By Michael Hilkemeijer

 

Learning Numeracy in ECE

Building a Strong Foundation for Early Mathematics Through Technology

Numeracy in early childhood education is about more than counting to ten or naming shapes — it’s the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts in ways that prepare children for learning, work, and life. A numerically literate person can interpret data, use scales, and make critical judgements about information.

 

The Australian Department of Education’s report Numeracy: A Priority for All (2000) makes this clear:

“In the early years of schooling the development of numeracy skills provides a crucial foundation for the later years to support and enhance future learning, at school, in the workplace and in everyday life. Within the school context, numeracy is needed to support learning in various curriculum areas. Interpreting data in graphs or tables, using a scale on a map, or making critical judgements based on text containing quantitative information all require students to be numerate.” (DEST, 2000, p.12)

 

 

Understanding Emergent Numeracy

In any early years classroom, numeracy skills exist on a continuum. Some children arrive with rich mathematical experiences, while others have had far fewer opportunities. Emergent numeracy — the skills just beginning to develop or “break through” in a child’s mathematical thinking — often stems from experiences before formal schooling.

Recognising where each child sits on that continuum is essential. It allows educators to design experiences that build on what children already know, while also challenging them to reason, problem-solve, and see maths as meaningful.

 

 

The Role of Technology in Early Mathematics

This is where the question arises: why should technology be integrated in early mathematics education?
The answer lies in the advantages of using technology in teaching mathematics:

• Making abstract concepts visible and interactive — for example, showing how shapes fit together in a digital puzzle or how directional commands move a programmable toy.

• Providing differentiated, hands-on experiences to meet the needs of a wide range of abilities.

• Linking maths to real-life contexts — such as photographing patterns in nature or creating digital graphs from class data.

Purposeful technology use not only supports numeracy development, but also builds engagement, allows for repeated practice, and encourages reasoning through trial and error.

 

 

 

What Digital Pedagogy Means in ECE

In early childhood education, digital pedagogy is not about the latest devices — it’s about how and why we use technology. It’s an educator’s attitude towards, and aptitude with, digital tools.

Strong digital pedagogy means:

• Purposefully integrating ICT into activities that support problem-solving, reasoning, and numeracy development.

• Helping children construct meaningful digital products that show their thinking.

• Designing experiences that serve both the “hard learning” of curriculum expectations and the acquisition of specific, useful chunks of knowledge.

 

 

 

How the Membership Builds This Capability

Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, digital pedagogy for numeracy is developed through:

• Purposeful activities that combine maths with technology — for example, coding challenges linked to counting, or digital design tasks for exploring shapes.

• Ready-to-use lesson plans with clear steps for adapting activities to different skill levels.

• 24/7 access to the Wisdom Tool for instant, practical answers when challenges arise (“How can I adapt this for a child who can’t yet recognise numbers to five?”).

• A professional community where members share successful adaptations, troubleshooting tips, and new ways to connect technology to mathematics in the early years.

 

When digital pedagogy is applied with purpose, technology becomes more than a classroom extra — it becomes a tool for unlocking reasoning skills, deepening problem-solving, and building a strong foundation in numeracy.

 

And once you understand the why, the next step is to explore the how — which is exactly what the next blog will show you through detailed, classroom-ready lesson plans.

 

 

Questions to Guide Purposeful Technology Integration

As members design and plan units of work, they have the opportunity to reflect on questions that shape truly purposeful technology integration:

• Which types of technology could be used to achieve these learning outcomes?

• Which technologies would best support the learning needs of my students?

• How could these tools meet the needs of a variety of learning styles?

• How might technology be used to introduce, engage, and motivate the class around a new topic?

• If a technology is being used, what technological learnings will the class engage in?

• What learning outcomes are specifically associated with that technology?

• How can technology be incorporated meaningfully so it enhances rather than distracts from the learning?

These are the kinds of reflective prompts every ECE practitioner needs to ask when designing and planning purposeful numeracy activities. Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, they are embedded into our planning tools, so you can work through them systematically and connect your answers directly to classroom-ready activities.

 

 

Now that we’ve explored why technology should be integrated in early mathematics education and the advantages it brings to numeracy in early childhood education, the next step is to see what this looks like in practice. In the following blog, you’ll find a series of detailed, classroom-ready activities that combine technology with problem-solving, reasoning, and numeracy learning. These examples not only show how purposeful digital pedagogy works in the early years, but also give you practical ideas you can try right away — and, if you’re a member of the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, you’ll discover how to take each one even further.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrating Technology in Early Numeracy & Maths Sessions

Mathematics in early childhood education is about more than counting to ten or naming shapes. It’s about helping children think logically, recognise patterns, and solve problems with confidence. When technology is integrated into these experiences, it can make learning more engaging, more interactive, and easier for children to connect to the real world.

 

The following activities—drawn from the ICT in Education Teacher Academy’s lesson plan library—are designed to build numeracy in early childhood education while strengthening problem-solving and reasoning skills. Each comes with practical steps you can try immediately. And if you become a member, you’ll get the full version of these lesson plans, along with:

• Step-by-step planning and observation templates so you can adapt for any ability level.

• 24/7 access to the Wisdom Tool to solve challenges instantly (“How can I make this work outdoors?” “What if the child can’t recognise shapes yet?”).

• Support from a professional community where educators share variations, troubleshoot issues, and swap resources.

 

 

1. Creating Images with Shapes – Digital Design for Numeracy

Children use a program like Paint 3D to create pictures from 2D shapes—combining, resizing, and colouring them to make houses, rockets, flowers, or entirely abstract art.

Why it matters: This turns shape recognition into a creative design process. Instead of passively identifying shapes, children manipulate them, experimenting with rotation, symmetry, and combination—key concepts in geometry and spatial reasoning.

In practice: Begin by showing children how to draw a simple square or triangle on the screen. Challenge them to make a recognisable object using only a set number of shapes. As they work, ask questions like “What happens if you make the triangle bigger?” or “Can you find a way to make the shape fit here?” This encourages reasoning and problem-solving.

How members take it further: With membership, you can access adaptation strategies—like using the community to discover how others link this activity to early measurement skills, or using the Wisdom Tool to find a quick fix if your children struggle with the mouse controls.

 

 

 

2. Find the Shapes – Interactive Shape Recognition

Using a digital “find the shape” game or custom scene in Paint 3D, children hunt for hidden shapes in a picture, then work in pairs to create their own shape-filled landscapes.

Why it matters: This builds visual discrimination and categorisation skills, both vital for early maths and reasoning. It also encourages collaboration, as children negotiate what they see and decide how to recreate it.

