In the math classroom, technology causes students to adapt to new ways of thinking. Additionally, it has the same effect on teachers' instructional practices. While students traditionally move from a concrete to an abstract way of understanding numbers, mathematics, and problem solving, technology can support this development once various obstacles, including new learning curves, are removed or overcome.
As an example, students can leverage virtual manipulatives and simulations to scaffold higher order levels of thinking but only once functional technology literacies are taught and developed for accessing such digital tools. In other words, before a middle school math student can begin analyzing geometric structures in Geoboard, he or she will need to be able to download the app, access it, and appropriately interact with its user interface.
Similarly, obstacles to teachers' professional development in the math classroom, regarding allotted time and access to mentored instruction, prevents increased adoption and integration of technology tools. According to the Cited Research Center, "While teachers know the Internet could provide them with a vast database of free resources, they do not have time to search for them and feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available (2014)."
Additionally, "Time constraints and rigid scheduling also limit a class's access to a school's computer lab. Predetermined schedules and the high ratio of students to computers make it difficult for teachers to integrate their lab time into content area instruction in a meaningful way (2014)."
Solutions to both of these problems exist in the form of new professional development models and 1:1 and BYOD initiatives. Many educators are turning to social networks such as Twitter and Google+ to learn more about how to integrate technology into their specific classrooms and content areas. To do so, these connected educators rely on their online professional learning networks which are made up of educators around the world with whom a connection has been made.
1:1 and BYOD initiatives can alleviate the stress of sharing a computer lab or cart of laptops. By enabling students to bring their own personal computing device from home, teachers and students become empowered by access to digital tools, apps, and online content that can enhance and transform the math curriculum.
Though such initiatives are not yet the reality of all classrooms, Technology Director Paul Barrett, in an article for TeachThought says that, "Teachers [need] to become involved with their school boards in advocating for upgraded tech infrastructure." Barrett continues, "Policies must be updated. Infrastructure must be updated, and teachers must receive support (2014)."
When technology is welcomed and supported in the mathematics classroom, relevancy and authenticity are produced as byproducts. That is because appropriate technology use in the curriculum takes content learning from rote memorization of algorithms and definitions and contextualizes it in project and problem-based learning strategies.
Within this framework, students no longer lament that they are never going to learn what is being taught. That's because they are using it to learn and problem solve as students in the classroom. An Edutopia articles suggests that, "Math teachers should feel affirmed in their commitment to pursuing a high quality PBL curriculum as a vehicle to developing and promoting 21st century knowledge and skills . . .[Because] those who use PBL are much better able than more traditional teachers to teach and develop those skills (2014)."
That problems arise when technology is integrated into a content are is obvious and should be expected. No integration effort will succeed without those involved incurring bumps in the road and occasional setbacks. However, whether the obstacle is due to policy or paradigm shifts, when a concerted effort to integrate technology into the classroom is done with vision, just as many, if not more, unique solutions will become evident as well. It's all about perspective.
References
Dissolving Barriers To Adopting Technology In The Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2014, from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/dissolving-barriers-to-adopting-technology-in-the-classroom/
Identifying Challenges to Technology Integration in Math Instruction. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2014, from http://www.cited.org/index.aspx?page_id=117
Math, PBL and 21st Century Learning for All Students. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2014, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/math-PBL-21st-century-learning-jason-ravitz
Nice post, David. The issues you mentioned of limited professional development and limited availability of technology are definitely the biggest obstacles in my building. I also resonated with your discussion of the need for students to have certain skills in place in order to use technology effectively; some of the most exciting technology for science education takes time and practice to learn, which prevents a lot of teachers from taking advantage of it.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about attitude, isn't it? One's perception of how difficult it will be directly relates to how vigorously one pursues a solution. Too often I've seen hands thrown in the air by teachers who claim they are unable to understand or utilize technology. Staff development and time to implement change could make a big difference in developing a "can-do" attitude.
ReplyDeleteYour first two points really hit home with me. When we got our interactive whiteboards, we were excited as a group. However, beyond initial training, little time was devoted to professional development. We have no prep period; we are told that before classes and the end of the day are our prep time, however, we often have requirements that take that time away from us. Therefore, most teachers use the boards minimally, if at all. What a waste.
ReplyDeleteThe other point about teaching students to use the technology first is an excellent point. Again, due to the nature of our school, that isn't always feasible. We have open entry and exit. We get new students every week. Thus, we can't spend time at the beginning of the year teaching the students to use the devices because we have no beginning of the year. The students do have an orientation period when they arrive. That would be the time to teach them the technology, but our administration is driven by the numbers instead of driving the numbers.
JoeBod