Abstract:

In the context of the digital age, this paper reports the current state of digital technology implementation in mathematics education. The effective use of technology in the education depends on the teacher. The teachers and their central role in the integration of technology in classroom practices are the most important elements. Therefore the aim of the study was to examine how teachers use digital technology in mathematics lessons in the 5th and 6th grade (10-12 years old pupils) of lower secondary schools in Nitra region (Slovakia). Based on class observations, we conclude that despite mathematics teachers in Slovakia implement digital technology in teaching, they still perform the instrumental teaching style. Therefore we argue that teachers need further professional development concerning the effective use of digital technology. It requires certain modification of the role of teachers, who need to broaden their teaching skills in terms of technological skills and the skill of integrating the given technology into the teachers’ daily practice.

Acknowledgement:
This work was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-14-0446.

Keywords:

Digital technology, teacher evaluation, mathematics education, instrumental teaching style.