Running head: USING TECHNOLOGY FOR MATH INSTRUCTION 1

Using Technology for Math Instruction

Richard Wilford

University of West Georgia

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Introduction

Technology has evolved so much over the last decade. In the world that we live in today,

technology use has become very popular amongst almost everyone. Kids as young as five, and

adults as old as 85 are walking around with devices in their hand whether it be a cell phone or a

tablet. When it comes to education, technology has really evolved and changed as there are

plenty of schools that are BYOD (bring your own device) approved, and several programs and

apps that are available for students to use. We are truly living in the “Digital Age” where almost

everyone has access to technology at their fingertips. Students are constantly using their smart

phones and tablets in the classrooms as teachers are trying to implement technology into lessons,

and students are even using their technology at home to help with their homework. In addition to

using technology at home, there are schools and programs that are 100% online where people

don’t have to sit in a traditional classroom or have face to face interaction with their educator.

To give a little background knowledge of myself, I am currently in my fourth year as an

educator. I did not go the “traditional route” to get my certification in teaching as my Bachelor’s

Degree is in Psychology. I always knew that I wanted to teach, but it wasn’t until my senior year

of undergrad when I completed my internship at a school when I really realized that I wanted to

make a career out of education. Since I was not an education major and did not take any of the

certification assessments to allow me to teach, I had to go the “non-traditional” or “alternative

route” to get into teaching. This meant that I had to go back to school and get my Master’s

Degree in Teaching, or take classes at an approved educator program and instead of getting a

degree and teaching certificate, I would just get my teaching certificate. I decided to enroll in a

Master’s program, and I completed my entire Master of Arts in Teaching – Special Education

online. I not only received my Master’s Degree, but my teaching certificate as well. I mention all
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of that because my entire program for my Master’s Degree was online, and now my entire

program for my Specialist Degree is online. I would not be able to enhance my learning if it was

not for technology being so advanced. With all of these changes that are taking place with

technology and education, I have been very interested in knowing if technology use is

effective/enhancing student learning.

Objective/Purpose

Within this research, I want to focus specifically on technology use in the math

classroom. Since I teach 6th grade math, that is where my focus will take place. The purpose of

this research is to see if technology use (more specifically iPads and tablets) in the 6th grade math

classroom is effective, and enhances student learning. Some may say that using iPads and math

apps is a hindrance when it comes to math as the students are not necessarily learning. Others

may say that using iPads and math apps is a distraction because there are too many things

involved. Some may say that the iPads are a really good resource when it comes to math as there

are plenty of math related apps that the students can use. With technology being so heavy and

prevalent, and living in this multimedia/technology driven digital age, I am interested in

researching the following two questions:

1.) Is the use of iPads/tablets in the 6th grade math classroom effective?

2.) Does technology use (iPads/tablets) in the 6th grade math classroom enhance student

learning?

My hypothesis is that the use of technology in the math classroom is effective, and

helps to enhance student learning. While I hope to seek the answers to these two questions, and

test my hypothesis, I also hope to be able to explain to other educators who may not teach math

the importance of using technology in the classroom in general to enhance learning. In addition, I
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would like to explain to non-educators how imperative and important technology use is to help

students learn. The type of study to be conducted will be survey and casual comparative. Casual

comparative will be good because I can compare similarities and difference between students

with and without IEPs, and students in special ed and gen ed classes who are using technology

in the classroom. Mixed method would be the best type of research in my opinion because I

want both students and teachers to give their input on whether they believe that technology is

helping with math education or not helping. I would get a better understanding of their

thinking and results with mixed method.

Literature Review

According to SEO.com, 93% of students are conducting research online versus going to

the library to conduct research. There was a point in time when you were required to go to the

library to conduct research, and now people can have access to several articles and publications

from their laptops. This makes it more convenient for those college students who attend classes

online. When it comes to students in grade school (K-12) they have access to so much

technology (more technology than before.) For example, students at my school have access to the

physical hard copy of our math textbook, but they also have access to the online (e-book.) This

comes in handy when students have left their textbook at school, and need to do their homework.

In order for our nation’s students to remain competitive in a global market, it is critical that

educational leaders heighten the awareness of the need to integrate technological instruction into

public school classrooms (Bybee & Starkweather, 2006).

In addition, students have access to instructional videos that can be used in the classroom.

Whenever I introduce a new unit or even a new concept within a current unit of study, I try to

incorporate some type of instructional video. I use Math Antics a lot, and my students seem to
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like it. These instructional videos are not only a good tool to use in the classroom to help

students understand the concepts, but students can go home and watch the videos, or watch them

on the bus. Another cool thing about using technology in the classroom is that it can come in

handy when planning instructional stations. For example, I have three computers in my

classroom that are hooked up to the internet, and they are used as a station for students to re-

watch an instructional video of whatever we are currently learning at that time. As the students

rotate through the stations, they all have access to use the computer if they need to re-watch an

instructional video.

