Math Education Technologies
Author: Tona Speltz
Technology in the Math Classroom
"Technology use in classrooms in today’s world is believed to have a positive impact on students’ success and their attitudes towards lessons."
-EYYAM AND YAR ATAN, Eastern Mediterranean University
The following is a list of websites and apps that can aid in the mathematics classroom.
Prodigy
Students embark on an adventure through multiple worlds while answer math related questions. Students have the ability to "battle" their peers. Teachers have the ability to assign skills and take assessments.
Grade Level: K-8
VMathLive
Students work at their own pace through assigned modules. Students are rewarded with points, tokens, trophies, and avatars as they complete modules.
Grade Level: 2-8
Help Math
A web based, bilingual program that creates a learning program for students based on a pre assement that is given. Teachers have options to adjust learning paths and assign concepts.
Grade Level: 3-8
Math Playground
An extensive amount of options for students to practice concepts through games, videos, and interactive activities. There is online options as well as worksheets for teachers to print off to reinforce skills.
Grade Level: 1-6
Geoboard
A digital version of the physical geoboard. This resource is great for teachers to use to create lessons with the digital geoboards being readily available for students to use. There are numbered grids, drawing tools, and math text tools to help model concepts.
Grade Level: K-5
Graspable Math
Graspable Math allows students to interact and solve algebra equations in an innovative way. Students can drag elements of an equation from one place to another, combine, simplify, or expand variables, and create step-by-step solutions to various questions.
Grade Level: 6-12
Math Antics
Free videos where the instructor illustrates each concept with detailed, step-by-step explanations and graphics describing how things work. Topics range from arithmetic, fractions, geometry, percents, and algebra basics.
Grade Level: 3-8
Polyup
A web-based platform that provides students with math challenges via games. Using a guide (Poly) and operation challenges called Poly Machines, students can explore anything from simple operations to more complex sequences and series.
Grade Level: 3-12
GeoGebra
A free software program that lets kids create mathematical models where they can drag objects to explore algebra and other math fields. Teachers have the ability to make their own interactive worksheets.
Grade Level: 6-12
Magnahigh
A web-based set of math games with hundreds of tutorials and quizzes. It teaches and reinforces a wide variety of math fundamentals, from counting and number sense all the way up to beginning algebra and geometry concepts. It also includes some coding lessons in Scratch.
Grade Level: 2-12
TPACK Model
The TPACK model is used in education as a guide to help teachers reach effective technology integration.
Mathematics Teacher TPACK Standards and Development Model
In 1986, the term pedagogical content knowledge or better known as PCK was created by Lee Shulman, an American psychologist. The authors give a brief background into Shulman and his work. The History behind the growth of education and the discussions around knowledge construction are also included. PCK and how this relates to a variety of subject areas with a focus on teaching math is addressed. The authors share how the evolution of technology moved into the PCK model. As this progression took place, it was noticed that teachers struggled to understand how to connect all of these pieces. TPACK was then introduced in 2006 by Mishra & Koehler to help educators understand how to effectively integrate technology. The authors go on to describe the development of TPACK in math and TPACK’s next steps for assisting educators in successful technology assimilation.
Reference
Niess, M. L., Ronau, R. N., Shafer, K. G., Driskell, S. O., Harper, S. R., Johnston, C., ... & Kersaint, G. (2009). Mathematics teacher TPACK standards and development model. Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education, 9(1), 4-24.
Growing Math Teachers is a website designed to support teachers for the technology age. The article begins by giving a brief overview of the TPACK Model which includes a detailed diagram. The article also discusses the latest trends and research about TPACK and education. Also included is a list of many math resources for educators. These resources include Common Core State Standards information, a variety of curriculum documents, lesson plans, and even competitions and challenges.
Reference
Tpack theory. Growing Math Teachers. (2016, May 1). Retrieved from https://growingteachersblog.wordpress.com/tpack-theory/.
Unpack TPACK in your Classroom
The purpose of this website is to give an overview of what TPACK is and how it can be used in the classroom. Dietrich begins with a history of TPACK and how it was created. The author then discusses the three parts of quality teaching; content, pedagogy, and technology. How an educator intertwines these components is the key to effective technology integration. The TPACK model assists educators with this task. The article also includes Lee Shulman’s journey into the term Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) he designed and how the core pieces of TPACK fit together. With this design, it is known that technology brings many challenges. This article addresses those challenges as well as laying out steps of how to apply TPACK into classroom lessons. This article is a key overview of the history and workings of the TPACK model.
Reference
Dietrich, L. (2018). UNPACK TPACK in your classroom. Go to the cover page of Technology and the Curriculum: Summer 2018. Retrieved from https://techandcurriculum.pressbooks.com/chapter/tpack/.