Abstract:

In high school and college, the teaching and learning of Math usually lacks relating to a daily reality. Students live the learning of Math as a rigid routine for solving exercises, mostly in an algebraic way. The absence of meaning when we teach, makes Math something outside of our world. The Math in classroom is not an interesting subject and, as a matter of fact, the idea we leave in students about Math is not fair. Could it be possible to change this?

It is our claim that today, with the emergent digital technologies, we could conceive a different way to perceive Math learning. That is the aim of our group TEAM: Tecnología Educativa para el Aprendizaje de las Matemáticas (Educational Technology for Mathematics Learning).

Certainly, learning outcomes are not just a question of using technology. We are concerned with the conceptualization of a didactic strategy including technology for the student interaction with the mathematical knowledge. Understanding technology as an instrument (not as tool), should include the promotion of a thinking process to learn through technology interaction.

Mathematical knowledge is now available through digital means. Today we have an opportunity to make Math a visual and tangible matter that students could reach using the kind of devices they use ordinarily. We look forward to bring a new meaning for the students’ interaction with Math; one that they could better appreciate.

We look forward to strengthen our educational innovation team aiming to transform the teaching and learning of Algebra, Analytic Geometry, Geometry and Calculus through the integration of digital technologies. Concerning research, we care for the promotion of mathematical cognitive skills not presented in curriculum as a content to be learned. Basic skills for understanding Math as a way of thinking the world are useful in the process of problem solving. And those skills exceed the algebraic representation of Math.

Today we have an Augmented Reality Application dealing with the development of spatial visualization skills. We are also working with Kinect sensor to bring gestural aspects into the graphical representation of Math. As this two examples show, by adding digital technology to the learning process we are encouraging students to focus in visual and gestural components when interacting with mathematical content.

Our purpose is to present TEAM as has been working until now. We attended several calls looking for grants that keep us together as a research group. Members of TEAM are students of the PhD Program for Innovation in Education and their thesis include the design and development of this kind of technological products for the learning of Math.

Keywords:

Digital technology, educational innovation, visual, gestural, research group.