In practice: Start with a scene containing simple shapes (circles as suns, rectangles as doors). Invite children to spot them and name them. Move to more complex, camouflaged shapes for a greater challenge. Once they’re confident, let them create their own scenes for classmates to search—introducing the idea of thinking from the perspective of the “puzzle maker.”

How members take it further: In the membership, observation tools help you track which shapes children recognise quickly and which take longer, so you can plan targeted follow-up. Community members often share ready-made “find the shape” files you can use instantly.

 

 

3. Bee Bot School Bus – Sequencing and Spatial Awareness

Children design a street circuit for the Bee Bot, role-playing as a school bus driver collecting passengers.

Why it matters: Programming the Bee Bot requires sequencing, estimation, and spatial reasoning—skills that form a bridge between early numeracy and computational thinking.

In practice: Build a street with blocks or tape, placing “passengers” (small toys) at stops. Demonstrate how to program the Bee Bot to reach each stop. Then let children take turns driving the “bus,” adjusting routes if they miss a passenger. This trial-and-error process builds persistence and logical reasoning.

How members take it further: Membership resources include differentiated challenges for varying abilities and quick solutions from the Wisdom Tool if a child’s program doesn’t run as expected. In the community, you’ll find themed variations—like turning the bus into a delivery truck or fire engine to link with other topics.

 

 

4. Roll a Shape and Trace It – Shape Recognition and Fine Motor Control

Children roll a dice with shapes on each face, then trace that shape digitally using a program like Paint 3D.

Why it matters: Combines geometric understanding with fine motor development, encouraging accuracy and control with the mouse or touchscreen.

In practice: Prepare digital templates of shapes. Children roll the dice, find the shape on-screen, and trace over it. You can increase complexity by having them combine shapes into patterns or objects, integrating problem-solving into the task.

How members take it further: Members learn how to adapt this for children at different developmental stages—like making the shapes move for tracking practice or adding measurement challenges. If you’re stuck on how to keep older children engaged, the Wisdom Tool offers on-demand ideas.

 

 

5. Creating Real World Images with Shapes – Linking Maths to Life

Children discuss shapes they see daily—wheels, rooftops, windows—then recreate real-world objects digitally using only shapes.

Why it matters: This links abstract shape concepts to tangible experiences, making maths meaningful and memorable.

In practice: Begin with a walk around the school to spot shapes in buildings and objects. Back in the classroom, use Paint 3D to reconstruct these objects, encouraging children to think about why certain shapes are used in real life (“Why is a wheel a circle?”).

How members take it further: The membership community offers cross-curricular extensions (e.g., building a whole “digital town” together), while the Wisdom Tool can help with quick adaptations—like what to do if only one computer is available.

 

 

 

6. What Makes Shapes Unique – Shape Properties and Classification

Children investigate properties like sides, corners, and symmetry before creating a digital collage of labelled shapes.

Why it matters: Understanding the unique features of shapes helps children classify, compare, and reason mathematically.

In practice: Use games like “Shape Bingo” to introduce properties. Then demonstrate drawing shapes in Paint 3D and labelling them. Ask children to group shapes in creative ways (“all the shapes with corners,” “all the shapes with equal sides”).

How members take it further: Members can access ready-made property charts and find, via the Wisdom Tool, quick activities to reinforce properties for children who mix them up.

 

 

 

7. Shapes Collage – Creative Shape Arrangement

Children create a digital collage from shapes of varying size, colour, and orientation.

Why it matters: This fosters spatial reasoning and design thinking while reinforcing shape recognition.

In practice: After a short shape review, encourage children to make an image that tells a story using only shapes. Challenge them to fit shapes together without gaps or overlaps, introducing basic tessellation ideas.

How members take it further: The community shares themed collage challenges (e.g., “Under the Sea” using only triangles and circles) that encourage creativity while deepening geometry skills.

 

 

 

8. Abstract Art with Bee Bot – Patterns and Sequencing

Children attach markers to a Bee Bot and watch the patterns it creates as it moves across paper.

Why it matters: Introduces pattern recognition, sequencing, and problem-solving as children predict and test outcomes.

In practice: Show how programming changes the Bee Bot’s path, then invite predictions: “What will happen if we turn twice here?” Let children compare their predicted and actual results, prompting reflection on how sequences change outcomes.

How members take it further: Observation tools in the membership help you record and assess problem-solving approaches. The Wisdom Tool offers instant suggestions for extending patterns into maths investigations, like measuring line lengths or counting turns.

 

 

9. Drawing with Programmable Toys – Shape Creation and Problem-Solving

Children attach a marker to a programmable toy and try to draw specific shapes.

Why it matters: Merges coding with geometry, requiring reasoning to adjust commands for the desired shape.

In practice: Start with simple shapes like squares, then progress to more complex designs. Encourage children to debug their “code” when results aren’t as planned—an essential reasoning skill.

How members take it further: In the community, educators share shape challenges and custom mats for programmable toys. The Wisdom Tool offers troubleshooting steps if children can’t form a shape correctly.

 

 

 

10. Turning the Bee Bot into a Butterfly – Counting and Direction

Children guide a Bee Bot “butterfly” to collect counters from flowers they’ve made.

Why it matters: Combines directional coding with one-to-one counting, reinforcing early numeracy concepts through play.

In practice: Arrange flower mats with counters. Model a route to collect them all, then let children experiment with different sequences. Discuss efficiency—“Can we do it in fewer moves?”—to build reasoning skills.

How members take it further: The Wisdom Tool can help you instantly adapt this for outdoor use or larger groups. The community shares themed adaptations (e.g., “pollinating” flowers to link with science).

 

 

 

11. Coding with Nature and Programmable Toys – Outdoor Maths Challenges

Children guide programmable toys through an outdoor obstacle course, counting steps and coding sequences to reach targets.

Why it matters: Develops spatial awareness, sequencing, and estimation while making maths active and engaging.

In practice: Use natural items (sticks, leaves, rocks) as markers. Challenge children to reach a target in a set number of moves, prompting them to adjust code if they overshoot.

How members take it further: Membership guidance shows how to link this to early measurement skills (counting steps, comparing distances). The Wisdom Tool can suggest quick obstacle variations to keep the challenge fresh.

 

 

 

12. Digital Nature Walk and Photography – Patterns and Symmetry in Nature

Children photograph shapes, patterns, and symmetry in nature, then create digital collages or slideshows.

Why it matters: Encourages children to see maths everywhere, strengthening pattern recognition and classification skills.

In practice: Teach children how to focus and frame photos. On the walk, prompt them to find “as many triangles as you can” or “patterns with three parts.” Back inside, use a simple collage app to arrange and discuss findings.

