Social science pre-service teachers' mathematical activity in a technology-intensive mathematics classroom

Abstract

This thesis describes an investigation into how a group of pre-service teachers with junior secondary school mathematics qualifications did mathematics in a technologyintensive mathematics classroom. The students were allowed to do a series of lowlevel mathematical activities with the help of the TI-92 Plus, a sophisticated handheld calculator incorporating a Computer Algebra System, DERIVE. The students were required to interpret the results of their calculations by looking a t their p encil-andpaper computations and then compare these with those of the calculator-generated calculations. The purpose of the exercise was to observe their engagement with the mathematics embedded in the calculator and in the activities and how they understood the concepts involved in the calculations. Secondly, the aim was to observe the interactions generated in this environment among the students themselves, the students, the lecturer and student assistants. Also, between the students and the technology. The participants in the study were a group of fourteen students whose highest school mathematics qualification was grade 10. These were students who had graduated in non-mathematical disciplines at the University of the Western Cape. These students were being trained to be teachers in the social sciences and languages. The students were introduced to a course in junior secondary school mathematics structured in such a way that they had to use a sophisticated mathematics technology that would allow them to experiment and explore mathematics. Data gathering was done through lesson observation and video recording of all the lessons. The results of the investigation reveal that students did engage with the mathematics by mathematical conjecturing and through the resolution of mathematical misconceptions. The students were able to gain mastery of the technology, which was employed in the exploration 0 f mathematical concepts. Mastery 0 f t he technology was made possible through technical questions that they asked. Technical mastery was also made possible through support given to students by knowledgeable peers and student assistants and also through their own manipulations of the technology. Nevertheless students h ad a bias towards employing their 0 wn manual calculations especially those they felt confident in executing at the expense of the technology. The technology was used more in calculations that students were less confident in executing. The calculator was used to check whether it would yield the same results as the students' hand calculations and when they were instructed to use it to verify the results of their calculations. Whilst students generally succeeded in mastering the technology and understanding the mathematics, they tended to ignore word descriptions, preferring to concentrate on calculations as well as discussing the mathematics at a superficial level.