Promoting Mathematical Understanding Using ICT in Teaching and Learning

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in mathematical education is a very active field of research and innovation, where learning is understood to be meaningful and grasping multiple linked representation rather than rote memorization, a great amount of literature offering a wide range of theories, learning approaches, methodologies and interpretations, are generally stressing the potentialities for teaching and learning using ICT. Despite the utilization of new learning approaches with ICT, students experience difficulties in learning concepts relevant to understanding mathematics, much remains unclear about the relationship between the computer environment, the activities it might support, and the knowledge that might emerge from such activities. Many questions that might arise in this regard: to what extent does the use of ICT help students in the process of understanding and solving tasks or problems? Is it possible to identify what aspects or features of students' mathematical learning can be enhanced by the use of technology? This paper will highlight the interest of the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into the teaching and learning of mathematics (quadratic functions), it aims to investigate the effect of four instructional methods on students- mathematical understanding and problem solving. Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to report about 43 students in middle school. Results showed that mathematical thinking and problem solving evolves as students engage with ICT activities and learn cooperatively.

• Kamel Hashem
• Ibrahim Arman

• Dynamic Geometry Software
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Visualization
• Mathematical Education.

[1] Zhang, P., and Aikman, S., "Attitudes in ICT Acceptance and use," in J.
Jacko (Ed.), Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 1021-1030). Syracuse,
NY: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2007.
[2] Bingimlas, A. K., "Barriers to the Successful Integration of ICT in
Teaching and Learning Environments: A Review of the Literature,"
Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education ,
vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 235-245, 2009.
[3] Schliemann, A. D., and Carraher, D. W., "The Evolution of
Mathematical Reasoning: Everyday vesus Idealized Understandings,"
Developmental Review , vol. 22, pp. 242-266, 2002.
[4] Dreyfus, T., "On the status of Visual reasoning in mathematics and
mathematics education," In F. Furinghetti (Ed.), Proceedings of the 15th
international conference for the psychology of mathematics education.
Vol. 1, pp. 33-48. Genoa: University of Genoa, 1991.
[5] Abrahamson, D., and Wilensky, U., "Learning axes and bridging tools in
a technology-based design for statistics," Int J Computer Math Learning
, vol. 12, pp. 23-55, 2007.
[6] Hashem, K., and Mioduser, D. , "Learning by Modeling (LbM): The
contribution of computer modeling to students- evolving understanding
complexity," The 2nd International Conference on Education Technology
and Computer - ICETC 2010, 2010.
[7] Hashem, K., and Mioduser, D., "Promoting complex systems learning
through the use of computer modeling.," The International Conference
on e-Education and e-Learning (ICEEEL), vol. 59, 2011.
[8] Hashem, K., and Mioduser, D., "The Contribution of Learning by
Modeling (LbM) to Students' Understanding of Complexity Concepts,"
International Journal of e-Education, e-Business, e-Management and e-
Learning (IJEEEE), vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 151-155, 2011.
[9] Abdul Rahman, S., Ghazali, M., and Ismail, Z., "Integrating ICT in
mathematics teaching methods course: How has ICT changed student
teachers' perception aboout problem solving," the Mathematics
Education into the 21st, proceedings of the International Conference:
The decidable and the undecidable in mathematics education, Brno,
Czech Republic, 2003.
[10] Nutchey, D., "Visualizing Mathematical Knowledge and
Understanding," International Journal of Information and Education
Technology, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 281-284, 2012.
[11] Wilensky, U. J., Connected Mathematics - Building Concrete
Relationships with Mathematical Knowledge. Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 1993.
[12] Dikovic, L. , “Applications GeoGebra into Teaching Some Topics of
Mathematics at the College Level,” ComSIS , vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 191-203,
2009.
[13] Kramarski, B., and Mevarech, Z. R., “Enhancing Mathematical
Reasoning in the Classroon: The Effects of Cooperative Learning and
Metacognitive Training,” American Educational Research Journal, vol.
40, no. 1, pp. 281-310, 2003.
[14] Schoenfeld, A. H., “Learning to think mathematically: Problem solving,
metacognition, and sence-making in mathematics,” in D. Grouws (Ed.),
Handbook for Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning (pp.
334-370). New York: MacMillan, 1992.
[15] Gobert, J., “Harnessing technology to support on-line model building
and peer collaboration”, 2003.
[16] Choi, K.-S., “Motivating students in learning mathematics with
GeoGebra,” Annals. Computer Science Series , vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 65-76,
2010.