How members take it further: The community shares themed hunts (e.g., “shapes in the playground”), and the Wisdom Tool can instantly provide alternative tasks for rainy days.

 

 

 

Why These Lesson Plans Keep Teachers Coming Back

When you try these activities, you’re not just adding variety to your maths lessons—you’re building children’s problem-solving confidence, reasoning abilities, and love for learning. And when you become a member, you get the full support to:

• Adapt each activity to your exact context.

• Get instant answers when you hit a roadblock.

• Learn from a community of educators who’ve already refined and extended these ideas.

That’s how integrating technology in the maths classroom moves from “fun idea” to “teaching that transforms learning outcomes.”

 

 

Ready to give your students richer, more engaging maths experiences—and have instant access to dozens more technology-integrated activities like these?
As a member of the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, you’ll get every lesson plan in full, plus the tools, community, and 24/7 answers you need to adapt them for your class and see real growth in your students’ numeracy, problem-solving, and reasoning skills.

 

Why wait to bring this level of confidence, support, and creativity into your teaching?

👉 Join the ICT in Education Teacher Academy today and start transforming how you teach maths with technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Choose the Best Numeracy Activities with ICT in ECE?

Computers and other forms of ICT also have the capacity to support young children to develop mathematical thinking. The use of technology in early childhood education can transform numeracy learning very well.

 

Two guiding principles which you should adhere to from the DATEC project criteria include:

 

1. ICT tool should be educational and;
2. ICT tool should support play.

 

In this article, you will learn the best practices to choose the most developmentally appropriate ICT maths activities for children.

 

 

Choosing Numeracy Activities with Technology

Desktops and Laptops – You don’t have to buy software to put your computer to work as a tool for maths learning. Use programs that already come with the computer such as Excel spreadsheets, calculator or timer to practice and explore maths concepts. You can also show children pictures of things such as spiders, centipedes or ants and count the legs.

 

Software, Apps and Activities – It is best if you look for added features that engage children and provide variety and also have the ability to increase the level of challenge as children progress. You need to interact with children as they learn to count the things in their environment, and then support that learning with appropriate computer programs. Don’t forget that there are several websites which contain maths activities for children to play and practice maths skills.

 

Tablets and Smartphones – It is best to ignore counting and sorting activities and to look for math activities with different levels of difficulty. Games that relate to how maths is used in real life is also ideal. It is better to do an activity where they drag a triangle shape onto a photo of a slice of pizza to help them to connect it to the real world and to understand better. You could even find complex shapes and anticipate how they might fit together to make a pizza, a glass of milk, or an apple would be even more practical. Another idea would be counting the virtual slices of pepperoni.

 

Pictures and Videos – One good idea for an activity is to create a class-made book that has counting examples taken from photos of the local community. The photos could be of buildings which the children recognise and that shows buildings with windows in it. You could print out copies to give to the children to take on their neighbourhood walks. They could use the photos to help them identify and talk about the buildings. Consider photos in a sequencing activity and create and record patterns, comparisons, and quantities. Finally, as Simon and Nemeth (2016) state, photographic representations on your various charting and graphing projects can go a long way towards helping children focus on the key items being counted or charted.

 

Excitement exists in mathematics lessons through the imaginative use of ICT. However, your role as a teacher is of critical importance in supporting a constructivist approach to learning. You must provide scaffold to support their knowledge building and this can be achieved through the provision of appropriate activities and carefully considered questioning and explanation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primary Education

What are the Benefits of Using Technology in the Maths Classroom?

A key reason why we integrate technology in the classroom today is that there are so many benefits of technology in education. In this example, technology in maths education not only provides dynamic opportunities for instruction but can also enhance the learning process and make concepts come alive.

 

Finding the place and purpose of technology in the classroom is very important in a world where STEM industries can dominate in global economies. When planning the use of technology in the maths classroom you should always decide, first and foremost, whether the use of technology is appropriate in order to achieve the teaching and learning objectives of the lesson.

 

Learning how to integrate technology in the math classroom is about understanding and exploiting these benefits of ICT resources for maths.

 

Benefits of Multimedia

Multimedia encompasses a clear advantage of technology in education as it brings learning to life. Videos, animations and even interesting movies into the math learning process. Students are highly motivated and engaged in such technology and learning.

 

Interactive Visualisations and Explorations

High level student engagement is achievable according to brain research. There is strong evidence to suggest that visual pathways are involved even when working on symbolic number calculations. Opportunities with technology in maths education provides learners the chance to interact with mathematical concepts. One example of this is the use of the floor turtle by young children to assist their understanding of the concept of angle as an amount of turning.

 

Personalised maths lessons

ICT can customise learning for students as a result of having increased access to it. Individual students can be provided with personalised content that is catered towards their needs and that supports their learning. Lessons, tutorials and screencasts on their own devices can be viewed. Technology in the maths classroom can challenge students at different levels and at times of their learning.

 

Develops student ICT capability

The use of ICT resources in maths provides the right opportunity to develop ICT capability in a meaningful and purpose-driven learning context. Students achieve this when the technology is ‘transparent’ in its use to such an extent that they hardly notice that they are using it at to achieve the learning outcomes that you have set for them. This is the ultimate aim of developing ICT capability and that of this online PD course.

 

ICT for Inclusion

Technology is also inclusive in that the information can be presented in a variety of ways according to the size of the audience and the special needs of particular individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

Technology in Mathematics Education: What Tools Can You Use?

When Lauren, a Year 4 primary teacher, first came across an article on using technology in mathematics education, she had no idea it would completely shift her approach to teaching. At the time, her math lessons were consistent—but heavily textbook-based. ICT seemed like an add-on, not a core part of the learning.

 

Then she read a list of ICT tools that could be used in teaching math—spreadsheets, programmable toys, databases, interactive whiteboards, desktop publishing software—and something clicked.

 

“I suddenly saw how I could make maths more hands-on, more visual, and more real-world for my students,” she shared. “It wasn’t about using tech for the sake of it—it was about giving my students more meaningful ways to engage.”

 

 

 

The article gave her a practical starting point, listing essential ICT tools for teaching mathematics:

• Spreadsheets – for exploring patterns, performing calculations, and testing mathematical models.

• Databases – to gather, store and analyse real-world data collected by students themselves.

• Interactive Whiteboards – for demonstrating number strategies, manipulating graphs, and visualising processes.

• Programmable Toys (e.g., Bee-Bots) – to explore spatial reasoning, sequencing, and basic algorithms.

• Desktop Publishing Software – ideal for shape investigations and creating 2D models that can be rotated or reflected.

