Softstat 89

SOFTSTAT 89

Learning from Computers: Mathematics Education and Technology

The NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Mathematics Education and Technology was held in Villard-de-Lans, France, between May 6 and 11, 1993. Organised on the initiative of the BaCoMET (Basic Components of Mathematics Education for Teachers) group (Christiansen, Howson and Otte 1986; Bishop, Mellin-Olsen and van Dormolen 1991), the workshop formed part of a larger NATO programme on Advanced Educational Technology. Some workshop members had already participated in earlier events in this series and were able to contribute insights from them: similarly some members were to take part in later events. The problematic for the workshop drew attention to important speculative developments in the applications of advanced information technology in mathematics education over the last decade, notably intelligent tutoring, geometric construction, symbolic algebra and statistical analysis. Over the same period, more elementary forms of information technology had started to have a significant influence on teaching approaches and curriculum content: notably arithmetic and graphic calculators; standard computer tools, such as spreadsheets and databases; and computer-assisted learning packages and computer microworlds specially designed for educational purposes.

Computer-Based Mathematics Education and the Use of MatCos Software in Primary and Secondary Schools

The theme of inserting new digital technologies into the teaching and learning of mathematics from primary and secondary schools has provoked a wide and interesting debate. One such debate is the reformation of the foundations of mathematics to include computation (what and how to calculate) among the traditional themes (Arithmetic, Geometry, etc.) of mathematics. Thus, the authors propose the MatCos Project as a new approach for solving this issue. Computer-Based Mathematics Education and the Use of MatCos Software in Primary and Secondary Schools is a critical reference source that proposes a new pedagogical-learning paradigm that guides students in the formation of an active, logical-sequential, intuitive, and creative thinking that directs them towards problem-solving and starts students with computational thinking and programming in a natural way. The content of the book is divided into two parts, with the first exploring theoretical and pedagogical notes on mathematics and the second examining the MatCos programming environment and its systematic inclusion in teaching practice. Highlighting themes that include computer-assisted instruction, teaching-learning sequences, and programming, this book is ideal for in-service teachers, mathematics instructors, academicians, researchers, and students.