Does technology impact mathematics achievement?

National Assessment of Education Progress

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) conducted a study to determine the impact of technology on mathematics achievement. They studied more than 6,000 fourth-graders and 7,000 eighth graders. The researchers controlled socioeconomic status, class size, and teacher characteristics, in order to keep the experiment controlled. As a result of online math programs, graphing calculators, and technology in the classroom, eighth grade students, “showed gains in mathematics scores of up to 15 weeks above grade level”, after the implementation of curricula with the assistance of technological devices. According to the study, and post achievement exam scores for both grades, technology integration positively impact mathematics achievement.

DreamBox

Dreambox is a self monitoring mathematics learning program. Students are given different tasks based on their prior knowledge and their acquisition of future math goals. According to a research institute established by Stanford University trustees, called SRI, after conducting a study on the affects DreamBox has on mathematics achievement, the difference between the control group (no DreamBox) and the treatment group (DreamBox users), translated to, “an improvement index of 5.5 percentile points, which suggests that being assigned to the treatment group would have led to a 5.5 point increase in the percentile rank for the average (50^th percentile) student in the control group”. This shows that mathematics programs increase academic achievement in math, and provides a specific example for a technological program that can do so.

GeoGebra

GeoGebra is a geometry and algebra website, that is searchable. This means that anything a student or a teacher puts onto the website, another student, teacher, or visitor of the website can view and interact with. This is free technology software that students can use and download at home, which will help to greatly impact their understanding of math concepts, as the technology allows them to see the math they are doing, and create their own representations of ideas, thus improving conceptual understanding and overall mathematics achievement. More information about GeoGebra available here.

Desmos

According to an article written by Ryan Thomas of the University of Arkansas Department of Mathematical Sciences, using the program Desmos as an instructional tool "could lead to significant gains in student achievement and understanding, as well as improving student engagement and attitude toward mathematics". Studies have shown an increase in students' problem solving skills as well as their conceptual understanding of pre-college mathematics topics as a result of graphing calculators and technologies that simulate graphing calculators. Thomas believes that a deep understanding of functions leads to an understanding of central concepts in curriculums from algebra to calculus. Desmos has the power to enhance students understanding of functions, as well as a variety of other mathematic concepts.

Apps

At the 2013 Council for Exceptional Children, Several doctors of Education presented a paper highlighting the positive effects of using iPads to increase mathematics fluency. The doctors conducted a 4 week study on 10 students with disabilities, and found that mathematical fluency, as a result of using apps on an iPad increased, as well as students' engagement and interest in content. This report shows the positive influence on using technological apps on mathematics learning.

Resources

Golden, J. (n.d.). Head Tech. Retrieved November 24, 2017, from http://www.nctm.org/Publications/MathematicsTeaching

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Marshall, J. M. (2002). Learning with Technology Evidence that technology can, and does, support learning. National

Association of the Deaf. Retrieved November 17, 2017.

O'Malley, Patricia|Jenkins, Sandi|Wesley, Brooke|Donehower, Claire|Rabuck, Deidre|Lewis, MEB. (2013, March 31).

Effectiveness of Using iPads to Build Math Fluency. Retrieved November 26, 2017, from https://eric.ed.gov/

id=ED541158

Thomas, R. (n.d.). A Graphing Approach To Algebra Using Desmos. 27th International Conference on Technology in

Collegiate

Wang, H., & Woodworth, K. (2011). Evaluation of Rocketship Education’s Use of DreamBox Learning’s Online Mathematics

Program. SRI International, 1-16. Retrieved November 17, 2017