 

These tools aligned directly with the Australian Curriculum for Mathematics, where ICT capability is developed through investigating and modelling concepts using interactive technologies.

 

Lauren started with the tools she already had access to—tablets and a classroom laptop—and gradually added new ones as she built confidence and support.

 

 

Teaching Maths Using Technology: Starting with What You Have

At first, Lauren selected just two tools—spreadsheets and interactive whiteboards. Using the Classroom ICT Audit from her ICT in Education Teacher Academy membership, she identified what was available and aligned those tools to her upcoming unit on multiplication patterns.

She found a ready-made lesson plan in the Members’ Library and personalised it. To build her confidence, she accessed a tutorial on using spreadsheets in the math classroom and discussed her lesson plan with peers in the community forum. They gave feedback on how to structure student tasks and use formulas in age-appropriate ways.

Lauren implemented the lesson and monitored how students interacted with the spreadsheet. They were able to input numbers and instantly see patterns emerge—many of them making connections faster than they ever had with manual methods.

To reflect, she used prompts from her membership workbook and shared her observations with others in the forum. Feedback from the community and insights from the Wisdom Tool helped her troubleshoot minor challenges and improve her next lesson.

 

 

 

Moving from Experimenting to Strategising

Encouraged by early results, Lauren moved on to explore programmable toys for geometry. She attached a marker to a Bee-Bot and programmed it to draw 2D shapes—squares, triangles, rectangles. Students were challenged to predict the commands needed to create each shape, reinforcing their understanding of angles and sides.

This wasn’t just about using a fun device—it was about integrating ICT in meaningful learning. Students had to think ahead, use logic, and test their predictions.

With help from video examples in the Members’ Library, Lauren designed follow-up activities that encouraged students to create more complex designs using combinations of commands.

This time, she also invited another teacher to observe the lesson. Afterward, they co-reflected on the activity and even planned a team teaching session for cross-grade math challenges.

 

 

 

Promoting Higher-Order Thinking Through ICT in the Maths Classroom

Lauren began to recognise that the impact of ICT in teaching and learning of mathematics went far beyond engagement. It supported:

• Problem-solving and experimentation through digital modelling.

• Critical thinking when deciding which ICT tool to use for a particular task.

• Higher-order decision-making, such as choosing whether to estimate, calculate mentally, or use a spreadsheet.

She gave her students a task: “Find the total cost of 68 pens at 20 cents each.”

Some grabbed a calculator. Others chose a spreadsheet. One student even wrote a formula to test various quantities.

 

Each method was valid, but what mattered was that students were using their ICT and numeracy capabilities together to make strategic decisions—just as real-world mathematicians do.

 

 

 

 

 

Building Pedagogical Confidence with TPACK

Before reading that article and becoming a member, Lauren hadn’t heard of the TPACK framework. But through her membership workbook activities, she started developing her technological knowledge, aligning it with her pedagogical strategies and mathematical content expertise.

She gradually grew in all three domains:

• Technological Knowledge – understanding which ICT tools were available and how to use them effectively.

• Pedagogical Knowledge – selecting strategies that facilitated inquiry, collaboration, and creativity.

• Content Knowledge – staying focused on the core mathematical concepts, ensuring that technology enhanced rather than distracted.

 

This wasn’t something she mastered overnight. But by actively applying each lesson, using the workbook prompts to plan and reflect, and seeking peer feedback through the membership community, Lauren’s confidence—and her students’ learning—transformed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why ICT Tools in Maths Are No Longer Optional

Lauren now regularly uses a combination of ICT tools in mathematics including:

• Spreadsheets for patterns and calculations

• Databases for data analysis projects

• Bee-Bots for geometry and coding

• Interactive whiteboards for demonstrations and collaborative problem-solving

• Desktop publishing software for investigating transformations in 2D space

 

She now sees technology in the math classroom as a catalyst for learning—not just as enrichment, but as a necessity for fostering 21st-century skills.

 

And the best part? She's not alone on the journey.

 

Inside the ICT in Education Teacher Academy, she continues to collaborate, lead discussions, and co-create resources with other teachers who are just as passionate about teaching math using technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classroom-Ready ICT Maths Activities (F–6) + Membership Transformation Steps

1. Foundation – Year 1: Exploring Numbers with Bee-Bots

ICT Tool: Programmable Toys
Curriculum Link: ACMNA001 - Develop confidence with number sequences to and from 20

Activity Description:
Children program a Bee-Bot to move across a floor mat with numbers 1–20. They input sequences that skip, count forward, or backward. They then compare the movement to number lines on the wall to identify patterns.

Transformation Step:
Lauren first accessed a pre-made Bee-Bot lesson from the Members’ Library. With guidance from a tutorial and community feedback, she adapted it to reinforce number sequencing. After implementation, she used the workbook’s reflection prompts to assess her students’ number pattern recognition.

 

2. Year 2: Collecting Data for Class Pet Preferences

ICT Tool: Databases
Curriculum Link: ACMSP048 - Collect, check and classify data

Activity Description:
Students survey classmates on favourite pets and enter the results into a simple database. They explore how data is stored, sorted, and filtered to identify trends like “most popular” or “least liked” pets.

Transformation Step:
Lauren used the Wisdom Tool to search for data-focused math lessons. She located a simple template shared by another member and engaged in a community discussion on how to scaffold database concepts for younger learners.

3. Year 3: Budgeting with Spreadsheets

ICT Tool: Spreadsheets
Curriculum Link: ACMNA059 - Represent money values in multiple ways and count change

Activity Description:
Students are given a virtual shopping list and a fixed budget. They enter item prices into a spreadsheet and calculate total costs. The activity includes adjusting the list to stay within budget and discussing value-for-money decisions.

Transformation Step:
Lauren used a downloadable template from the membership and modified it after watching a video tutorial. After implementing it in class, she used the workbook to reflect on students' engagement and growth in financial literacy.

4. Year 4: Investigating Multiplication Patterns with Spreadsheets

ICT Tool: Spreadsheets
Curriculum Link: ACMNA075 - Develop efficient mental and written strategies and use appropriate digital technologies for multiplication and division

Activity Description:
Students create a multiplication table in a spreadsheet to visually explore number patterns (e.g., highlighting multiples of 3, 4, etc.). They use formulas to generate values and colour formatting to visualise patterns.

Transformation Step:
This was Lauren’s original breakthrough lesson. After testing the spreadsheet herself, she ran the activity and posted her reflections in the community. Other members helped her refine differentiation strategies for varied ability levels.

