Abstract
The potential for digital technologies to enhance students’ mathematics learning is widely recognised, and use of computers and graphics calculators is now encouraged or required by secondary school mathematics curriculum documents throughout Australia. However, previous research indicates that effective integration of technology into classroom practice remains patchy, with factors such as teacher knowledge, confidence, experience and beliefs, access to resources, and participation in professional development influencing uptake and implementation. This paper reports on a large-scale survey of technology-related professional development experiences and needs of Queensland secondary mathematics teachers. Teachers who had participated in professional development were found to be more confident in using technology and more convinced of its benefits in supporting students’ learning of mathematics. Experienced, specialist mathematics teachers in large metropolitan schools were more likely than others to have attended technology-related professional development, with lack of time and limited access to resources acting as hindrances to many. Teachers expressed a clear preference for professional development that helps them meaningfully integrate technology into lessons to improve student learning of specific mathematical topics. These findings have implications for the design and delivery of professional development that improves teachers’ knowledge, understanding, and skills in a diverse range of contexts.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, J., Bobis, J., & Way, J. (2008) Teachers as learners: Building knowledge in and through the practice of teaching mathematics. In H. Forgasz, A. Barkatsas, A. Bishop, B. Clarke, S. Keast, W. T. Seah, & P. Sullivan (Eds.),Research in mathematics education in Australasia 2004 – 2007 (pp. 313–335). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. (1996).Statement on the use of calculators and computers for mathematics in Australian schools. Retrieved 14 September, 2007 from http://www.aamt.edu.au/documentation/statements
Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers. (2006).AAMT standards for excellence in teaching mathematics in Australian schools. Retrieved 3 April, 2009 from http://www.aamt.edu.au/Standards/Standards-document/AAMT-Standards-2006-edition
Australian Education Council. (1990).A national statement on mathematics for Australian schools. Melbourne: Curriculum Council.
Barkatsas, A., & Malone, J. (2005). A typology of mathematics teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics and instructional practice.Mathematics Education Research Journal, 17(2), 69–90.
Beswick, K. (2005). The beliefs/practice connection in broadly defined contexts.Mathematics Education Research Journal, 17(2), 39–68.
Chamblee, G., Slough, S., & Wusch, G. (2008). Measuring high school mathematics teachers’ concerns about graphing calculators and change: A year long study.Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 27(2), 183–194.
Cooney, T. (2001). Considering the paradoxes, perils, and purposes of conceptualizing teacher development. In F.-L. Lin & T. Cooney (Eds.),Making sense of mathematics teacher education (pp. 9–31). Dordrecht, the Netherlands Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Cuban, L., Kirkpatrick, H., & Peck, C. (2001). High access and low use of technologies in high school classrooms: Explaining the apparent paradox.American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 813–834.
Department of Education and Children’s Services. (2005).South Australian curriculum, standards and accountability framework: The required elements. Adelaide: Author.
Fine, A. E., & Fleener, M. J. (1994). Calculators as instructional tools: Perceptions of three preservice teachers.Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 13(1), 83–100.
Forgasz, H. (2002). Teachers and computers for secondary mathematics.Education and Information Technology, 7(2), 111–125.
Forgasz, H., & Prince, N. (2001). Computers for secondary mathematics: Who uses them and how?Proceedings of the 2001 annual conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Fremantle, WA. Retrieved 17 April, 2009 from http://www.aare.edu.au/01pap/for01109.htm.
Goos, M. (2008). Sociocultural perspectives on learning to teach mathematics. In B. Jaworski & T. Wood (Eds.),International handbook of mathematics teacher education (Vol. 4, pp. 75–91). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
Goos, M. (2009). Reforming mathematics teacher education: Theorising teachers’ and students’ use of technology. In C. Ng & P. Renshaw (Eds.),Reforming learning: Concepts, issues and practice in the Asia-Pacific region (pp. 43–65). New York: Springer.
Goos, M., & Bennison, A. (2008). Surveying the technology landscape: Teachers’ use of technology in secondary mathematics classrooms.Mathematics Education Research Journal, 20(3), 102–130.
Guskey, T. (1986). Staff development and the process of change.Educational Researcher, 15(5), 5–12.
Guskey, T. (2002). Professional development and teacher change.Teachers & teaching: Theory and Practice, 8(3/4), 381–391.
Hoyles, C., Lagrange, J., Son, L. H., & Sinclair, N. (2006, December).Digital technologies and mathematics teaching and learning: Rethinking the terrain. Proceedings of the 17th ICMI Study Conference. [CD-ROM]. Hanoi.