According to Downes and Bishop, students are entering schools way more tech savvy

than before, so teachers and school leaders should lead the charge in the 21st century. There is

research that was conducted a few years ago that shows that there are technology based

applications that increase the learning of our students. On the iPads at my school, there are a

plethora of apps that students can use to help with their math. Every Friday, students in my first

period class has access to use the apps on the iPad to practice their math facts. They are able to

also track their progress to see how they have been performing. With the way that technology

continuously changes, and the way that the Digital Age is set up, it is very important for students

to use technology in the classroom, and it is effective in enhancing their learning. In addition,

there is also research that suggests that when technology apps are utilized in the classroom, it

helps students to master the curriculum. I believe this to be true because if a student has access to

their own personal technology at home, they can use it to help enhance their learning. As I

continue to research this topic, I am sure that I will find a plethora of information that will

support that using technology in the math classroom will help to enhance math

instruction/learning, which is ultimately being effective.

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Methods

The type of research that will be conducted is mixed methods. Mixed method would be

the research that I would use for this particular topic. I would use this method because I want

both students and teachers to give their input on whether or not they believe that technology is

helping with math education or not. I think that I would get a better understanding and results

that way. When it comes to the type of study to be conducted, I think that survey and casual

comparative would be best for this type of research. I feel that casual comparative will be

good because I can compare similarities and difference between students with and without

IEPs, students in special ed and gen ed, etc. who are using technology in the classroom.

Sample

A sample is any group on which information will be obtained. There will be

approximately 300 students in the 6 th grade who will take part of this research. The students

will be in their particular math classes, so it will be approximately 30 students in each class.

Since two math classrooms (Teacher A and Teacher B) will be participating, Teacher A will

go on one day, and Teacher B will go on the next day. The students’ ages range from 11 -13

years old, and it is approximately 75% White, 15% African American, 5% Hispanic, 2%

Asian, 2% Mixed/Other, and 1% Unknown. There will be approximately 48% boys, and 52%

girls in this study. Cluster random sample is the type of sampling that will be used. This type

of sampling will be used because it will be easier to get information from the students since

they will already be inside their classrooms.

Instrumentation

When it comes to surveying the students, I plan on explaining what the survey is
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about, and hand them out to the students. I will then have a few students who want to share

their results out loud. I think that using a survey/questionnaire will be beneficial for this type

of study because the students are able to answer honestly with how they feel about the

questions. I can also pick a few students to interview, and those students can be asked

additional questions that are not particularly on the survey. This will be an instrument that I

will be developing, and it is supposed to measure if the use of iPads/tablets with math apps

are beneficial to their learning of math in the 6 th grade classroom. There will be some students

who think that using the iPads are beneficial and help them learn, and there will be some who

do not think that it is necessary to use them in the math classroom unless they are playing

some type of math game.

Data Analysis

My hypothesis is that the use of iPads and tablets in the math classroom is effective,

and helps to enhance student learning. Even though the variable could change from class to

class and teacher to teacher as the answers provided could be different, the constant will

remain the same since the students in the research are 6 th graders being asked questions in

their math class. The independent variable in this research would be the iPads and tablets,

while the dependent variable would be if the students find them effective or helping them to

learn their math better.

I plan to look at the results that I get from the surveys (content analysis), but I do

expect to find some difference within the results. Some students will find that using the iPads

is very beneficial and effective to their learning, while others will not. I plan on combining all

of the “beneficial/effectives” together, and the non-beneficial/non-effectives” together to get

accurate numbers/percentages to share.

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Scholarly Significance/Limitations

I will take the information that I gather from the classes and look over them to see if

my hypothesis is valid or not. In addition, I will also take the information and share it with the

other 6th grade math teachers and administration to see if we can make some changes for next

school year. Construct related evidence is what will be measured with this study. When it

comes to limitations, schedules are currently different than normal due to Milestone testing.

With that being the case, I cannot get technology for the students to use until after testing, and

I cannot survey students until after testing.

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References

Bybee, R., & Starkweather, K. (2006). The twenty-first century workforce: A

contemporary challenge for technology education. Technology Teacher, 65(8),

27-32.

Downes, J., & Bishop, P. (2012). Educators engage digital natives and learn from their

experiences with technology. Middle School Journal, 43(5), 6-15.