5. Year 5: Investigating Area Using Desktop Publishing Software

ICT Tool: Desktop Publishing
Curriculum Link: ACMMG113 - Calculate the area of rectangles using appropriate units

Activity Description:
Students design a “floor plan” using desktop publishing software where each shape represents a section of the home. They use the grid and measurement tools to calculate area, then compare estimates with exact calculations.

Transformation Step:
Lauren explored this lesson after learning how desktop publishing tools support spatial reasoning. She added a creative twist by letting students design “dream bedrooms” and shared her modified activity with the community.

6. Year 6: Representing Data with Interactive Whiteboards

ICT Tool: Interactive Whiteboard
Curriculum Link: ACMSP147 - Interpret and compare a range of data displays

Activity Description:
Using an IWB, students collaboratively construct graphs from classroom data—comparing bar graphs, pie charts, and line graphs. They analyse which format best represents their data and why.

Transformation Step:
Lauren led this as part of her school’s numeracy showcase. She sourced the initial activity from the membership’s video examples and recorded her implementation to share in the Members’ Leadership Reflection Journal.

 

 

What Did Lauren Gain from This Transformation?

By combining technology tools for teaching mathematics with structured professional development, Lauren gained:

• Confidence to implement technology even with limited tools

• Insight from peers across Australia in the membership community

• Access to done-for-you lessons she could adapt to her context

• Ongoing growth by using the membership workbook to reflect and evolve

• Evidence of her TPACK development—building expertise in Technology, Pedagogy, and Content

 

Today, her classroom features a seamless blend of digital and hands-on learning. Her students are not just doing maths—they’re thinking, analysing, communicating, and creating through technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Integrating ICT In Primary Mathematics

The use of ICT in Primary maths provides great support for the teaching and learning in mathematics. However, it can only really provide effective support where its use is ‘transparent’. This is the ultimate aim of developing student ICT capability and in this course, we will investigate and examine how to use ICT in the math classroom where it helps teachers demonstrate and explain mathematical ideas along with helping students develop their mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding.

 

ICT provides teachers with opportunities to capitalise on the idea that it can help students visualise mathematical ideas and concepts. It can provide teachers and students with resources to help them concentrate on the learning objectives within the National Curriculum and not get bogged down with other issues. Finally, even though there are technology in maths education that enables students to review and consolidate mathematical skills such as ‘drill and practice’ programs, these are not the focus of this course as they do not fully develop ICT capability.

 

 

The Relationship between Numeracy and ICT Capability

What is the connection between ICT capability and numeracy? To answer this question we need to examine it from two points of interest. The Australian Curriculum as an example encourages the use of ICT in the mathematics learning area and states that ICT capability is developed when students “investigate, create and communicate mathematical ideas and concepts using fast, automated, interactive and multimodal technologies” (Australian Curriculum, 2021). It highlights specific software such as spreadsheets where ICT capability can be used for calculations, collecting data, drawing graphs, analysing, and interpreting data.

 

We must also understand that ICT capability in the field of numbers involves much more than merely using ICT techniques and skills that students need to perform number operations and produce graphs. Developing student ICT capability in primary maths involves the higher order thinking skills needed to when ICT is the most effective way of achieving a goal and which ICT tools are appropriate to the task.

 

It would be significant for you to remember that this decision involves more than just ICT knowledge. What it does involve is the knowledge of mathematical concepts and processes, and metacognitive knowledge (knowing that you know) of one’s own speed and accuracy with numeric techniques and routines.

 

For example, “if we ask children to find the total cost of 68 pens at 20 cents each they have to decide on the type of calculation to do, and choose whether to estimate the answer, to calculate it exactly using mental methods, to calculate it exactly using pen and paper, to use a simple calculator, or to use a spreadsheet. Their choice will depend on their level of ICT capability and numeracy” (Kennewell, Parkinson, & Tanner, 2000, p. 109). It would also depend on the affordances of the setting such as the ICT tools available, the help that they get from others and of course, your aims and learning objectives of the activity itself.

 

In emphasising this, it is easy to see how higher order thinking skills and concepts are used to combine knowledge of and techniques in number and in ICT in order in order to solve even quite simple problems.

 

 

The Qualities of Mathematics teacher with TPACK

This course aims at giving you the expertise you need in order to develop a strong background in TPACK. A strong background will allow you to offer students a considerable advantage in the learning of mathematics. It will provide you with the ability to imagine the potential for mathematics/numeracy learning with technology.

 

As someone who successfully integrates ICT in Primary Maths, it would mean that:

• You would have a relative openness to experimentation with the ever-evolving technological tools available to you.
• You would strive to be consistently ‘on-task’ for the mathematical topic or content being taught.
• You would approach your mathematics instruction with clear and systematic pedagogical strategies in mind.
• You would try to make periodic connections for your students as to “why” a particular technology is useful for instructing a particular mathematics topic.
• You would characteristically embrace the administrative capabilities of technology to help guide your mathematics instruction using student assessment data such as criterion referenced tests.
• You would also do your best to be a caring teacher who is comfortable and optimistic for change.

(Grandgenett, 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to develop an integrated approach to teaching with ICT in the Maths Curriculum?

If you are to develop an integrated approach to teaching with ICT effectively in the mathematics key learning area rather than add it on as an extra activity, then it is important that you have a good understanding of the ICT concepts and their relation to the maths curriculum.

 

For each classroom activity, clear objectives need to be present and if you plan to develop student ICT capability prior to using ICT in maths learning, then the students can focus on the specific maths objectives. It would be difficult for you to introduce spreadsheets without involving number activity.

 

You also need to keep in mind that there is a close relationship between ICT capability and the knowledge, skills and understanding in the maths subject area in addition to others in the curriculum. So it would not be helpful to develop ICT capability and maths learning in isolation.

 

Studies have indicated in the past that the learning of and with ICT involved a shift of focus between the ICT objectives and the learning objectives. Additionally, there may be a conflict between these two objectives when assessing, but will touch on this later on. However, this is effected through planned teacher interventions.

 

With the strategies and approaches that you will learn in this course, you will be able to build on your own ICT capability as a primary teacher and foster these strategies that emphasise higher order thinking skills and provide an effective foundation for the challenge of a sometimes disjointed secondary curriculum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to best use ICT in Maths

When using ICT in maths primary, there are many opportunities to choose from. However, the best option is to ensure that your students control the technology and that they make the decisions thus developing their higher order thinking skills.

 

Yes. There is a technology that teaches maths and these are known as integrated learning systems or are commonly known as subject-specific software. They defeat the purpose of understanding how to integrate ICT in teaching maths.

 

The advantages of using ICT in maths should be:

• It enhances student learning of maths;
• It motivates them to learn maths;
• It develops student ICT capability;
• It promotes higher order thinking skills.

