I read this article and want to focus on the reality today – that the Internet plays a special role in the world of teenagers. I am interested in thinking about how a teacher can guide digital kids interests on the Internet to enhance effective learning in the secondary school classroom.
The core of Maths teaching is working mathematically. It requires teachers to consider if their teaching content is related to everyday life in the real world. It also provides teachers opportunities to become risk-takers by incorporating technology into their teaching methodology to help these digital kids ‘attack’ some real world problems. The technology includes graphics calculator, spreadsheets and geometer sketchpad software, and even more sophisicated software like Mathematica and SPSS. Using technology is one of the requirements of NSW Mathematics Years 7–10 Syllabus.
In terms of our next practicum, we have no fixed ideas about strategies to incorporate technology into our lessons. It will very much depend on the resources available at the schools and what we may learn from the remainder of this subject. We are both open to new ideas but have to be convinced that the use of technology is more than just window dressing, that it serves a real purpose in engaging the students and producing better educational outcomes.
