A Pre-Service Mathematics Teacher Training Program Focusing on Exploration with Hand-held Technology and Its Effects on Achievements and Attitudes

Abstract

In recent years hand-held technologies are assumed to provide rich learning environments for mathematics education and their adoption is increasingly emphasized in the current curriculum documents. However, the technology does not automatically ensure the advantages to mathematics learning. The development of the learning materials and practical teacher training are necessary to take the full advantages of the technology adoption. And since research shows that teachers' attitude is a critical variable in students' learning, it is important for teachers to foster positive perception on technology through the teacher-training program. This presentation will describe a teacher-training program in Korea for implementing hand-held technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. Exploratory mathematics learning materials with hand-held technologies (CFX-9850Plus) were developed and were applied to pre-service secondary math teachers taking a methodology course for the six 2-hour lessons. The outline of the course and the feature of the teaching materials will be described. And the students-teachers' attitudes to the hand-held technologies before and after the lessons will be investigated and the cognitive and affective effects will be discussed in this presentation.