 

The right ICT tools can therefore, provide a conceptual construction kit that can transform students’ mathematical knowledge and practices in your curriculum. When looking at the Australian Curriculum, for example, there are many opportunities to embed ICT into the curriculum and to develop ICT capability.

 

As a result, we focus on these opportunities in our advanced online professional development for primary teachers that helps them understand how to integrate ICT in teaching maths. It encourages a whole school level approach to integrate ICT in primary maths.

 

Another key aspect that you need to be aware of when using ICT in maths primary is that it also involves a shift in teaching approaches. Integrating ICT into meaningful subject-related learning activities is never straightforward. Various pedagogical approaches need to be adopted in order for students to not only develop ICT capability transparently alongside maths learning but to also understand that when they are using technology in maths that they view it as a tool.

 

Research has clearly shown how technology can change the nature of using ICT in maths primary education but it will only be through complex and continuous online professional development for teachers that be key to teachers successfully integrating ICT in primary maths.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Great ICT tools for Teaching Mathematics

The use of ICT tools in STEM activities in the classroom plays a significant role. There is one thing that the following tools all have in common. They have the potential to develop student ICT capability provided that effective teaching strategies with technology are used. There is one particular type of software which I will not discuss as it does not allow for the development of ICT capability.

 

Integrated Learning Systems (ILS) such as drill and practice software DOES NOT develop student ICT capability and ICT literacy. And this should be the aim of all mathematics software in Primary Mathematics.

 

 

Great ICT tools for teaching Mathematics

• Databases – the handling of data is a very important part of a mathematics lesson. It involves analysing information collected by the students themselves during a hands-on, practical activity. This can be done with real and relevant data making it an authentic learning experience.
• Spreadsheets – these are designed to help you work with numbers and students can use to do the same too. They can be set up as a number of machines that can repeat calculation processes quickly and easily. They can be used to help solve problems where repeating calculations can help find the answer.
• Interactive whiteboards with the aid of digital projectors – the combination of these two with the addition of the computer itself will allow us to teach mathematics using whole-class teaching methods. It can also be used to help you to demonstrate to students various techniques that they need to use during the maths lesson such as spreadsheet skills.
• Programmable toys – robotic toys can be used as a catalyst for problem-solving from early childhood to primary education.
• Desktop publishing software – this is a great idea for when investigating and designing objects on the screen. They are very useful for studying 2-dimensional objects as they allow you to create simple shapes quickly and easily. Some have built-in functions that allow students to rotate and reflect these shapes once created.

 

ICT offers powerful support for teaching numeracy and mathematics. It can be where the teacher uses ICT alone or when students use it to gain the benefits from its features such as allowing them to develop ICT capability.

 

LEARN ALSO ABOUT:

The Best ICT tools used in the classroom

 

 

The Importance of using ICT tools when Teaching Mathematics

There are extensive reasons why every primary teacher should use ICT tools in the maths lesson. Such reasons in terms of use are universal and span across the curriculum. 

Technology is not only inclusive in that it can present information in a variety of ways, but also makes creating your own attractive, stimulating resources a relatively straightforward task.

ICT has a lot to offer students as research shows that with computer-based activities students are more likely to experiment and take risks than without ICT.

 

Mathematical concepts and logic lie at the heart of the computer's function. So they work perfectly well together. However, it is vitally important that the child is in control of the technology at all times and that it involves high-level decision-making and challenges them intellectually. For this reason, you will only find software suitable for mathematics teaching that is content-free.

 

 

The Australian Curriculum Mathematics learning area has also stressed the importance of using ICT tools for teaching mathematics. 

As such, the development of ICT capability is practically conducted alongside numeracy learning as stated in the below statement:

"In the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, students develop ICT capability when they investigate, create, and communicate mathematical ideas and concepts using fast, automated, interactive and multimodal technologies. They use their ICT capability to perform calculations; draw graphs; collect, manage, analyse, and interpret data; share and exchange information and ideas, and investigate and model concepts and relationships.

Digital technologies, such as spreadsheets, dynamic geometry software, and computer algebra software, can engage students and promote understanding of key concepts."

 

 

Higher-order Thinking Skills and ICT

Both number techniques and ICT techniques develop higher-order thinking skills when technology tools are used correctly when teaching mathematics.

In terms of ICT capability, when mixed with number techniques involves more than the ICT techniques needed to perform number operations and produce graphs.

ICT capability development in mathematics lessons also involves higher-order thinking skills to identify when ICT is the most effective way of achieving a goal and which ICT tools used in the classroom are appropriate to the task.

 

 

Conclusion

Using technology to teach maths can be beneficial to both students and teachers, but only if used correctly. The benefits of technology in education can only be harvested and unlocked in the classroom if teachers are trained with ICT teaching strategies that will impact student learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of ICT in Maths

The ultimate aim in developing student ICT capability is to make the ICT transparent. That is, the children become so focused on using ICT as a tool to achieve other outcomes that they hardly notice they are using technology itself.

This should be your ultimate aim as the primary teacher to enable the children to reach this stage and the best way to achieve this is in meaningful context-driven activities such as that in numeracy/mathematics. So I will show you how to integrate ICT in teaching maths using one of the ICT tools in mathematics mentioned earlier.

 

One of the first ICT tools for mathematics that comes to mind is the spreadsheet. Teaching with and about spreadsheets you in the following activities:

Selecting appropriate opportunities – this means finding activities in the learning area where spreadsheets can enhance, facilitate or extend children’s learning. An example of an opportunity could be exploring number patterns. Opportunities in the Australian Curriculum Mathematics learning area include the following:

 

Year 3 – ACMNA057, ACMSP069.

Year 4 – ACMNA076; ACMNA080.

 

Children can be introduced to spreadsheets through the functions they perform. It may be an idea to draw their attention to the formula determining the function and encourage them to experiment with modifying the formula.

 

You may also like make the link with calculators placing emphasis on a spreadsheet’s potential for supporting and facilitating calculation. 

 

So there are many curriculum opportunities to think about and to imagine the potential for learning with a spreadsheet in a mathematical context.

 

Selecting the appropriate opportunities is a key element of your planning.

 

Planning the incorporation of spreadsheets into curriculum activities – here you must make sure of several considerations. However, in order to plan effectively it is essential that you establish a starting point for their ICT learning journey so that you can give them accurate directions that will enable them to plot a course.

 

You can set the children a small spreadsheet activity with a number of key ICT techniques that you think will be essential in completing the follow-up activity. That way you can determine what they know and plan to build on it. This is a key part in learning how to integrate ICT in teaching maths.