Kaplowitz, M. D., Hadlock, T. D., & Levine, R. (2004). A comparison of web and mail survey response rates.Public Opinion Quarterly, 68(1), 94–101.
Manoucherhri, A. (1999). Computers and school mathematics reform: Implications for mathematics teacher education.Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 18(1), 31–48.
Pannizon, D., & Pegg, J. (2007). Enhancing student achievement in mathematics: Identifying the needs of rural and regional teachers in Australia. In J. Watson á K. Beswick (Eds.),Mathematics: Essential research, essential practice. Proceedings of the 30th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. (pp. 585–590). Adelaide: MERGA.
Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies. (2000a).Mathematics B Senior Syllabus 2001. Brisbane: Author.
Queensland Board of Senior Secondary School Studies. (2000b).Mathematics C Senior Syllabus 2001. Brisbane: Author.
Queensland College of Teachers. (2006).Professional standards for Queensland teachers. Retrieved 3 April, 2009 from http://www.qct.edu.au/standards/index.html
Queensland Studies Authority. (2009a).Mathematics essential learnings — Year 9. Retrieved 2 April, 2009 from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/learning/7296.html
Queensland Studies Authority. (2009b).Year 10 guidelines: Mathematics learning area. Brisbane: Author. Retrieved 3 April, 2009 from http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/downloads/learning/yr10_guide_learning_areas_maths.pdf
Raymond, A. (1997). Inconsistency between a beginning elementary school teacher’s mathematical beliefs and teaching practice.Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 28(5), 550–576.
Rogers, P. (2007). Teacher professional learning in mathematics: An example of a change process. In J. Watson & K. Beswick (Eds.),Mathematics: Essential research, essential practice. Proceedings of the 30th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. (pp. 631–640). Adelaide: MERGA.
Routitsky, A., & Tobin, P. (1998). A survey of graphics calculator use in Victorian secondary schools. In C. Kanes, M. Goos, & E. Warren (Eds.),Teaching mathematics in new times.Proceedings of the 21st annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. (pp. 484–491). Sydney: MERGA.
Ruthven, K. & Hennessy, S. (2002). A practitioner model of the use of computer-based tools and resources to support mathematics teaching and learning.Educational Studies in Mathematics, 49(1), 47–88.
Simonsen, L. M., & Dick, T. P. (1997). Teachers’ perceptions of the impact of graphing calculators in the mathematics classroom.Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 16(2/3), 239–268.
Thomas, M. O. J. (1996). Computers in the mathematics classroom: A survey. In P. Clarkson (Ed.),Technology in mathematics education. Proceedings of the 19 th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. (pp. 556–563). Melbourne: MERGA.
Thomas, M. O. J. (2006). Teachers using computers in mathematics: A longitudinal study. In J. Novotna, H. Moraova, M. Kratka, & N. Stehlikova (Eds.),Proceedings of the 30th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 5, pp. 265–272). Prague: PME.
Thomas, M. O. J., & Chinnappan, M. (2008). Teaching and learning with technology: Realising the potential. In H. Forgasz, A. Barkatsas, A. Bishop, B. Clarke, S. Keast, W-T. Seah, P. Sullivan, & S. Willis (Eds.),Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2004–2007 (pp. 167–194). Sydney: Sense Publishers.
Thomas, M. O. J., & Hong, Y. Y., (2006). Teacher factors in integration of graphics calculators into mathematics learning. In H. L. Chick & J. L. Vincent (Eds.),Proceedings of the 29th annual conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 4, pp. 257–264). Melbourne: University of Melbourne.
Tobin, P., Routitsky, A., & Jones, P. (1999). Graphics calculators in Victorian secondary schools: Teacher perceptions of use. In J. Truran & K. Truran (Eds.),Making the difference. Proceedings of the 22nd annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia. (pp. 502–506). Sydney: MERGA.
Valsiner, J. (1997).Culture and the development of children’s action: A theory of human development (2nd ed.) New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2005).Victorian Certificate of Education mathematics study design. Melbourne: Author.
Vygotsky, L. (1978).Mind in society. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.
Walen, S., Williams, S., & Garner, B. (2003). Pre-service teachers learning mathematics using calculators: A failure to connect current and future practice.Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(4), 445–462.
Wallace, R. (2004). A framework for understanding teaching with the Internet.American Educational Research Journal, 41, 447–488.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bennison, A., Goos, M. Learning to teach mathematics with technology: A survey of professional development needs, experiences and impacts. Math Ed Res J 22, 31–56 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217558
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217558