Abstract:

While teaching mathematical notions, illustration and manipulation of concrete objects are important. Illustration and experimentation could be done also by using computers. But computer assisted teaching (CAL), even it is considered to be a modern teaching method, it is efficient only if it is used properly. Technology in teaching Mathematics is not widely used by teachers because lack of technology and adequate educational softwares in schools; lack of teachers’ knowledge on methodology and computer use; or because it is considered time consuming and teachers are stressed to each the material from curriculum and prepare their pupils for national tests. The aim of this research is to study pre-service primary school teachers' opinion how they would use technology in teaching mathematical notions, in particular, quadrilaterals. The participants were third years Primary and Preschool Pedagogy specialization students from Babes-Bolyai University. They had to described a lesson in which they teach quadrilaterals using computers aids. These lesson descriptions were qualitatively analyzed. The results show that most of the students would use computers frontally in a passive way for pupils, for example only showing images to illustrate the quadrilaterals. Some of the students would use graphical programs in which pupils draw these quadrilaterals, and only a small part of the students would use computers for real experimentation of these quadrilaterals.

Keywords:

Teaching Mathematics, computer assisted teaching, pre-service teachers.