Pupil-led ICT ■ pupils exploring mathematical ideas using ICT themselves ■ virtual manipulatives ■ using real-life data ■ graphing programs ■ geometry programs ■ practical concerns associated with ICT
Dave Miller · 2012
Unless you are at a school that has already started to encourage its pupils to use ICT as a tool to solve mathematics problems, you may need to think in terms of a long-term plan, introducing a succession of activities to enable your pupils to become consciously competent users of ICT in mathematics lessons. Each activity should pose a greater level of challenge and difficulty to the pupils as they become competent in using ICT. For instance, you might move through the following activities: • Using a virtual manipulative – exploring mathematical concepts or patterns using a self-contained applet or flash program; • Using spreadsheets – extending sequences, representing data, choosing and constructing graphs and other diagrams; • Using specialist mathematics software – drawing graphs of functions and dynamic geometric imagery with programs designed with the mathematics classroom in mind; • Pupils programming for themselves – using languages such as MswLogo and Scratch to explore structure, logical commands and mathematical aspects of computer science.