We present an investigative activity that was set as part of a course of pre-service teachers of mathematics. The emphasis in the course was set on the importance of using the computerized technological tool for teaching the subject. The activity focused on investigating interesting geometrical conservation properties which are not known to the…

The EnCoMPASS project (Emerging Communities for Mathematical Practices and Assessment) at the Math Forum and Drexel University has produced a web-based software tool for the assessment of student work. This paper discusses research on the impact of the tool on teachers' attitudes toward work with students in the software environment. The tool…

The MiGen project is designing and developing an intelligent exploratory environment to support 11-14-year-old students in their learning of algebraic generalization. Deployed within the classroom, the system also provides tools to assist teachers in monitoring students' activities and progress. This paper describes the design of these Teacher…

Space-filling curves are related to fractals, in that they have self-similar patterns. Such space-filling curves were originally developed as conceptual mathematical "monsters", counter-examples to Weierstrassian and Reimannian treatments of calculus and continuity. These were curves that were everywhere-connected but…

Mathematics teachers can use a broad range of technologies--calculators, computers, display systems, and others--as teaching and learning tools. Simply using technology is not enough; well-intentioned activities can fall flat or pose roadblocks to student understanding, and practical issues can interfere with student success and lasting concept…

We describe the use of browsing and searching (in libraries, online, inside sources, at meetings, in abstracts, etc.) as a way to stimulate the teacher of undergraduate mathematics, specifically in differential equations. The approach works in all other areas of mathematics. Browsing can help build new and refreshing teaching materials based on…

Despite the promise of technology in education, many practicing teachers face several challenges when trying to effectively integrate technology into their classroom instruction. Additionally, while national statistics cite a remarkable improvement in access to computer technology tools in schools, teacher surveys show consistent declines in the…

This article details the use of tablet PCs in a mathematics content course for future Mathematics Specialists. Instructors used tablet PCs instead of a traditional whiteboard to capture demonstration and discussion. Students were grouped for collaborative problem solving and exploration exercises. Each group was provided with a tablet PC for…

Recent applications of technology to mathematics education have been designed with cognitive and constructivist theoretical perspectives in mind, viewing mathematical learning as the acquisition of knowledge through the construction of meanings and connections between concepts. With the advent of increasingly flexible communication technologies,…

Padula, J. (2005) described how mathematics teachers can channel the passion of students interested in electronic music by teaching the mathematics that has been used to create it. She hypothesised that the study and enjoyment of music may help the study of mathematics since both mathematics and music are symbol systems and pattern (and its…

The ability of mathematics teachers to decompress mathematics and to move between representations are two key features of mathematical knowledge that is usable for teaching. This article reports on four pre-service secondary mathematics teachers learning the mathematics of annuities. In working with spreadsheets students began to make sense of…

Using dynamic graphs, future secondary mathematics teachers were able to represent and communicate their understanding of a brief mathematical investigation in a way that a symbolic proof of the problem could not. Four different student work samples are discussed. (Contains 6 figures.)

Solving true problems requires persistence. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) states that "problem solving means engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance. In order to find a solution, students must draw on their knowledge, and through this process they will often develop new mathematical…

Technology use in mathematics often involves either exploratory or expressive modeling. When using exploratory models, students use technology to investigate a premade expert model of some phenomena. When creating expressive models, students have greater flexibility for constructing their own model for investigation using objects and mechanisms…

This article describes key elements for faculty development programs to prepare mathematics teachers for technology-rich environments. We offer practical examples from our experiences in teaching mathematics with technology and in teaching others to incorporate technology-based pedagogies. We address challenges faced by faculty using technology,…