AFACCT 2023 Conference

1. Math in Action
Enhance Student Learning with
Technology
Supawan King & Jennifer La Fleur
STEM Division, Harford Community College

2. Why use Technology in the math classroom?
1. Technology is a core part of your students’ life
3. Digital math tools increase student engagement
2. It facilitates contextualizing mathematics
4. Technology in the math class bolsters personalized learning
5. Instructional technology will simplify your life

3. Math 211: Elements of Geometry
Virtual Class
• This class is currently only offered in the spring semester only and is
a hybrid night class that meets virtually via Zoom once a week for
2 hours.
• This class has been taught virtually 3 times so
far, Spring 2021, Summer 2021, and Spring 2022.

4. First time teaching Math 211 Virtual
• Taught in the Spring of 2021.
• Small class of 10 students. Student were not required to keep cameras on.
• I used breakout rooms and asked for student response.
• Most students would participate in breakout rooms, but I could not be
in each room all the time, so it was hard to monitor student participation
and response other than work collected.
• One comment from student survey "I think the instructor could be
more decisive when choosing students to answer questions. Often
times students would sit quietly when she asked for volunteers, leaving
the same few people to answer."

5. 2nd Virtual Math 211 Course- Summer 2021
• Small class again of 9 students.
• This was a summer hybrid course taught in 5 weeks. We met twice a
week for 3 hours each time.
• Started using breakout rooms but moved to white boards in the
middle of the course.
• Students liked the whiteboards and instant feedback.

6. 3rd Virtual Math 211 Course: Spring 2022
• Class of 11 students
• Students were required each class to use the whiteboard and participate in class.
• Students asked more questions and participated more.
• A comment from student evaluation: "Coming from someone who struggles
in math, the way that you taught each lesson helped me so much. I was worried
about taking this class online because in my previous online courses, there is little
to no instruction at times, but you make this class so easy to follow and you were
always so helpful. I know this is just something silly, but when we would use the
whiteboards and I or one of my classmates would get something wrong, I really
appreciate how you would say something along the lines of "You're so close"
rather than just telling us "no" or "you did it wrong". For some reason I get easily
discouraged when I solve a problem wrong, but not once did I feel that way in
your class, I felt motivated to keep trying to find the answer even if I got it wrong
every time."

7. Coming this spring
• Will use the whiteboards again- I'll add in more information into the
syllabus about participation
• My class is much larger this time – currently 21 students

8. Math 203: Calculus I
• 3-4 sections per semester (in-person, online)
• 15-30 students per section
Honors Section
• Fall semester
• 9-15 students/class
• Provide engaging experience, scholarly skills - Capstone project

9. Board Work

10. Lab-Based Activity

11. Desmos GeoGebra

12. Limit Cut Ups & MATLAB

13. Capstone Project

14. Solve Complex Problems with MATLAB

16. Foster Active
Engagement
Deep
Understanding
Positive Learning
Environment
Better
Connection
Effective Technology Use in Math Classes
content-specific
• CAS
• GeoGebra
• Sketchpad
• Desmos
• TI Technology
content-neutral
• Blackboard
• Whiteboard
• Jamboard

17. Take Aways
• Ensuring that the technology we bring into math classes
fosters active engagement is key.
• Teacher is the decision maker in using technology in
classrooms. The decision should keep mathematics
teaching and learning as the focus, but not technology.
• Learning curve
• Time consuming

18. Useful Links
• Whiteboard.fi
• https://www.geogebra.org/m/yrvjhbae
• https://www.desmos.com/calculator
• https://www.symbolab.com/
• https://www.wolframalpha.com/calculators/equation-solver-
calculator

19. References
• Technology has been adding new possibilities for teaching and learning of
mathematics, which changes the way in which mathematics is taught for
enhancing student learning. (NCTM, 2015)
• Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics (Chu, 2019)
• Technology provides dynamic opportunities for instruction in math and STEM
classrooms. We can enhance the learning process and make concepts come alive
through engaging and interactive media. (Sharaldi, 2020)

20. Questions!!!

21. Supawan King
sking@harford.edu
Jennifer La Fleur
jlafleur@harford.edu