This document discusses using technology to enhance collaborative learning in first-year mathematics courses. It proposes having students work in groups online to explore mathematical concepts and real-world problems asynchronously over time. The goals are to facilitate deeper exploration of concepts, develop an appreciation for applications, and encourage reflective problem-solving. Tools like wikis could support writing, editing, commenting and math capabilities. Feedback would involve reflection and exploring impacts on student understanding, approaches to learning, and experiences. Future considerations include piloting the approach, providing facilitation training, and aligning assessments.

1. Using Technology to Deepen the
Learning Experience in 1st Year
Mathematics
by Ian Schroeder (UCT)

2. Contents
• Background
• Theory
• The learning task
– Educational goals
– Details
• Tools vs Task
• Feedback
– Cycle
– Explored
• Future considerations

3. Background and context
• Knowledge transfer
• Incoming student knowledge (Davidowitz & Rollnick, 2010)
• Maths perceptions (Leitze, 1996)
• Learning strategies (Mji, 2003)
• Financial constraints (Wandilsile & Tshiwula, 2012)
• Digital access and skill levels (surveys required)
• Class size and level

4. Theoretical Considerations
• Collaborative learning (Smith and MacGregor, 1992)
• Traditional (Marshall et al, 2007. Beichner, 2008) vs Web
collaborative learning (Lipponen, 2002. Augar et al, 2004. Ben-
Zivi, 2007. Martin & Premadasa, 2010. Micocha & Thomas, 2007)
• Motivation
• Influence primary learning space (tech vs paper)

5. The Learning Task
Educational Goals
• Facilitate a deeper exploration of the mathematical
concepts via asynchronous collaborative learning
• Develop an appreciation for the applicability of
mathematical content by exploring real world
examples
• Initialise a reflective practitioner approach to problem
solving by having to constantly review their group’s
work over a period of time

6. The Learning Task cont
Task Details
• Work in assigned groups, collaborate asynchronously and
contributes to CA mark.
• Warm up task from historical or modern mathematics.
• Digital skills support provided in warm up task (partly in supervised
lab)
• add, edit and comment on content that is posted online by group
members
• Teaching staff engaged in active facilitation

7. Task details continued
• Informed of grievance procedure and communications protocol
• Phase 2: Groups assigned a real world problem and be required to
develop a ‘solution’
• Formal group meetings once a week – tutor present for part of this
• Project milestones – marks awarded
• Clear requirements e.g. history of technique, conceptual approach,
solution explanation and numerical approach.
• Final presentation by random group member.
• Use of Turnitin and CPR (?)

8. Tool vs Task (Bower, 2008)
Affordances Blog Chat Forum Wiki Task
Read-ability v v v v v
View-ability v v v v
Watch-ability v v v v
Write-ability v v v v v
Edit-ability v v
Math-ability v v
Revision-Ability v v v v v
Draw-ability v v v v
Resize-ability v v v
Move-ability v v v
Accessibility v v v v v
Message-ability v
Browse-ability v v v v v
Search-ability v v v v v
Link-ability v v v v
Permission-ability v v v v v
Share-ability v v v

9. Feedback Cycle
1. Consider validity of feedback (if nec. consult)
2. Explore model from perspective of feedback
3. Address feedback issue in prototype
4. Repeat 2 & 3 till acceptance
5. Once multiple changes have been made repeat 2 & 3
Also probe impact on students :
– Concepts of Mathematics Questionnaire (Crawford et al, 1998)
– Approaches to Studying Questionnaire (Richardson, 1990)
– Experiences of Teaching and Learning Questionnaire (Ramsden, 1991)
– Course evals, interviews and focus groups
NB: Big benefit of feedback  focussed reflection

10. Feedback Explored
• Focus on the theoretical foundations
• How will it work?
• How will it address the learning problem?
• Collaborative wikis at first year level????!!!!
• Facilitation aspects
• Wiki vs in (or out of class) collaborative learning

11. Future Considerations
• Detailed exploration of facilitation and identifying training
requirements
• The need for alignment of assessment activities
• The need for a pilot program prior to implementation.
• Consider implementing:
– Broadening collaboration to include national and international student projects
– Collaborative textbooks
– Adobe connect interviews to address motivational issues
– Concept mapping from both lecturer and student perspective for deeper understanding
– Reflective learning journals via blogs
– Flipping the classroom using vodcasting
– Integrating the use of 3D visualisation software

12. References
• Augar, N. Raitman, R. Zhou, W. (2004, December) ‘Teaching and learning online with wikis’, Proceedings of the 21st
ASCILITE Conference, Perth, Australia: 95-104
• Beichner, R. (2008) ‘The SCALE-UP Project: A Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate
Programs’, BOSE Conference on Promising Practices-Innovation in Undergraduate STEM Education, Washington,
DC.
• Ben-Zivi, D. (2007) ‘Using Wiki to promote Collaborative Learning in Statistics Education’, Technology Innovations in
Statistics Education, Center for the teaching of Statistics, UCLA, UC Los Angeles
• Bower, M (2008). ‘Affordance Analysis – matching learning tasks with learning technologies’, Educational Media
International, 45(1): 3-15
• Crawford, K. Gordon, S. Nicholas, J. Prosser, M. (1998) ‘University mathematics students' conceptions of
mathematics’, Studies in Higher Education, Volume 23 (1): 87-94
• Davidowitz, B. Rollnick, M. (2010) ‘Adjustment of underprepared students to tertiary education’, in Rollnick, M.
(eds) Identifying Potential for Equitable Access to Tertiary Level Science. Springer: 89-108
• Leitze, A.R. (1996) ‘To major or not major in mathematics? Affective factors in the choice-of-major decision’, in
Kaput, J. Schoenfeld, A. Dubinsky, E. (eds) CMBS Issues in Mathematics Education 6:83–100
• Lipponen, L. (2002) ‘Exploring Foundations for Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning’, Proceedings of CSCL
2002: 72-81

13. • Martin,P. Premadasa,K. (2010), ‘effective use of Wikis in College Mathematics Classes’, Journal on
Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, Volume 8(6): 76-78
• Marshall, D. Lesai, M. Schroeder, I. (2007, December) ‘Making the Tacit Explicit: Accessing the
Discourse of Physics’, For Engineering and Science Educators, Volume 11, 4-6.
• Minocha, S. Thomas, P. (2007, December) ‘Collaborative Learning in a Wiki Environment:
Experiences from a software engineering course’, New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia,
volume 13 (2): 187-209.
• Mji, A. (2003) ‘A three-year perspective on conceptions of and orientations to learning mathematics
of prospective teachers and first year university students’, International Journal of Mathematical
Education in Science and Technology, volume 34 (5): 687-698
• Ramsden, P.(1991) ‘A performance indicator of teaching quality in higher education: The Course
Experience Questionnaire’, Studies in Higher Education, volume 16 (2): 129-150
• Richardson, J. (1990) ‘Reliability and replicability of the Approaches to Studying Questionnaire’,
Studies in Higher Education, volume 15 (2): 155-168
• Smith, B. MacGregor, J. (1992) ‘What is Collaborative learning’, Goodsell, A. (eds) Collaborative
learning: A Sourcebook for Higher Education, National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning
and Assessment, University Park, PA: 10-29
• Wandisile, M. Tshiwula, L. (2012, January) ‘Student diversity in South African higher education’,
Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, Volume 13, Special Issue: 19-33