International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies

ISSN 2520-0968 (Online), ISSN 2409-1294 (Print), June 2023, Vol.10, No.3

The Integration of Technological Devices in Mathematics Education: A

Literature Review
Hamdi Serin1
1
Department of Business and Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, Tishk
International University, Erbil, Iraq
Correspondence: Hamdi Serin, Tishk International University, Erbil, Iraq
Email: [email protected]

Doi: 10.23918/ijsses.v10i3p54

Abstract: The emergence into the new era requires teachers to employ technological devices to meet the
requirements of their students in mathematics education. The incorporation of technology into mathematics
learning has the potential to promote teaching and learning of mathematics because these devices can increase
effectiveness by means of their features. The use of technology in mathematics education can foster thinking
skills, achievement, motivation, and self-efficacy of learners. Mathematics learning requires logical reasoning
and problem-solving abilities. Through using textbooks, it is not easy to develop these skills of students;
however, technological tools can create an authentic learning environment for students in which they
experience learning and promote deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. This article explores the
benefits of employing technology in mathematics education.

Keywords: Mathematics, Technology, Incorporation, Learning, Skills

1. Introduction

Mathematics is a fundamental subject that cultivates critical thinking skills, logical reasoning, and
problem-solving abilities, which are of paramount importance in various fields such as science,
engineering, and technology. Mathematics is the foundation of knowledge and an indispensable tool to
foster creativity that helps with finding innovative solutions to complicated problems. Moreover, it plays
a crucial role for learners to make informed decisions, analyze data and predict outcomes for success in
the modern world.

With the advent of technology, the way we teach and learn mathematics has greatly changed. Today a
great many schools use technological devices to facilitate learning. A great number of research found that
teaching mathematics with technology can enhance learning (Bray & Tangney, 2017; Hillmayr et al.,
2020; Olsher & Thurm, 2021). These studies have made it clear that the implementation of technological
devices in mathematics classroom can greatly contribute to creating an effective learning environment and
student learning.

Received: March 29, 2023

Accepted: May 20, 2023
Serin, H. (2023). The Integration of Technological Devices in Mathematics Education: A Literature Review.
International Journal of Social Sciences and educational Studies, 10(3), 54-59.

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ISSN 2520-0968 (Online), ISSN 2409-1294 (Print), June 2023, Vol.10, No.3

The use of technology has become a need for schools and teachers to meet the needs of students’ learning
(Abiog, 2022). In the meantime, teachers’ knowledge and beliefs are important factors in integrating
technology into mathematics education. Rubin (1999) suggested that the inclusion of technology into
mathematics teaching has ‘‘rich potential, significant obstacles, and important concerns’’ (p. 19).
Although technology offers several opportunities to enhance teaching and learning in mathematics, it has
also some challenges and difficulties. The availability of technological devices in classrooms, professional
development of teachers and administration are also important factors that may affect the integration of
technology into mathematics education. Based on these ideas, the appropriate use of technological devices
holds a very significant place for effectiveness. NCTM (2000) states that:

The effective use of technology in the mathematics classroom depends on the

teacher. Technology is not a panacea. As with any teaching tool, it can be used well
or poorly. Teachers should use technology to enhance their students’ learning
opportunities by selecting or creating mathematical tasks that take advantage of
what technology can do efficiently and well--graphing, visualizing, and computing
(pp. 25-26).

Nevertheless, the use of technological tools in education can make learning more meaningful and more
interesting. The implementation of technology into education has the potential to make teaching and
learning more effective and efficient. Technological devices have a significant impact on learning and
teaching as it makes the content more expressive, creates more time for teachers for group instruction and
increases collaboration. Technology offers numerous benefits that can enhance students' learning
experiences. For instance, technology can create an authentic learning environment in the mathematics
classroom. Also, it connects the concepts to the real world and helps learners with conceptualization and
better comprehension.

Technological devices provide interactive and engaging learning environment for learners in which they
can visualize abstract concepts, enjoy learning, and develop a deeper understanding of mathematical
concepts. Through technology, learners can progress at their own pace; thus, it fosters personalized
learning. It is true to say that learners become more autonomous while learning mathematics via
technology. In addition, teachers can create an authentic learning environment for learners in which
learning becomes facilitated. Also, technology can create a supportive learning environment in which
learners can analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Usun (2004) also makes it clear that technological
tools especially the penetration of computers into education is the most effective interactive platform and
thus can create new approaches that can facilitate understanding.

Technology promotes collaborative learning. The integration of technology in mathematics classroom can
facilitate communication and collaboration among learners. Learners while problem solving can share
ideas and develop their critical thinking skills. This encourages active participation and peer-to-peer
learning. A cooperative approach to problem solving enhances teamwork and communication. Learners
by means of collaboration work together and try to find creative solutions to achieve a common goal.
While doing this, their engagement is promoted as they are encouraged to exchange ideas and perspectives.
They support one another, benefit from the others’ strengths, and learn about different problem-solving
strategies.
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2. Literature Review

Mathematics is a complicated subject for some students to understand. That being the case, it is also hard
for teachers to explain it to students. National Research Council (NRC) (2001) states that the expectations
from mathematics teachers is to enhance “elaborated, integrated knowledge of mathematics, a knowledge
of how students’ mathematical understanding develops, and a repertoire of pedagogical practices that take
into account the mathematics being taught and how students learn it” (p. 381). Mathematics teachers are
expected to know the curriculum and effective instructional strategies to foster learning. Despite its
difficulties, teachers can use various strategies to make mathematics learning easy to understand for
students.

