iPads and Primary Mathematics: An exploration of Pedagogical Practices

Author(s):

Catherine Attard(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

20. Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environments

Format:

Paper (Copy for Joint Session)

Session Information

20 SES 13 JS, JS NW 20 and NW 24

Paper Session Joint Session NW 20 and NW 24

Time:

2015-09-11

11:00-12:30

Room:

316.Oktatóterem [C]

Chair:

Javier Diez-Palomar

Discussant:

Christian Quvang

Contribution

The increased popularity of mobile technologies has resulted in schools around the world investing significant funds in mobile devices such as tablet computers in the hope that learning and teaching practices will evolve to better suit the needs of contemporary learners, resulting in deeper engagement and improved learning outcomes. Although not originally intended for use within educational contexts, since its introduction in 2010 the iPad has fast become the ‘must have’ device in Australian and international classrooms. Although some claim the iPad has the potential to revolutionise teaching and learning (Banister, 2010; Ireland & Woollerton, 2010), others advise caution in relation to its educational value and warn it should not be viewed as a panacea, able to address all of the challenges of contemporary education (Gardner & Davis, 2013; Rowsell, Saudelli, Scott, & Bishop, 2013).

The rapid development of mobile devices and their vast range of affordances has resulted in a lack of direction for teachers who are expected to use the devices effectively in their classrooms. While many schools in Australia are buying into the hype of iPads and similar devices, they do not appear to be investing in professional development that addresses pedagogical approaches rather than technical aspects and this may be due to the newness of the devices and the time lag between research being conducted and disseminated into the profession. Although research concerning iPads in schools is beginning to emerge, there is little that documents their role in primary mathematics classrooms in relation to pedagogical approaches that incorporate their use and whether they serve to improve student learning outcomes and engagement. However, there has been recent research focussed on specific mathematical applications (Highfield & Goodwin, 2013; Larkin, 2013) and the affordances of using iPads (Melhuish & Fallon, 2010), but little published research exploring the issues relating to the implementation of the devices and ways in which to use them to enhance mathematics teaching and learning (Attard, 2013; Attard & Curry, 2012). This lack of direction provides a deep challenge for teachers who need to reconceptualise their practices to accommodate the new devices (Niess et al., 2009).

The goal of this paper is to explore how a small group of primary teachers used iPads in mathematics lessons within the first six months of implementation. I will argue that care should be taken when making the decision to purchase and use iPads or indeed any new technology to teach mathematics in primary classrooms and appropriate professional development that addresses the combination of mathematical content, pedagogy and technology is critical for all teachers. The ease of use associated with iPads may lead schools to assume their implementation is easy, but teachers’ levels of expertise and experience in terms of pedagogy and content knowledge must also be taken into consideration.

Findings from two studies conducted in Australian primary classrooms (Attard, 2013; Attard & Curry, 2012) will be used to support the argument above. Data is explored in relation to the TPACK framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). From this data, the importance of teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge (an assumption within the TPACK framework) prior to the use of iPads for teaching and learning will be explored. The practices of the teachers including the issues and challenges they experienced and examples of their teaching with iPads will be presented against a backdrop of the SAMR model (substitution, modification, augmentation and substitution) (Puentedura, 2006) and used in conjunction with TPACK to organise, present and analyse the observed uses of iPads.

Method

This paper draws on the findings of two separate but similar studies that used the same methodology. Study 1 Study 1 was an exploratory case study conducted at a government school of mid to low socio-economic status in Sydney, Australia. The participants in Study A were a mixed gender and ability Grade 3 class (the fourth year of primary school in New South Wales) and their teacher. Study 2 Study 2 was a multiple case study consisting of four class groups and their teachers, conducted in a Catholic school situated in the outer-western suburbs of Sydney, of mid to low socio-economic status. None of the teachers had previously incorporated iPads into their pedagogies prior to involvement in the study yet each had experience using computers and interactive whiteboards (IWBs). Each of the studies spanned six months and data were gathered from several sources. In each of the studies the teacher participants took part in a semi-structured interview at the start and at the conclusion of the six months. Interview prompts related to their beliefs about teaching and learning mathematics, student engagement, and their perceptions of the importance of integrating technology. Each teacher participant selected six students who formed a focus group (one group from each class) that met at the start of the study and on its completion. The teachers selected the children as a representative sample of their class group and each group comprised of mixed gender and mixed abilities. Discussions with the students centred on their perceptions of mathematics teaching and learning, including the use of technology. In Study 1 the researcher and a research assistant conducted one classroom observation during the final stages of the study. In Study 2, four lesson observations were conducted in each classroom across the span of the study. In Study 1, all interviews and focus groups were transcribed and participants’ responses were analysed and coded using open and selective procedures into categories to identify emerging themes that were used for interpreting the data. In Study 2, analysis of the data was conducted within each of the cases before a cross-case analysis was carried out to identify similarities and differences in pedagogical practices and related issues. For the purpose of this chapter, a further comparison between the Study 1 and Study 2 has been carried out in search of common themes and issues.

