The Training and Use of ICT in Teaching Perceptions of Melilla’s (Spain) Mathematics Teachers

Melchor Gómez-García,Juan Manuel Trujillo-Torres,Hossein Hossein-Mohand,Hassan Hossein-Mohand

doi:10.3390/math8101641

Abstract

Currently, information and communication technology (ICT) has acquired an important role in education. The incorporation of ICT by mathematics teachers has been a challenge as it requires an improvement in their knowledge of the use of new technologies. We aimed to examine the most relevant items of the indicators related to teaching mathematics and ICT, to estimate the relationships between teachers individually and by clusters, and to analyze the incidence of age variables, teaching experience, and gender in this study. A total of 73 high school teachers were included in this cross-sectional study. A validated questionnaire was used to assess mathematics and teaching practice, use, resources, and domain of ICT. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to determine the associations among variables of the present study. The application of ICT to teaching was associated with the use of ICT resources in the classroom and indicated that teachers made more choice in selecting a variety of software than electing different hardware devices. Teachers combined technology with educational platforms to improve student learning in mathematics. The general perception of mathematics teachers about their digital competence does not match with models employed in the classroom. Gender was not an influencing factor.

Highlights

The benefits of using information and communication technology (ICT) for educational purposes have been supported by numerous studies in recent decades [1,2]
This study focuses on the dimensions “mathematics and teaching practice”, “ICT in the teacher environment”, and “uses, resources and mastery of ICT”
The results indicate that the application of ICT to teaching is in line with the use of ICT resources in the classroom

Summary

Introduction

The benefits of using information and communication technology (ICT) for educational purposes have been supported by numerous studies in recent decades [1,2]. ICT provides tools for online training and scalable, student-adapted mobile teaching solutions [3]. Integration of ICT into teaching has developed exponentially with the incorporation of methodologies and digital resources [4]. In this sense, the educational policies of developed countries consider digital competence in education to be essential, and invest in training, technological resources for the classroom [5,6], and sustainable educational models with technologies [7]. The use of ICT by mathematics teachers implies a positive attitude toward technology and the use of compatible teaching methodologies for its implementation in and out of the classroom [8].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion