for regulating their own learning. Although there is a growing body of research concerned with investigating the effect of technology on students' learning, little is known about how the availability of graphing calculator technology has influenced teaching approaches. This paper draws on Australian research findings to illustrate qualitatively different models of teaching and learning in technology enriched classrooms. The research reported here forms part of a three year longitudinal study involving four senior secondary mathematics classrooms in a large Australian city. Classroom observation notes and lesson videotapes, questionnaires, and student and teacher interviews have been used to examine the ways in which technology contributes to students' understanding of mathematics, and how technology changes the teacher's role in the classroom. The nature of these changes is analysed with the aid of classroom vignettes that illustrate different patterns of interaction between teachers, students, and technology – ranging from conservative use of technology as an adjunct to transmissive teaching methods, to the welcoming of technology as a liberating opportunity for students to experiment and conjecture.