 

Once this has been accomplished, you then need to:

• Decide the educational purpose of the ICT activity – to develop ICT capability, to support numeracy learning or both? (I recommend ‘both’).
• Decide the activity provides the children with experiences of using ICT as a tool.
• Determine if there are opportunities to assess their ICT capabilities when using the spreadsheet functions.

 

 

Learning how to integrate ICT in teaching maths also involves planning for progression and this where what I said earlier comes in. By establishing their starting point, learning progression can occur both in classroom and throughout the school. So it is a good idea to discuss and plan the use of spreadsheets with your colleagues to share with them key data needed like the context in which spreadsheets were used, the ICT techniques each individual student learned or used and especially the curriculum goals linked to the activities.

 

While spreadsheets can be introduced to children in the early stages of primary education, their ICT capability development with spreadsheets is achieved in the later stages or when they are in Year 3, 4, 5, or 6. It is at this stage of learning that they can carry out complex calculations and processes such as analysis, interpretation and problem solving.

 

Using ICT tools for teaching mathematics is about developing student ICT capability in a meaningful context. However, you will need to understand what constitutes ICT capability and the best ICT teaching strategies for primary school teachers to achieve it in numeracy/mathematics lessons.

 

Thanks for learning how to integrate ICT in teaching maths. To learn more as this is just a snippet of what you will learn, consider joining my online workshop below today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Top ICT Teaching Strategies for Teaching Maths in Primary

ICT is helping both students and teachers to provide a better visual and dynamic representation of abstract ideas. However, it can provide effective support if its use is ‘transparent’ in the process of learning. This is enhanced when teachers are confident about their ICT capabilities and their mathematical abilities.

 

Learning how to integrate ICT in teaching maths is important as the nature of technology itself provides support for schools. Computers can store and retrieve huge quantities of information and it allows the information to be presented accurately and more attractively.

 

Integrating ICT in maths lessons also facilitates the inclusion of all students in the learning of mathematical concepts as technology presents the information in a variety of ways according to the size of the audience and the special needs of particular individuals.

 

Why are effective math-technology integration strategies so important for students?

There are significant links between numeracy and ICT capability development. Higher-order thinking skills and concepts are used to combine knowledge of and techniques in numbers and in ICT capability in order to solve even quite simple number problems.

 

Additionally, the automatic features of ICT have had fundamental effects on the value of written algorithms for calculation.

 

ICT capability in the field of number involves much more than just using the ICT techniques that the students need to perform number operations and produce graphs. Higher order thinking skills are also needed to identify when ICT is the most effective method of achieving a goal and which ICT tools will enable them to create a solution to the problem.

 

For students, this type of decision requires more than just ICT knowledge. They also need to have knowledge of mathematical concepts and processes, metacognitive knowledge of ones’ own speed and accuracy with numeric techniques and routines.

 

 

Top ICT strategies for teaching math

Explicit skills teaching

One key area for students and teachers is their developing understanding of the scope and range of math software. We are talking about transparent technology in math such as word processors, spreadsheets, databases and even drawing and painting programs. It is important for them to know what is possible and the swiftly evolving nature of software means that there is no answer that is always the same.

 

It is also imperative that you ensure that you make explicit links between the related knowledge, skills and understanding. For example, graphics software may provide opportunities for you to do this and so you can make explicit links knowledge, skills and understanding in mathematics.

 

In each program that you choose to integrate into the math curriculum you will need to explicitly teach specific skills. Then provide explicit instruction for you to lay the best foundation for the activities to come.

 

 

Conceptual understanding

This is a key component of both ICT capability and mathematics. It is crucial, therefore, that conceptual understanding is achieved for both areas of learning.

 

There are key concepts that underpin knowledge of ICT techniques and processes and successful schools have paid close attention to these to ensure that they are developed in a suitably wide range of applications and problem situations.

 

An effective strategy to use would be to focus on the concepts behind the ICT and mathematical skills. This can be achieved by using whole-class teaching to discuss examples and non-examples of a concept, both with and without ICT. This will enable you to highlight the important features of the concept.

It will be important for you to challenge any naïve ideas about handling particular ICT tools both in whole-class teaching and when monitoring the progress of individuals. For example, when students type calculations in a spreadsheet using values directly rather than formulae containing cell references, you could change the values of cells, and point out the incorrect result from the calculation based on the previous values.

 

 

Develop questions that exploit both learning opportunities.

 It is important in your planning for technology integration in the classroom that you develop questions which exploit the ICT learning opportunities alongside the mathematical learning opportunities.

 

For example, here are two ways to look at this type of questioning. Instead of just asking the question “do most children walk to school? How do we know?” you could ask, “which graph shows the information best?”. Or instead of asking “how many more children walk to school than come by car?” you could ask “what did we have to do after entering each piece of information?”

 

By doing it this way, the ICT integration in the classroom supports the subject and the subject supports very important conceptual developments in ICT capability.

 

 

Reflection time

Giving students time reflect on their learning is just as important as it for them to do this on their math learning. It will be important to encourage them to ask:

• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• Did I learn a new approach?
• What could I have done differently?
• Did someone share something I had never thought of before?

 

It is significant that you encourage critical thinking and show the value of working together with others to solve a problem.

 

Asking students to write a reflective report about the approach that they used can also be used by to determine what the child has done and what the computer has done. These reflective reports can be used as the basis for discussions or more comprehensive reflective commentaries on the approaches they used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Integrate Tech in the Maths Classroom?

ICT provides teachers with opportunities to capitalise on the idea that it can help students visualise math­ematical ideas and concepts.

 

It can provide teachers and students with resources to help them concen­trate on the learning objectives within the National Curriculum and not get bogged down with other issues. Finally, even though there are technology in maths education that enables students to review and consolidate mathematical skills such as ‘drill and practice’ programs, these are not the focus of this course as they do not fully develop ICT capability.

 

 

The Relationship between Numeracy and ICT Capability

What is the connection between ICT capability and numeracy? To answer this question we need to examine it from two points of interest.

 

The Australian Curriculum as an example encourages the use of ICT in the mathematics learning area and states that ICT capability is developed when students “investi­gate, create and communicate mathematical ideas and concepts using fast, automated, interactive and multimodal technologies” (Australian Curriculum, 2021).

 

It highlights specific software such as spread­sheets where ICT capability can be used for calcula­tions, collecting data, drawing graphs, analysing and interpreting data.

 

We must also understand that ICT capability in the field of numbers involves much more than merely using ICT techniques and skills that students need to perform number operations and produce graphs. Developing student ICT capability in primary maths involves the higher order thinking skills needed to when ICT is the most effective way of achieving a goal and which ICT tools are appropriate to the task.

