Description

“Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning” (NCTM 2000, pg 24). This quote explains that technology is vital to help students’ learning, but it is important to remember that, “technology should not be used as a replacement for basic understandings and intuitions” (NCTM, 2000, pg 25). As a teacher that uses technology to teach mathematical concepts, it is important to remember that technology should be used as a supplement to the content being taught.It is important for students to also have a conceptual understanding of the concepts being taught- not just a technological understanding.
 * The Principle of Technology **

With the use of technology, students can complete tasks that may not be easily feasible by hand. Calculators make computation extremely fast and easy. Technology can also make great representational forms of problems to make exploring conjectures easier. Technology also helps to extend the range of problems that students are able to complete. Technology provides a means of viewing mathematical ideas from multiple perspectives which helps to enrich the range and quality of in class investigations. Technology makes it easier to visualize problems and also allows more time for conceptualizing and modeling the problems because technology makes simple computation much quicker. Students that may have special needs can benefit from using technology. If students tend to be easily distracted- computer tasks may help them focus and keep their work organized. “The possibilities for engaging students with physical challenges in mathematics are dramatically increased with special technologies” (NCTM, 2000, pg 25).
 * Technology Enhances Mathematics Learning **

Whether or not technology is going to support or hinder students learning has a lot to do with the teacher who is teaching the concepts. In order to successfully use technology to teach mathematical concepts, teachers need to select mathematical tasks that take advantage of what technology can do efficiently and well. Technology also should not replace the mathematics teacher. When using technology, it may seem that students are working independently of the teacher, but the use of technology allows for more ways to aid in assessment of students’ work. The teacher must also decide if, when, and how technology should be used to benefit the students’ learning. (NCTM, 2000, pg. 26)
 * Technology Supports Effective Mathematics Teaching **

According to and overview of the geometry standards for 6th to 8th grade in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics textbook, students should be able to:
 * How Technology Applies to Geometry Standards: **
 * analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships
 * specify locations and describe spatial relationships using coordinate geometry and other representational systems
 * apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations
 * use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems


 * GPS Process Standards: **

Some of the Georgia Performance Process Standards include technology. These standards are listed below:

M7P1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology). a. Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving. b. Solve problems that arise in mathematics and in other contexts. c. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems. d. Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.

M7P5. Students will represent mathematics in multiple ways. a. Create and use representations to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas. b. Select, apply, and translate among mathematical representations to solve problems. c. Use representations to model and interpret physical, social, and mathematical phenomena.

The process standards above summarize how technology should be used and applied in a math classroom. M7P5 is not directly related to technology, but many of the subelements of the standard could be completed through use of technology. Technology can be used to create and use representation to organize data. M7P1 is focused much more on actively using technology in a classroom. The subelements explain that students should be able to use technology to build new mathematical knowledge and problem solving. Basically, MSP1 is explaining that students should be able to use technology to aid them in solving problems and that students should be able to apply technology to help solve problems.


 * Different Types of Technology **

The most basic forms of electronic technologies used in the classroom would be calculators and computers. But plenty of other technologies have been created to aid in teaching mathematics. Many programs have been created in order to help students visualize geometric figures and properties. Listed below are some types of technology to be used in teaching mathematics. The web applets listed below were created specifically for geometry content.

Most teachers and preservice teachers are very familiar with smart boards. Smart boards are interactive whiteboards that are beginning to push the common white board out of the everyday classroom. Smart boards use touch detection from the user which makes using them very fun and extremely interactive. The equipment consists of a projector that hangs from the ceiling and projects onto the actual smart board that hangs on the wall. The smart board can be touched using the hand and can be written on with interactive pens that are located in a tray below the board. The pens or the hand can be used much like the mouse of a computer to navigate the web, complete problems, or play interactive games just like you would on a regular computer.
 * __Smart Board__ **



Download Notebook Lessons for free at: http://exchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0

__** Web applets **__ Web applets consist of interactive websites that provide students with manipulatives to see the geometry in a virtual, 3-dimensional state instead of 2-dimensions as on paper and pencil.


 * Here are six useful examples of geometry web applets: **


 * GeoGabra 4 **

“GeoGebra is free and multi-platform dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education that joins geometry, algebra, tables, graphing, statistics and calculus in one easy-to-use package”

Download for free here -- []




 * Shoder Interactive **

“The goals of Interactive are the creation, collection, evaluation and dissemination of interactive Java-based courseware for exploration in science and mathematics.”

The site allows the viewer to jump to lessons, activities, discussions and also browse by subject, topic, audience, and resource type.

You can view this website here: []




 * NCTM Illuminations **

= “is a public voice of mathematics education, providing vision, leadership, and professional development to support teachers in ensuring mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. With 100,000 members and 250 affiliates, NCTM is the world’s largest organization dedicated to improving math education in preK‑12. =

Check out NCTM at []




 * National Library of Virtual Manipulatives **

“The National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM) is an NSF supported project that began in 1999 to develop a library of uniquely interactive, web-based virtual manipulatives or concept tutorials, mostly in the form of Java applets, for mathematics instruction (K-12 emphasis).”

NLVM can be found with just a click at []


 * [[image:https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Gr1jrMNh4Ab79Px3ybpw0SaPahUi04KOfvMU-isjwOj63nbucBLAZtIdhHrRGu_TTmpfCgbxbx48pRHYe54C9Pjiu1gaKO18aWxXz1Z_WJbB4dnDDKw]]* **


 * Explorelearning **

= “ExploreLearning Gizmos, the world's largest library of interactive online simulations for math and science education in grades 3-12” =

[] would be a great tool in your classroom!




 * The Geometer’s Sketchpad **

“ is the world’s leading software for teaching mathematics. Sketchpad®gives students at all levels—from third grade through college—a tangible, visual way to learn mathematics that increases their engagement, understanding, and achievement. Make math more meaningful and memorable using Sketchpad.”

For more information and to download The Geometer’s Sketchpad simply click []