the use of technology in flemish mathematics education – sandy van wonterghem 21/07/2006 faculty...

The use of Technology in Flemish Mathematics Education – Sandy Van Wonterghem 21/07/2006Faculty of Engineering – Department of Mathematical Analysis

The use of Technology in Flemish Mathematics Education:

Secondary versus Higher Education

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING


• Introduction

• Poll 2001: secondary education

• Poll 2005: secondary education

• Poll 2005: higher education

Overview



Research:‣The use of ICT in mathematics education‣What is the influence of CAS on the learning

process of last year pupils?‣History:

Introduction



Structure Flemish secondary education:

ASO → general secondary education

BSO → professional secondary education

KSO → art secondary education

TSO → technical secondary education

Introduction



Research:‣The use of ICT in mathematics education‣What is the influence of CAS on the learning

process of last year pupils?‣History:

‧Student population has changed => large diversity‧They see no links between the different math courses‧Mathematical creativity and problem solving skills were

decreasing

Introduction



Can we give our pupils a better preparation with the use of CAS?

=> Teaching experiment!

Preliminary phase 2001: poll for all mathe-matics teachers of Flemish secondary schools

Introduction



• Questionnaire with open and closed questions:

‣Experiences of the teachers with ICT‣Infrastructure of the schools‣Frequency of the use‣Influence of ICT on the learning process of pupils

• Sent to “all” Flemish schools of general secondary education (± 600)

Poll 2001: secondary education



• 254 respondents• 87% used ICT during the lessons

‣4% exclusively used a graphic calculator‣49% used a computer and math software‣34% used both

• Graphic calculator was very popular (38%)• Most teachers have Cabri (86%), Derive (67%) and Excel (72%) at their disposal

Poll 2001: sec. education (results)



• 25%: infrastructure of the school is not sufficient

→ computer lab too small or often occupied• Motivation of the teachers = practical• Influence on the learning process? No idea!• 83%: supporters of well-considered use




• Differences between the respondents: frequency and method

• “Older” generation (40+): enthusiastic about new challenge• “Younger” generation: hardly prepared during their training and no time for ICT




• Remarks about the use of ICT in higher education:‣Young teachers didn’t use ICT because

there was no ICT during their training

‣The use of ICT in higher education is arbitrary

• Own experience: efficient use of Maple but no use of graphic or symbolic calculator




• Evolution of the use of ICT in secondary education?• Online poll containing open and closed questions• Invitation sent by e-mail to “all” Flemish secondary schools (± 700)• 382 respondents

Poll 2005: secondary education





Graphic calculators arestill popular (60%)

Most teachers have Cabri (90%), Derive (66%) and Excel (84%) at their

disposal

(GC = graphic calculator)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

ICT GC PC GC&PC

2001

2005




• Motivation of the teachers:‣Practical‣Motivation of the pupils increases‣Graphic, algebraic and numeric point of view‣Pupils better understand and better remember

the mathematical concepts!

• 90%: supporters of well-considered use




• Differences between the respondents: frequency and method• Almost every mathematics teacher uses ICT: young and old• The use of ICT is implemented in the training of young teachers




• Remarks about the use of ICT in higher education:“It would be a great improvement if students were allowed to use ICT in higher education. Until now students are not allowed to use a graphic calculator in a mathematics Olympiad or an entrance examination. Sometimes I have the feeling that I pay too much attention to the use of ICT. (…) As long as my pupils perform well in higher education I won’t change my ICT approach.”




• Graphmatica: popular alternative (39%)• 22% uses applets or online exercises• Use of CD-ROM (provided by handbook) is new phenomenon• 50% of the schools have a virtual learning environment

‣42%: communication with pupils and sharing files

‣17%: communication with colleagues and principal




• Infrastructure of schools has changed:‣Multimedia rooms‣Open education environments

• 34%: infrastructure of the school is not sufficient

→ computer lab often occupied




• The use of ICT during tests and exams:‣58% (vs. 60%) allows the use of a graphic

calculator: “sometimes” versus “always”‣21% (vs. 86%) allows the use of a computer

algebra system or software‧Organizational problems‧No computer at home‧Differences in frequency and method


• Can we generalize the remarks of our respondents with respect to higher education?

• Short online poll with closed questions

• Invitation sent by e-mail to “all” Flemish lectors and professors of mathematics, statistics and related courses of a first year bachelor

• 159 answers of 120 different persons

Poll 2005: higher education



The respondents:

Poll 2005: higher education (results)


01020

304050

607080

90100

Math Stat M&S Other Total

High school

University


“Do you stimulate the use of this tool during the course?“

Sc. Calc. Gr. Calc. Computer Applets Internet

26% 22% 54% 23% 45%



0

10

20

30

40

50

60

SC GC PC Applet Internet

High school

University


“Do you stimulate the use of this tool during the course?“



0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

SC GC PC Applet Internet

Mathematics

Statistics

Other


“Do you allow students to use this tool during the exam?“



0

10

20

30

40

50

60

SC GC PC SC GC PC

Course

Exam


“Do you allow students to use this tool during the exam?”

math stat. other



0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SC GC PC WC GC PC SC GC PC

Course

Exams


Conclusions:• Professors and lectors stimulate the use of ICT in higher education• The use of ICT in the first year bachelor doesn’t reflect the use of ICT in the complete training• No suitable infrastructure => no ICT!




Sandy Van Wonterghem Galglaan 2 B-9000 GENT [email protected] http://cage.ugent.be/~svw

We are very grateful to the Fund “Prof. Wuytack” for their financial support.


the use of technology in flemish mathematics education – sandy van wonterghem 21/07/2006 faculty...

Documents

secondary education

use of technology

use of ict

use of cas

use influence of ict

disposal poll

ict infrastructure

learning process of