Teaching Mathematics with Technology (TMT 3rd Offering) - May 6, 2024

Building mathematical competencies in all students is critical in today’s digital society, with renewed emphasis on learner skills in reasoning, computing, mathematical thinking, and problem-solving. The use of Technology in Mathematics teaching took on a new urgency due to the global pandemic, where restrictions on physical contact saw many schools move towards different methods of online education. To ensure equitable access and meaningful learning, it is critical for teachers to increase their array of teaching-learning tools.

Several digital tools and applications are now available to support educators towards this end, ranging from graphic software for geometry learning to simulations for scenario building and visual programming environments. If integrated with effective pedagogy, these resources can lead to improved learning outcomes. Geogebra is one such tool that is as versatile as it is easily accessible, being a Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) application.

With support from the Commonwealth of Learning, the University of West Indies – Five Islands Campus is working closely with the Ministry of Education,  Antigua and Barbuda, to create opportunities for training and professional development of mathematics educators towards improved learning outcomes in the subject.

Teaching Mathematics with Technology (TMT) is a four-week MOOC which aims to build the capacity of Mathematics teachers in using Geogebra to create resources for teaching various concepts in Mathematics. Teacher educators in this subject domain as well as teachers of related technical subjects will also find this course useful.

This third offer of the course targets teachers from Antigua and Barbuda. However, teachers from other countries are free to enroll but will not benefit from the in-person support sessions.

Week1 : Introduction to the course and overview of ICT tools and Open Educational Resources

Participants will:

1. use the course platform – a Learning Management System integrated with a webinar platform

2. apply the principles of Free and Open Software and Open Educational Resources as well as their implications for equity

3. install Geogebra and get introduced to Geogebra for creating some  basic sketches

Week 2 : Introduction to Geogebra

Participants will:

1. get a working proficiency of the Geogebra application and all its functionalities

2. create Geogebra sketches as teaching resources for high-school maths concepts

Week 3 : Developing mathematical proficiencies of logical reasoning and problem-solving

Participants will:

1. strengthen their working proficiency of the Geogebra application and all its functionalities, by creating more complex sketches

2. create Geogebra sketches as teaching resources for theorems and problems

3. access, and contribute to OER repositories of Geogebra

Week 4 : Strengthening teaching-learning processes in classrooms

Participants will:

1. create lessons using Geogebra for teaching high-school mathematics

2. evaluate multiple resources including Geogebra resources for the development of a lesson plan

3. develop a sense of comfort and familiarity with transacting lessons using Geogebra in their classrooms

Mathematics teachers of grades 6-10 (equivalent of upper primary and junior secondary school levels)

Teachers of Mathematics-integrated technical subjects

Teacher educators

After completion of this course, participants are expected to be able to:

1. Appreciate the role of ICT in educational processes
2. Use Geogebra for creating mathematics resources
3. Access and contribute to Open Educational Repositories of Geogebra
4. Develop new teaching-learning practices using Geogebra

A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to those who complete all the tasks in the course.

• For a certificate of completion, you must complete the following:
  1. Watch all the lecture videos
  2. Complete all the quizzes
  3. Share your reflections on at least 1 of the discussion forum posts linked to the lectures, every week
  4. Complete at least 2 Geogebra assignments in the course
  5. Complete the end-course Geogebra assignment
• For a certificate of participation, you must complete the following:
  1. Watch 60% of the lecture videos
  2. Complete 60%  the quizzes
  3. Share your reflections on 1 of the discussion forum posts linked to the lectures every week
  4. Complete at least 1 Geogebra assignment in the course

All certificates will be issued at the end of the course.

Optional pre-course training:  2-hour short course on

Understanding Open Educational Resources (OER)

This is a short course that provides an overview of concepts related to copyrights and Creative Commons licences. It is suggested as a prerequisite for those registered for the Teaching Mathematics with Technology (TMT3) course. If you wish to know more about OER, then you can take this short course at your own time before the start of the TMT3 course. A certificate is automatically issued once you complete this course.