AN ACTIVITY-BASED APPROACH TO TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION IN THE MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM

How can mathematics teachers design content-based, pedagogically effective instruction that integrates educational technologies in practical, feasible ways? This article presents a taxonomy of 31 different types of math learning activities, each with specific types of educational technologies recommended that can support them. These learning activity types are organized into seven genres that reflect the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ process standards: consider, practice, interpret, produce, apply, evaluate, and create. To use the taxonomy during instructional planning, teachers begin by identifying the learning objectives for a particular math lesson, project, or unit. Next, they select and sequence two or more math learning activity types, which are named according to what students do within them. Activity types that describe how students’ learning will be assessed are included in these choices. Finally, for each selected activity type, teachers consider the recommended educational technologies that appear in the taxonomy to see which, if any, are available and would assist students’ learning if incorporated into the design. Using the Mathematics Learning Activity Types Taxonomy in this way can help teachers to build their math TPACK—technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge—in pragmatic ways as they are planning for teaching. It can also support educators who are trying to make mathematics more comprehensible, practical, interesting and motivating for their students when they participate in diverse, engaging and technology-supported math learning activities.