Enhancing In-Service Primary Teachers' Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge on Mobile Mathematics Learning

Introduction

Since the introduction of the iPad in 2010, there has been a rapid adoption of tablet devices in educational institutions worldwide. The hegemony and dominance of fixed personal computers is diminishing quickly, making way for a variety of flexible, ubiquitous alternatives that have enormous implications for learning, within both formal and informal settings (Burden et al., 2012). We are in the midst of the timeframe where tablets and smartphones are becoming standard learning tools, and adopting mobile devices in the classroom and beyond is becoming essential. Mobile mathematics learning – which studies the ways in which the mobility of learners, augmented by suitable handheld devices, can contribute to the process of gaining new scientific knowledge, skills and experiences – has become a cutting-edge research area that has lately attracted considerable attention from the mathematics education community.

Despite the increased interest in mobile devices as learning tools, the amount of available primary research studies on their integration into mathematics teaching and learning is still relatively small due to the novelty of these technologies. More research is needed to determine the best ways of utilizing tablet technologies in the mathematics classroom. However, the conducted studies do overwhelmingly point towards numerous positive attributes that have the potential to enhance both formal and informal learning of mathematics (Burden et al., 2012; Henderson & Yeow, 2012; Kyriakides, Meletiou-Mavrotheris & Prodromou, 2016). The existing literature highlights exciting opportunities offered by mobile devices for a transformative shift in mathematics education (e.g. Boogart, Carlson-Bancrof & Milman, 2014; Clark & Luckin, 2013; Henderson & Yeow, 2012).

The current article contributes to the emerging literature on mobile mathematics learning. It reports on the main experiences gained from a study which aimed at providing a group of in-service primary school teachers with the knowledge, skills, and confidence required to incorporate tablet technologies within the mathematics curriculum. Building on the notion of the TPACK as a conceptual framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), a professional development programme was designed and implemented in Cyprus. Six (6) teachers (4 males, 2 females) teaching mathematics in different grades of primary school during the 2016-2017 school year participated in the programme. The programme’s impact on the study participants was examined from three perspectives:

• 1.

  Influence on teachers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding tablet technologies and mobile-based mathematics teaching and learning

• 2.

  Impact on the development of teachers’ TPACK regarding the instructional integration of tablets

• 3.

  Level of transfer and adoption of TPACK competencies acquired through the study intervention to actual teaching practice

Background

Mobile devices have significantly increased the range and sophistication of possible classroom activities, providing the opportunity to create entirely new, inquiry-based learning environments in mathematics. The existing literature strongly indicates their significant potential as ubiquitous tools which, when constructively used, can radically transform and enrich mathematics education by creating hands-on and engaging mathematics learning environments (Clark & Luckin, 2013; Henderson & Yeow, 2012; Melhuish & Falloon, 2010). The literature suggests that the affordances offered by tablets and other mobile devices can be used as the machinery for students to engage in authentic problem-solving activities that can help raise their intrinsic interest in mathematics, and promote the attainment of important competencies essential in modern society.