Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Georgia Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (Jan 2015)
Using TI-Nspire to Engage Preservice Mathematics Teachers in an Exploratory Geometry Module
Abstract
In the mathematics classroom, most preservice mathematics teachers possess basic skills to use technology as an instructional strategy in communicating content standards. However, today’s demands for preservice teachers to engage in a variety of “best teaching practices” in their preservice teaching and edTPA requirements can oftentimes place the acquisition of technical skills and integration of new technology in content curriculum far from the forefront of their minds. Ertmer, Conklin, Lewandowski, Osika, Selo, and Wignall (2003) acknowledged preservice teachers’ desires to gain the adequate technical skills necessary to use technology in teachers’ daily tasks of facilitating and managing their classrooms. They suggested that “in order to translate these skills into practice, teachers need specific ideas about how to use these skills to achieve meaningful learning outcomes under normal classroom conditions” (p. 96). Preservice teachers need guidance and information about “how, as well as why, to use technology in meaningful ways” so they can “develop their own visions for, or ideas about, meaningful technology use” (p. 96). Thus, the instructional aid of technology integration in the mathematics classroom must look to address specific uses of technology to help preservice mathematics teachers build awareness and confidence to implement innovative teaching approaches to enhance student learning.
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