Using mobile technologies for mathematics: effects on student attitudes and achievement

Fabian, Khristin; Topping, Keith J.; Barron, Ian G.

Abstract

The ubiquity of mobile devices together with its potential to bridge classroom learning to real-world has added a new angle to contextualising mathematics learning. This study investigated the effects of using mobile technologies to students’ attitudes and achievement. A quasi-experimental mixed method design was adopted. Participants were 52 Primary 6 and 7 students. The experimental group participated in a weekly mobile-supported, collaborative learning activities spanning over three months. A no treatment control group was adopted. The experimental group have positive perception of the activities evidenced by student interviews and end activity evaluations. Students’ attitude to mathematics, as assessed by a mathematics attitude inventory, found no significant change for both groups except for the significant decline in enjoyment for the control group. A t test of the gain score between group showed a significant difference, t(43) = 4.57, p = 0.005, ES = 0.89 which indicates that the experimental group had higher gains than the control group. These results indicate that the use of mobile technologies elicit positive responses from students both in terms of how they perceive the mobile activities and how it improved their performance but its’ effect on students attitudes towards mathematics will need to be further investigated. Some implications of the findings are discussed.

Citation

Fabian, K., Topping, K. J., & Barron, I. G. (2018). Using mobile technologies for mathematics: effects on student attitudes and achievement. Educational Technology Research and Development, 66(5), 1119-1139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-018-9580-3

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 30, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Feb 23, 2018
• Publication Date: 2018-10
• Deposit Date: Nov 30, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 4, 2018
• Journal: Educational Technology Research and Development
• Print ISSN: 1042-1629
• Electronic ISSN: 1556-6501
• Publisher: BMC
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 66
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 1119-1139
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-018-9580-3
• Keywords: mobile learning; collaborative learning; technology enhanced learning; mathematics education
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1288064
• Contract Date: Dec 4, 2018