This ongoing case study examines the use of a subscription-based digital educational resource for mathematics learning. In this case, the digital resource Skolplus (https://skolplus.se/), is used by over 60% of Sweden's primary schools and contains both exercises, games, and printed material for the primary school year FK-6. In this study, we explore how the application is perceived by teachers, parents, and students (ages 7-8). We are specifically interested in what kind of digital features our user groups perceive as important and useful. Likewise, we want to know which expectations of use were not incorporated and why. Teachers' intentions are compared with parents' descriptions of what children do in Skolplus when they use it at home, as well as where dissonance occurs during use.

While previous research has shown that digital technologies enable for example representation of objects to improve mathematical learning processes, see for example Young (2017), less attention has been paid to the use of subscription-based digital solutions. One of those that has drawn attention specifically to primary schools' use of online platforms for learning mathematics is Darragh and Franke (2021) showing that "...schools face pressure to provide mathematics programs that are at the same time traditional, modern, high-tech and balanced." Based on previous research, as well as data collected during this ongoing case study, preliminary findings include the use of subscription-based solutions for mathematics learning and the role of homework. The study aims to contribute to technology-related mathematics teaching.

Using information and communications technologies (ICT) in the classroom requires new skills on the part of educators. We have elicited current best practices for professional development of educators from the participants in this workshop, what knowledge teachers need and how it is best imparted. We found that even given their different starting points, teachers in different regions are often feeling unsure about how to use ICT in a pedagogical context, and there is no clear consensus on how to best train teachers in this use, but that the digitalisation of schools will require a long-term commitment from school management and political leadership.

Many countries have recently implemented digital competence as an important part of their school curricula. In Sweden, the curriculum states: “Teaching should give students the opportunity to use digital tools in a way which promotes knowledge development” [3], making it mandatory to implement digital tools in teaching and learning. This poses challenges for schools and teachers: schools need to assist with infrastructure and make technology available, teachers need to acquire knowledge on how to use technology for educational purposes. Achieving technology integration to support teaching and learning in the classroom has been argued to be influenced by teachers’ attitudes and pedagogical beliefs [4], therefore the link between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their practices must be examined in order to fully understand the integration [1].

This study is part of the Erasmus+ project Functional Information and Communication Technology Instruction On the Net (FICTION) [2] and investigates science teachers’ attitudes towards integration of technology, and how teachers elaborate and implement digital technologies into their teaching practices.

In winter/spring 2019 five teachers from a local primary school took part in three focus group interviews. The first interview defined the current situation, the second generated input on how to challenge each teacher based on their needs. Each teacher was given instructions for a specific technology to try out during teaching. The teachers recorded their experiences on video for the third focus group discussion, which included an evaluation of how they perceived the specific technology to improve their students’ learning. The data so far consist of audio and video recordings from the interviews and the teachers’ experiences of using the proposed technologies in their teaching.

Some preliminary findings are that while schools invest in infrastructure and technology, the opportunities to use the technology often are hindered by administrative issues such as scheduling, lack of time for competence development and no choice on platforms and systems to work with. The link between the teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their practice is based on these prerequisites, but also on the teachers’ willingness to try out various technological tools. The data show that the teachers’ pedagogical perspectives and work with, e.g., formative teaching, pleasurable learning, and quality assured teaching and feedback, affect the teachers’ willingness to integrate new technologies and tools in their teaching.

References:

[1] Ertmer, P.A. and Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A.T. 2010. Teacher Technology Change. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 42, 3 (Mar. 2010), 255–284.

[2] FICTION 2018. Functional Information and Communication Technology Instruction On the Net https://fiction.pixel-online.org/

[3] Lärarnas Riksförbund 2016. Digital framtid utan fallgropar: En undersökning om lärares och elevers digitala kompetens. Technical Report #2016–10.

[4] Perrotta, C. 2013. Do school-level factors influence the educational benefits of digital technology? A critical analysis of teachers’ perceptions. British Journal of Educational Technology. 44, 2 (2013), 314–327.