Digital technologies for learning mathematics

My article on Why Smartphones are a Really Useful Tool in the Maths Classroom has been published in Teachwire https://www.teachwire.net/news/why-smartphones-are-a-really-useful-tool-in-the-maths-classroom

I recently submitted a short clip for Craig Barton’s podcast on the theme of Slice of Advice: What have I learned this year?  In this I suggested two things that had had an impact on me this year: the use of graphing apps on smartphones and diagrams representing functions as mappings between number lines. Graphing apps on smartphones I’ve been using GeoGebra for over ten years now and it has had a huge impact on how I think about mathematics and teaching mathematics. I’ve also been massively impressed with Desmos though I don’t know it inside-out in the way I do with GeoGebra. My use of these graphing tools, and Autograph before it, was always based on using them on a computer and this means I have a preference for the computer software over the phone apps: I find them much more usable on a large screen with a proper keyboard and mouse.  This works fine for me but, as I’ve commented on here before, I think the greatest impact of technology in the mathematics classroom is ...

I've noticed a couple of tweets recently about the importance of being playful when doing mathematics and this has brought to mind an insight I had about simultaneous linear equations that occurred when I was being playful with them in technology. As a result of this I now have a different method for solving that I  prefer to the standard textbook approaches. Playing with simultaneous equations In trying to construct a pair of linear simultaneous equations where the solution went through a given point. I can't remember the point but I'll use (3,2) for the example. I did this by creating a point A at (3,2) then two more points B and C and finding the lines that went through these and A. This gave me the simultaneous equations: 3 x + y = 11 x + 5 y = 13 I then moved the points B and C around to find some different equations that would have the same point of intersection. This is probably best displayed here by showing all the different lines I got in a...

EEF (Education Endowment Fund) have published a report today on "Improving Mathematics in Key Stages Two and Three". The report is a meta-analysis of research into teaching and learning strategies and can be access in full at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/evidence-reviews/improving-mathematics-in-key-stages-two-and-three/ The report has been widely publicised, mainly for what it has to say about calculator use. Although Key Stages Two and Three are outside my area of expertise I think there are useful reflections that can be made with reference to the use of technology, including calculators as well as other tools, in GCSE and A level Maths. Calculator use has a positive effect on students’ calculation skills  The conclusion in calculator use states: "When calculators are used as an integral part of testing and teaching, their use appears to have a positive effect on students’ calculation skills. ... When integrated into the teachi...

In March of 2017 I was involved in creating a set of videos looking at aspects of using technology in A level Maths teaching. The full list of videos can be found at: http://furthermaths.org.uk/pd-videos-technology The first of these videos is on using graphing software for multiple representations. The video features an example of me using graphing software to highlight the link between graphical, algebraic and numerical representations so students can understand the ideas behind differentiation. Questions for reflection The video suggests three questions for reflection: What topics would you use graphing software for? What are the advantages of using prepared files? What questioning strategies are effective when using graphing software? Here are my responses to these questions: What topics would you use graphing software for? When teaching A level Maths, especially Pure, I can't think of a single topic where using software to display multiple representations w...