Bridging Learning Gaps with Maths EdTech

As a parent of children progressing through the education system, I know that their performance is enhanced when their extended family (or whānau here in Aotearoa / New Zealand) play an active part in their learning. However, we also want to know that our advice is helpful, our choice of methods are complementary, our use of technology is productive, and our words and actions strengthen the belief that everyday mathematics can be accessible to anyone, given the right conditions.

My own insights, gathered from working with students, teachers and parents across Queensland and now Christchurch, clearly show that students do have opinions about what help they want and when they want it.

“My grandad said the only tech stuff I will ever need is a calculator.” – Year 4 student

“I told my mum that communicating was sooooo important in maths. She wasn’t so sure. I think you should tell her.” – Year 2 student

“They try and help, but it just gets me confused. I mean they keep saying what it used to be like and that, well that isn’t gonna help me is it!” – Year 9 student

“She wants to help and I guess I would like her to. She just doesn’t want to give advice cos maths was not her thing. She likes that interactive whiteboard thing though. She is always fiddling with it.” – Year 6

In 2024, we have an environment of unprecedented supply and demand for online learning tools within the Mathematics domain. We also share the belief that students need the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make Maths EdTech work for them both at school and at home.

We have an opportunity here to use digital technology as a catalyst to:

1. Build productive relationships between caregivers and children.
2. Upskill parents with techniques to “get there together’ with their child’s learning.
3. Develop a process to sift through the abundance of apps and software packages.

Students need a repertoire of experiences with Maths edtech, and a means to activate the mathematical competencies that lay beyond simple arithmetic: problem solving, testing and hypothesising, explaining and justifying, thinking and reflecting. One way many teachers are helping with this is to broadly think of how we use digital technologies to:

Investigate – organising, analysing, comparing, contrasting, interpreting

• Exploring puzzles and problems e.g NRICH, NZmaths.
• Searching through and discussing data and information from the world: current affairs, newsfeeds, gaming statistics – Check out Gapminder. 
• Using spreadsheets to collect, organise, locate data and information e.g. Microsoft Excel, Google Pages.

Calculate – eg number fact practice, arithmetic, simple worded questions

• Probe into what new facts they are learning. What strategies are they using?
• Solve it using two methods and compare the appropriateness of each one.

Create

• How they generate and plan their approaches or steps.
• Using virtual manipulatives to represent their strategies, eg the National Library Of Virtual Manipulatives.
• Sketching, drawing their thinking. Especially with spatial reasoning, eg GeoGebra.
• Designing and exploring graphs and graphics for different purposes.

Communicate

• Watching, discussing and reviewing online Maths videos, eg YouTube, Khan Academy.
• Sharing ideas and making their learning visible.
• Videoing their own thinking in words, diagrams, verbally, eg Explain Everything.
• Explore similarities and differences in how we explore problems.

A common discussion topic in all my workshops is worth noting here. We should be careful with a sole diet of arithmetic-based apps and online programs that have these as a sole or heavy focus. They do make up part of a well-balanced mathematical / numeracy diet, but our own insights have shown that students gravitate to performing facts they already know, focusing on the answer rather than efficient strategies, ignoring feedback and self-help videos and, for some students, developing a false sense of confidence in their own ability. A prevention or remediation here can come from a rich repertoire of Maths EdTech that incorporates gaming and problem applications, and induces an expectation to engage in discussion about what they are exploring, learning and thinking.

Maths EdTech can help to:

• Increase motivation to produce more productive engagement with maths.
• Contribute to improving your child’s competency and creativity.
• Promote stronger connections and relationships between students and their family / whānau.
• Build the resilience and self-efficacy to persevere with challenging tasks.

Using mathematics as the driver further expands on these benefits. Maths remains a subject area that continues to be cited as a key catalyst in student anxiety, depression and negative self-esteem. The good news for us, as parents or caregivers, is that we do not need to be experts in mathematics ourselves anymore to make a significant difference in our children’s lives. We need to investigate with them, create with them, communicate with them, and engage with them as we use ICT to develop the skills, behaviours and dispositions they need to value, develop and apply to become successful, confident and competent. 

Maths EdTech, with the right tools, the right support, and under the right conditions, can help strengthen the relationship of all children / tamariki with mathematics. We just have to approach it with an open mind and willingness to get stuck in.

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Rob Proffitt-White
Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto deputy principal Rob Proffitt-White has held various teaching, lecturing, coaching and senior advisory roles across the Middle East, Australia and now Christchurch, Aotearoa / New Zealand. Rob is keen to demonstrate how educators can transform the teaching and assessment of mathematics through designing, contextualising and delivering professional learning to teachers, school leaders and caregivers. He’s driven to help all students reconnect to maths through how we value, teach and assess mathematical literacies and key competencies.
@robproff1