Content of Vol. 27 No. 2 (2020)

Influence of Mathematical Modeling in GeoGebra Environment on Learning Derivative

By Tanja Sekulic, Djurdjica Takaci, Mirjana Strboja and Valentina Kostic

This study examined the influence of mathematical modeling in GeoGebra environment on students’ learning of the concept of the derivative and its application. The study included an experimental and a control group with 204 first-year undergraduate students of applied sciences. The students in the experimental group (102 students) conducted the modeling process in the GeoGebra environment, while the students in the control group (102 students) modeled the same problems without the use of computer technologies. A pretest-posttest-delayed test approach was applied. While the two groups had the same pretest results, the experimental group had significantly better results than the control group on both the posttest and the delayed test.

Technology for the 21st Century: Exploring the Use of WhatsApp Instant Messaging for Pre-Service Teachers’ Learning of Mathematics

By Jayaluxmi Naidoo & Kabelo Joseph Kopung

South African Universities are exploring pedagogic strategies that inspire and engage students with module content. One such strategy is the use of technology-based tools such as smartphones within Higher Education. The purpose of this study was to explore pre-service teachers’ use of WhatsApp instant messaging when learning mathematics. To generate data a mathematics questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with purposively selected participants were conducted. The questionnaires were analysed quantitatively and the interviews were analysed qualitatively using thematic coding. Four themes focusing on how pre-service teachers used WhatsApp Instant Messaging for learning mathematics emerged. The themes of WhatsApp Instant Messaging: encourages collaborative mathematics learning, encourages ubiquitous mathematics learning, encourages prompt mathematics learning and encourages anonymous mathematics learning emerged from this study. These themes are considered useful for discussing and creating a characteristic 21st century technology based Higher Education learning milieu.

New Directions for Technology Integration in K-12 Mathematics

By Micah Stohlmann and Alfred Acquah

Technology integration in K-12 mathematics has received increased attention in the last decade as new mathematical technologies have been developed and implemented more often. There is a need for further research on these technologies and for effective implementation practices of technology in mathematics education in general. In practice, technology integration is often not reaching its full potential. Technology integration is important because students must be technology savvy and their understanding of mathematics can be strengthened through proper technology integration. The purpose of this paper is to draw on the research from 2010 to present to answer the following question: How does technology change the way mathematics is taught? This question will be answered by drawing upon effective teaching practices that have been described by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Technology as a Support for Proof and Argumentation: A Systematic Literature Review

By Tye G. Campbell and Jeremy Zelkowski

Proof and argumentation are essential components of learning mathematics, and technology can mediate students’ abilities to learn. This systematic literature review synthesizes empirical literature which examines technology as a support for proof and argumentation across all content domains. The themes of this review are revealed through analyzing articles related to Geometry and mathematical content domains different from Geometry. Within the Geometry literature, five subthemes are discussed: (1) empirical and theoretical interplay in dynamic geometry environments (DGEs), (2) justifying constructions using DGEs, (3) comparing technological and non-technological environments, (4) student processing in a DGE, and (5) intelligent tutor systems. Within the articles related to content different from Geometry, two subthemes are discussed: technological supports for number systems/algebra and technological supports for calculus/real analysis. The technological supports for proof revealed in this review could aid future research and practice in developing new strategies to mediate students’ understandings of proof.