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Section Not Evident Emerging Proficient Exemplary

I. Introduction (1 page) – 3 points
This section should include: 0 1 2 3
 Background Information Information is Information is Information is
not provided. provided but relevant and relevant,
is unclear, adequate for sufficient, and
insufficient, the proposed clearly
or irrelevant. study. supports the
proposed
study.
 Statement of the research Information The research The research The research
problem and rationale for not provided. problem is problem is problem is
the study stated, but is clearly stated clearly stated,
unclear, too and is relevant, and
broad/narrow researchable. researchable.
or irrelevant. Strong Rationale is
The rationale rationale extremely
for the study provided. The clear,
is unclear or rationale compelling,
weak. statement and clearly
generally supports the
justifies the research
research questions.
questions. There is a
clear link
between the
rationale and
the research
questions.
Objectives (1 page) – 3 points
 Purpose 0 1 2 3
The goals are Purpose is not Purpose is Exceptionally
not stated. clearly clearly clear in
described. described. purpose.
Goals are Goals are Goals are
stated but are realistic, realistic,
unclear, adequately clearly stated,
irrelevant, or stated and and clearly
too generally aligned with
broad/narrow aligned with the research
. the research problem.
problem.
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 Research Questions and Information Questions/ Generally, Research

Hypotheses/ Propositions not provided hypotheses/ questions questions are
or no basis for propositions have proper clear, concise,
judgment. are missing, scope, are feasible, of
weak, or realistic, proper scope,
unclear. feasible, and and answer
Questions not adequately the purpose.
of sufficient phrased.
scope or are Each research
not feasible. question is
correctly
phrased, and
addresses
only one
aspect of the
research
problem.

All key
 Definitions of key Definitions for concepts/ter
concepts used in the Key key Definitions for ms are clearly
research questions concepts/term concepts/ter key defined/
s are not ms are concepts/ter explained.
defined. provided but ms are
are inaccurate provided and
or unclear. generally
adequate.
Literature Review (2 pages) – 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
 Critical review of literature Information is Findings from Some Evidence of
 Relevance not provided, leading evidence of sound
 Conceptual/Theoretical irrelevant, researchers satisfactory knowledge
framework incomplete, are included knowledge and critical
 Alignment and or with minimal with limited review of the
inaccurate. critical critical review literature
commentary. of the relevant to
relevant the study.
Cited literature, but
literature may with gaps and Developed a
not be or omissions. clear,
relevant to appropriate,
the study. Conceptual/ and justified
theoretical conceptual/
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framework is theoretical
included; framework
however it is for the
not fully research.
developed or
justified.
Methods (1.5 pages) – 16 points
Type of study and research design 0 1 2 3
No selection or Research Research Research
justification of approach and approach and approach and
research design are design design are
approach and unclear, minimally realistic,
design. inappropriate, address the feasible,
or research clearly
underdevelop questions and described,
ed. goals. and aligned
with the
research
questions and
goals.
Sampling 0 1 2 3-4
Little or no Limited Reasonable Sampling
evidence of a evidence of evidence of a procedure is
sampling an feasible optimally
procedure. appropriate sampling chosen, fully
sampling procedure. justified, and
procedure. feasible.
Instrumentation 0 1 2 3-4
No Information is Instrumentati Instrumentati
information limited or on is on is
provided. instrumentati described and optimally
on is can provide chosen,
inadequate. the clearly
information described,
needed to and feasible.
respond to
the research
question(s).
Data Analysis 0 1 2-3 4-5
Little or no Limited Reasonable Clear
evidence of a evidence of evidence of a evidence of
data analysis an realistic data applying
plan. appropriate analysis plan. appropriate
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data analysis data analysis

plan. A general procedures,
description of which
The the data adequately
description of analysis address
data analysis procedures is research
procedures is provided. questions and
incomplete or goals.
contains Criteria for Procedures
inaccuracies. the are
interpretation adequately
Criteria for of results are described.
the incomplete.
interpretation The type of
of results are results
incorrect or provided by
are not these
provided. methods is
indicated and
criteria for
interpretation
are fully and
accurately
explained.
Scholarly Significance and Limitations (1/2 pages) – 3 points
Criteria: 0 1 2 3
 Practical and theoretical No Minimal Recognition Recognition
implications information recognition of of some and adequate
 Limitations provided. the contributions explanation of
contributions and/or the practical
and limitations of and
limitations of the study. theoretical
the study. contributions
and
limitations of
the study.
Presentation and Writing - 2 points
Criteria: 0 1 2
 Clarity Generally poor Reasonably Clear and
 Writing mechanics use of English clear and correct use of
 APA characterized correct use of English
by numerous English characterized
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errors, unclear, characterized by a clear

incorrect by generally style of
and/or illogical clear expression,
statements. expression, with few
with relatively imprecise
few imprecise and/or
and/or incorrect
incorrect statements.
statements.
Total: /30