The Role of Technology in Mathematics Education for Human Enterprise

Abstract

This lecture focuses on traditional or lost technology, used in the history of mathematics, as well as new technology. It discusses the roles of using technology in teaching mathematics history to experience hermeneutic effort in mathematics history. The epistemological necessity of using technology is discussed from the socio-historical-cultural perspectives as well as the perspective from hermeneutics in history. For illustrating these perspectives, this lecture gives a number of examples that show how use of both types of technology for teaching history of mathematics changes students' beliefs about mathematics as human enterprise. To illustrate their change, historical texts, problems, mechanics such as LEGO and DGS (Dynamic Geometry Software) were used. One of subject matters that students experienced is well known as "arbelos" or shoemaker's knife in western culture and "enri" or Japanese circle principle in Japanese culture.