A broad spectrum of innovative tools and platforms have emerged recently to support mathematics
education and provide teachers with effective teaching resources. Effectiveness in mathematics teaching
is important to foster learning and “effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students
know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well” (National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics, 1991, p. 20). Strickland and Coffland (2004) defines effectiveness in
mathematics teaching as giving constant support for authentic applications of mathematics. National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2014) states that effective instruction in mathematics “engages
students in meaningful learning through individual and collaborative experiences that promote their ability
to make sense of mathematical ideas and reason mathematically” (p. 7). Apparently, effectiveness holds a
very significant place in mathematics education and the integration of technology into mathematics
classroom plays a critical role in increasing effectiveness.

Several technologies can be employed to enhance the teaching of mathematics. While interactive
whiteboards allow teachers to display and manipulate mathematical concepts in real-time, educational
software and mobile applications offer quizzes, mathematical games, and interactive lessons to learners
anywhere. Moreover, online learning platforms and video tutorials provide opportunities for learners to
access resources they need. These resources also give immediate feedback which learners can use for
further development. Additionally, online collaboration tools and discussion forums create learning
environments in which learners work together and engage in problem-solving activities. It should be noted
that learner engagement is a prior issue in learning because "goals are best served by the creation of
communities of learners in which students are actively engaged in the process of mathematical sense
making" (TERC, 1999, p. 3). The use of technological devices can encourage learners to engage in the
learning process (Momani, 2023). These devices can intrinsically motivate learners to involve in
mathematical thinking (Zbiek et al., 2007). Through technological devices learning becomes interesting;
hence, the level of motivation

The use of these technological devices in mathematics learning and teaching enables teachers to enhance
classroom instruction and present mathematical concepts dynamically. Graphing calculators and software
programs like GeoGebra can create a learning environment for earners in which they experiment with
mathematical concepts and develop a deeper understanding of them. Furthermore, these tools can enhance
problem solving skills of learners through enabling them to explore mathematical relationships. Teachers
use technological devices in four different areas while teaching mathematics Niess et al. (2009, p. 18-19):

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1) Designing and developing digital-age learning environments and experiences – Teachers

employ digital age devices to enhance mathematics learning
2) Teaching, learning and the Mathematics curriculum – Teachers incorporate appropriate
technological devices to promote learning
3) Assessment and evaluation – Teachers use technological devices for assessment and evaluation
purposes
4) Productivity and professional practice – Teachers implement technological devices to increase
effectiveness and productivity and their professional practice

In addition, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications can also encourage learners
towards engagement into mathematical environments. VR simulations can help learners visualize abstract
concepts by means of showing a realistic representation of the mathematical models. AR, on the other
hand, overlays virtual objects onto the real world. This feature of the application facilitates understanding
of mathematical concepts. The comprehension of mathematical concepts is not always easy for learners.
Very often, learners may need support to understand these concepts while solving problems. However, the
use of technological devices can not only enable learners to understand concepts better but also help them
solve the problems with ease.

Technology is used to facilitate instruction and learning in mathematics education. Teachers can
implement technological devices in mathematics education for:

1) Exchanging ideas while teaching mathematics

2) Accessing Internet sources for practice
3) Presenting mathematical concepts
4) Using graphical software
5) Saving more time in the classroom
6) Designing solutions to problems
7) Using databases, documents or follow-up charts
8) Manipulating figures, data or graphs for making them easy to understand

The integration of technological devices is also quite useful for teachers because these tools help teachers
organize their course materials, assignments, and assessments. With the help of these tools, teachers can
monitor the progress of their learners, provide them feedback, and identify areas learners need for
improvement. It is evident that the implementation of technological devices provides several benefits for
both teachers and learners. While teachers use them for providing effective instruction, learners use them
to understand mathematical concepts easily.

The benefits of implementing technological devices in mathematics teaching can be summarized as:

1) They can enhance reflective thinking

2) They can foster critical thinking

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ISSN 2520-0968 (Online), ISSN 2409-1294 (Print), June 2023, Vol.10, No.3

3) They can promote problem solving abilities

4) They can provide opportunities for collaboration and interaction
5) They can develop constructive learning
6) They can link the mathematical concepts to real-world situations
7) They can create a learner-centered learning setting
8) They can facilitate comprehension of mathematical concepts
9) They can help learners visualize abstract concepts
10) They can increase effectiveness in mathematics learning and teaching
11) They can develop logical reasoning
12) They can promote motivation
13) They can turn make learning fun and engaging
14) They can enhance teamwork and peer to peer learning
15) They can foster personalized learning
16) They can help learners experiment with mathematical objects

3. Conclusion

Today technology has revolutionized the way mathematics is being learnt and taught. Mathematics
teaching is no longer conducted using textbooks and boards. Instead, technological devices have been
extensively implemented in mathematics education to foster effectiveness. Virtual simulations,
collaborative environments have led mathematics education to an engaging, inclusive, enjoyable, and
personalized learning experience. The use of these devices is a powerful supplement to foster instruction
and learning. Mathematics develops critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. Although some
learners may encounter difficulties in understanding mathematical concepts, embracing technological
advancements impacts mathematics education and allows learners to become confident problem solvers
and critical thinkers.

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