 

It would be significant for you to remember that this decision involves more than just ICT knowledge. What it does involve is the knowledge of mathemat­ical concepts and processes, and metacognitive knowledge (knowing that you know) of one’s own speed and accuracy with numeric techniques and routines.

 

 

 

How to develop an integrated approach to teaching with ICT in the Maths Curricu­lum?

If you are to develop an integrated approach teach­ing with ICT effectively in the mathematics key learning area rather than add it on as an extra activ­ity, then it is important that you have a good under­standing of the ICT concepts and their relation to the maths curriculum.

 

For each classroom activity, clear objectives need to be present and if you plan to develop student ICT capability prior to using ICT in maths learning, then the students can focus on the specific maths objec­tives. It would be difficult for you to introduce spread­sheets without involving number activity.

 

You also need to keep in mind that there is a close relationship between ICT capability and the knowl­edge, skills and understanding in the maths subject area in addition to others in the curriculum. So it would not be helpful to develop ICT capability and maths learning in isolation.

 

 

 

What technology can you use?

In terms of information and communication technology in the mathematics classroom, it is important to consider how you can use resources to enhance children’s understanding of the mathematics objectives for a lesson.

 

The use of ICT in mathematics teaching and learning should never replace you as a teacher.

 

Technology in the maths classroom can be cate­gorised basically into two areas – hardware and software. Hardware, is typically more expensive and include:

• Computers: this may be desktop computers and laptops.
• Digital still and video cameras: these can be used for recording practical investigations. Images can be used in word documents or a presentation software.
• Scanners: these act in a similar way to colour photocopiers. However, now they are not used that much as you can transfer digital images.

 

While hardware is the most recognisable technology in the classroom it is really the software that makes an impact on maths learning. It is arguably the most important resource in any lesson. This is because tool software is a means by which students can har­ness the power of the hardware e.g. computer.

 

Tool software allows students to have complete con­trol over the computer and therefore, also facilitates the development of ICT capability albeit technology integration in the curriculum. As a further result of ICT capability being developed, creativity and orig­inal thought in the learning situation is also being achieved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Integrating Technology in the Maths Classroom can be Achieved?

There are many benefits of integrating technology in the math classroom. However, it can only provide effective support where its use is ‘transparent’. It helps teachers demonstrate and explain mathematical ideas and helps students develop their mathematical knowledge.

 

The ultimate aim of developing student ICT capability is to make the technology transparent. Your students should become so focused on using ICT as a tool to achieve math outcomes that they hardly notice that they are using the ICT itself.

 

As a primary school teacher, this should be your goal for all students.

 

They should be equipped with sufficient experience to enable them to use ICT without having to stop and think.

 

 

Why use technology in the math classroom?

To develop student ICT capability

Technology is a core part of your students’ life and integrating technology in the math classroom will be crucial in developing their capabilities so that they can become proficient users of ICT.

 

As ICT capability is developed this way it will also enable you to motivate and engage them in their learning as they learn new mathematical content.

 

It facilitates contextualising mathematics

Numeracy is essential for 21st-century learners if they are to become critical thinkers, have good job prospects and become an active participant in society. In a society that is dominated by technological developments technology can assist students to be acquainted with applications of math and empower them.

 

Increase student engagement

In a previous post, I discussed a list of benefits of technology in education and student engagement was one of them. With the integration of technology in the math classroom learning becomes more dynamic and interactive. Multimedia resources like animations can be integrated to help students engage in mathematical concepts.

 

 

Deliver personalised learning

When you integrate technology in the math classroom you are providing opportunities to personalise learning for students. No one student is the same as they each have their own learning styles. Through technology integration in the classroom, you can create tailored learning experiences.

 

Instructional technology will simply your life

Your role as the teacher will never be replaced by technology but it can certainly upgrade your capacity as a teacher while reducing your workload.

 

 

 

Strategies for integrating technology in the classroom

It is never the technology itself that has an impact on the learning but the strategies that you will employ and the instructional decisions that you will make.

 

Planning

While planning for the technology integration in the math classroom it will be important for you to know about the children’s ICT capability in order to pursue opportunities to exploit and expand. It will be part of a set of factors that enable you to prepare a good lesson plan, in the same way, that planning a useful mathematics lesson in shape and space, for example, takes into account the children’s wider experiences, maths capabilities, and opportunities to enhance and to develop them further.

 

Technology can be integrated into most parts of the math lesson but it is the central part which lends itself most readily to the integration of appropriate ICT.

 

You might plan to integrate different programs into the lesson including:

• Software to explore number patterns, including the use of the spreadsheets;
• Data-handling software;
• Software for giving instructions of movement and turn in order to develop subject knowledge in, for example, measurement of distance and angle;
• Software for transforming shapes;
• Software for branching and sorting in order to develop logical thinking and problem-solving.

(Allen et. al., 2012)

 

However, the most fundamental question that you need to ask at this stage is whether the integration of technology in the math classroom is appropriate in order to achieve the teaching and learning outcomes.

 

 

Teaching methodology

For your teaching methodology, you need to consider how the lesson is to be taught as this will directly influence other factors that concern actual classroom techniques. This will largely depend on the content of the lesson but you may also want to make the lesson a practical one.

 

To do this, you will need to devise activities  that enable the children to engage in practical work and then enter the findings into the computer for subsequent analysis. Your ICT teaching strategies should also be based upon relevant underlying educational theory.

 

 

The integration of technology in the math classroom can offer powerful support for teaching numeracy and mathematics. It can be where you alone use ICT or where students can benefit from applying their mathematical knowledge in a software environment.

 

However, it is vitally important that the mathematics objectives overshadow the ICT capability objectives to ensure that the task does not become an ICT skills activity. This can be achieved by constantly monitoring the way the students are solving the problems and doing the tasks so that you are able to show them new or more efficient methods of using ICT to achieve the maths learning outcomes.

 

 

Ready to Move From Reading to Real Results?

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering…

How can I start integrating ICT in mathematics education meaningfully?

Here’s your next step:

Join the growing community of primary teachers who are discovering how to teach maths in primary classes with confidence, clarity, and creativity. The ICT in Education Teacher Academy gives you not only the tools—but the support, structure, and resources to use them well.

So, what could your classroom look like if you had access to:

• Done-for-you lesson plans

• Targeted ICT tool suggestions

• Peer feedback on your plans

• A guided workbook to track your growth

• 24/7 access to expert advice via the Wisdom Tool

 

What’s stopping you from transforming your maths lessons with technology today?

Let’s make meaningful learning happen—one digital tool at a time.