Can Electronic Board Increase the Motivation of Students to Study Mathematics?

Yuval Ben Abu,Renana Kribushi

doi:10.30935/cedtech/11807

Abstract

During the junior high and high school years, there is a dramatic decrease in motivation for math studies, which has been found to play a major role in learning processes. Many attempts have been made to mitigate this decrease in motivation and to encourage mathematics studies in higher grades. One way that researchers have proposed to stimulate students’ curiosity and their perceived ability in math is to integrate technology into teaching. Such technology includes technological tools, digital educational activities, learning support software. Using tablet in class has significant potential to improve learning but the issue of how to effectively integrate digital technology into teaching and learning practices becomes critical. According to that knowledge we examined the impact of the use of a digital writing board (similar to tablet) by the lecturer during frontal lectures in mathematics on students’ learning motivation in an engineering academic preparatory program, following motivational constructs: self-efficacy, implicit theory of ability, value beliefs, and learning climate. The results showed that the technological tool positively affected two important motivational constructs that influence general motivation for mathematics studies.

Highlights

Motivation for MathematicsIn recent decades, studies have shown that motivation plays a major role in learning processes (Kaplan & Decade, 2002); the duration of learning, subject study choices, ways of learning, and learning success are influenced by motivation (Schunk et al, 2008), so motivation is considered the most important component that drives a student to learn (Gee, 2003)
An example of recent motivational research is a study by Star et al (2014) that examined a motivational model for mathematics studies based on the essential components that the National Academy of Sciences (2011) argue that should be present among middle school students (Star et al, 2014)
The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational effect of the use of a digital writing board on students during math classes using the expanded SIVCT motivational model

Summary

Introduction

Motivation for MathematicsIn recent decades, studies have shown that motivation plays a major role in learning processes (Kaplan & Decade, 2002); the duration of learning, subject study choices, ways of learning, and learning success are influenced by motivation (Schunk et al, 2008), so motivation is considered the most important component that drives a student to learn (Gee, 2003). Mathematics studies are known to be challenging, and with each subsequent year in school, there is a dramatic decrease in motivation for mathematics studies (Blackwell et al, 2007; Star et al, 2014). This phenomenon conflicts with the finding that middle school is a critical period in which students make decisions about their futures in STEM field and that success in mathematics is important in these years (Adelman, 2006; Star et al, 2014).

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