HOW DOES TECHNOLOGY HELP STUDENTS LEARN MATH?

Children as young as 2 years old are hands-on with tablets; give them a tablet and watch them explore with glee. The Essential Parent, one of the world’s leading online resources for expert-led, evidence-based parental advice, couldn’t agree more. “With relatively little dexterity, little ones can swipe and press and interact with the games long before they can speak fluently.” It’s only natural, then, that digital devices are part of early learning, especially for math learning. How does technology help students learn math?
INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY WITH GAMES
There are many ways in which digital learning fosters mathematical problem solving. A favorite among children is making a game of it, as apps and digital games enhance teaching and learning. Digital learning was found to be so effective, Colorado offered K-12 schools a popular digital math learning platform at no cost. Why the investment? Studies showed students who used the program regularly made substantially more progress than those who didn’t.
There’s no lack of games or interactive apps and websites for parents and teachers seeking math instruction for children via digital tools. For example, Kumon has embraced digital learning for its math and reading program through Kumon Connect, allowing students to complete their worksheets on a tablet using a stylus. Kumon Instructors find that digital learning helps develop focus, stamina and work consistency. It also promotes early math fluency and a love of learning. Instructors can “replay” a student’s work to better understand their study progress. Are they doing the work out of order or relying on patterns to complete it? What happens when they correct their work – are they erasing everything or simply looking for the mistake within the intermediate steps? The digital aspect also allows the Instructor to grade and give immediate feedback. Students love working with digital devices, and it shows in their level of engagement.
MAKING THE LEARNING PROCESS FUN
So what makes technology in math classrooms so effective? First, technology invites students to engage with interactive and visually appealing tools that capture their attention – at any age. As a result, math becomes a more enjoyable learning experience. And each learning experience can be tailored to each child. Students gain valuable digital literacy skills early on, which can help them later in life, whether in high school, in college or in their career.
Keep in mind, however, that while digital learning is the way of the future, it’s not intended to replace everything in the math classroom. Rather, it’s used to enhance engagement and deepen learning – a tool that gives students hands-on, practical experience versus learning by memorization without any real understanding. Clearly, however, as digital learning continues to evolve, it’s quickly becoming an integral part of the math curriculum, boosting engagement, understanding and grades.