Expected Outcomes

Findings from two studies conducted in Australian primary classrooms were presented and explored in relation to the TPACK framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2009) and the SAMR model (Puentedura, 2006). The practices observed were observed to fit within the first three levels of the SAMR framework (substitution, augmentation and modification). Overall, the use of iPads resulted in positive experiences for students and teachers, but was not without challenges. The majority of observed uses of iPads included the incorporation of apps that required students to act as ‘consumers’ as opposed to ‘authors’. These particular uses saw little to no enhancement of mathematics lessons, where those lessons that used apps that required students to behave as authors resulted in tasks that began to transform the teaching and learning of mathematics. The teachers participating in the studies found it difficult to identify appropriate apps and felt it was challenging to design and plan creative tasks that included the iPads. An additional issue identified by the teachers was the lack of professional development offered to them. Several of the teachers were in the early years of their careers and this made iPad implementation more difficult because they were still developing their pedagogical content knowledge. This research has highlighted the importance of providing professional development opportunities that take a holistic approach to the use of technology in primary mathematics classroom. It is not enough to provide professional development based around the use of a specific device or based on operating the device itself. The fast pace of technological development has resulted in a need for professional development that provides teachers with the opportunity to think deeply about how and why they choose to use a specific tool and how they can use that tool to enhance teaching and learning of mathematics.

References

Attard, C. (2013). Introducing iPads into Primary Mathematics Pedagogies: An Exploration of Two Teachers' Experiences. In V. Steinle, L. Ball, & C. Bardini (Eds.), Mathematics education: Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Proceedings of the 36th Annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) (pp. 58-65), Melbourne: MERGA Attard C., & Curry, C. (2012) Exploring the use of iPads to engage young students with mathematics, In J. Dindyal, L. P. Cheng, & S. F. Ng (Eds.), Mathematics Education: Expanding Horizons. (Proceedings of the 35th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia), pp 75-82. Singapore: MERGA. Banister, S. (2010). Integrating the iPod Touch in K-12 education: Visions and vices. Computers in Schools, 27(2), 121-131. Gardner, H, & Davis, K. (2013). The app generation. New Haven: Yale University Press. Highfield, K., & Goodwin, K. (2013). Apps for Mathematics Learning: A Review of 'Educational' Apps from the iTunes App Store. In V. Steinle, L. Ball, & C. Bardini (Eds.), Mathematics education: Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Proceedings of the 36th Annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) (pp. 378-385), Melbourne: MERGA Ireland, G.V., & Woollerton, M. (2010). The impact of the iPad and iPhone on education. Journal of Bunkyo Gakuin University Department of Foreign Languages and Bunkyo Gakuin College(10), 31-48. Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technoogy and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70. Larkin, K. (2013). Mathematics Education: Is There an App For That? In V. Steinle, L. Ball, & C. Bardini (Eds.), Mathematics education: Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Proceedings of the 36th Annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia) (pp. 426-433), Melbourne: MERGA Melhuish, K., & Fallon, G. (2010). Looking to the future: M-learning with the iPad. Computers in New Zealand Schools: Learning, Leading, Technology, 22(3), 1-16. Niess, M. L., Ronau, R. N., Shafer, K. G., Driskell, S. O., Harper, S. R., Johnston, C., . . . Kersaint, G. (2009). Mathematics teacher TPACK standards and development model. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 4-24. Puentedura, R. (2006). SAMR. Retrieved July 16, 2013, from http://www.hippasus.com Rowsell, J, Saudelli, M. G, Scott, R. M, & Bishop, A. (2013). iPads as placed resources: Forging community in online and offline spaces. Language Arts, 90(5), 351-360.

Author Information

Catherine Attard (presenting / submitting)

University of Western Sydney, Australia

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