Integrating Technologies Into Teaching and Learning Mathematics at the Beginning of Secondary Education in Austria
Robert Weinhandl 1 * , Tony Houghton 1 , Edith Lindenbauer 2, Martin Mayerhofer 3 , Zsolt Lavicza 1 , Markus Hohenwarter 1
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1 Linz School of Education, STEM Education, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Austria, Altenberger Straße 69, A-4040 Linz, AUSTRIA2 University College of Education Upper Austria, Department of Mathematics Education, Kaplanhofstraße 40, A-4020 Linz, AUSTRIA3 Universität Wien, Fakultät für Mathematik, Austria, Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1, 1090 Wien, AUSTRIA* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Modern technologies have become an integral part in our society and are increasingly shaping the teaching of mathematics at every level of education. In Austria, the academic school year 2021/22 will undergo an extensive digitalisation; all students who start secondary school will be equipped with a digital device. Our paper reports on anticipated concerns and benefits of mathematics teachers who are required to integrate technologies into teaching mathematics at the first year of secondary education. We conducted an exploratory interview study with secondary mathematics teachers before schools received their digital devices. The data was analysed with techniques based on grounded theory approaches. We discovered that for teachers the anticipated concerns and benefits were: (A) discrimination of students by technologies, (B) by using technologies, students may lose basic mathematical knowledge and skills, (C) individual and playful acquisition of new technological competencies by teachers, and (D) using technologies to enhance differentiation and individualisation in mathematics teaching. One of the key findings of our study is that mathematics teachers in Austria feel capable enough to integrate technologies into the teaching and learning of mathematics at the beginning of secondary education and do not express the need for further technical training. This finding contradicts previous studies and provides a starting point for future investigations.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2021, Volume 17, Issue 12, Article No: em2057

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/11428

Publication date: 17 Dec 2021

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Article Downloads: 2491

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