Mathematics Teacher Practices and the Impact of Computer Technology: Technology Use and Constructivism

Mathematics Teacher Practices and the Impact of Computer Technology: Technology Use and Constructivism

This study investigated the effectiveness of technology innovation grants awarded to 55secondary school mathematics teachers between 1997 and 2003. Although professionaldevelopment resources often are allocated for integrating technology and for applyingconstructivist theory into the mathematics classroom, little is known about the return onthese investments. The grant recipients were sorted into 3 groups, by the grant awarddate, and descriptive statistics was used to summarize the perceived impact of technologyon constructivist statements. A 25-question mail-in survey instrument was used to gatherinformation about teacher level of technology integration, teacher observations ofstudents when using technology, the impact of technology on constructivist behaviors,and other demographic data related to years of teaching and courses taught. This study contributes to social change in professionaldevelopment by providing a model to determine the efficacy of how funds allocated forinstructional resources, instructional programming, the purchase and implementation ofinstructional technology and the allocation of resources to professional developmentprograms.