The role of technology in promoting equity and access in K-5 mathematics education

clendar May 19, 2023

clendar 6 minutes

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Mathematics is an important science that helps to simplify and streamline everyday life. Numbers are all around us, from cooking to commuting to work. It is important to study mathematics from an early age in order to teach logical thinking and be able to focus on important things. Mathematics is not just the ability to multiply or add numbers, this science teaches us to think, succeed and reach heights. People who study mathematics understand and perceive the world better than those who have not received basic knowledge. It can be said for sure that mathematics helps our world develop and move forward even in the technological field.

But how to achieve in order to teach all students mathematics, how to present information in an understandable way. Of course, each student is a person who has his own level of understanding of school material. It is important for teachers to give children a certain school curriculum and they cannot always control the level of knowledge of each student. If they do not understand one lesson, then it will be difficult for them to move on and understand the material that is superimposed by a snowball. It is very important to develop a special teaching technique that will be understandable to children and adults. It seems easier said than done, but such teaching techniques already exist and show excellent results even among students who are afraid of numbers (for example, the esingaporemath)

How to make K-5 mathematics education more efficient?

The main problem in any class is the lack of equity in mathematics. The traditional education system gives a program that shows the problem and the solution. Some children understood, others did not. Teachers go further, they do not work through the material with students who do not understand something. There is no equality because the program goes on. An ideal teaching methodology should be as clear as possible so that children understand the current material and can move on and assimilate new information. You probably remember your school math course, perhaps with pleasure, perhaps with negative emotions. And at the moment everyone has their own thoughts on how to improve the system of teaching mathematics and many minds have already found solutions.

In some schools in Europe and America there is a division of classes and additional classes. The purpose of the school is to teach children mathematics, so teachers supplement the school curriculum with additional materials so that all students understand the lesson. New methods of studying mathematics are also being introduced, which have been carefully researched and proven to be effective. For example, the Singaporean Method of Learning Mathematics has been formally incorporated into many school curricula and has improved student achievement. Experienced teachers understand that the school curriculum is outdated, it is imperfect and does not provide the level of knowledge that students need to learn further and succeed. There are preschool programs that show a math problem in the form of shapes, pictures, and models.

You can read the blog Tips to Conquer Maths for Students to learn why Conquer Maths is essential for enhancing your math abilities and building confidence.

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How technology helps in K-5 mathematics education

Visualization has become an effective method to teach children simple arithmetic problems and get them interested in learning mathematics. Children better understand what they see and what they can taste and touch. It is easier for them to show the task as a picture than to force them to learn formulas. During the pandemic, many schools closed and parents were looking for ways to continue their children’s education. And mathematics was no exception to the regular school curriculum. In addition to online learning, children studied some of the material on their own or sometimes with the help of their parents. Thanks to the era of technology that has offered many virtual platforms with various teaching techniques. Most of them offer adaptive ways of learning that are based on a game form. And it gave results.

An important factor during distance learning is not just to get children to study in their familiar home environment, but to maintain an interest in learning. And such online resources did a great job with this. Even now, many parents support such learning, for example, to explain to the child a topic that he did not understand at school or to continue learning during the holidays to consolidate the material covered at school. Technology has made K-5 mathematics education much easier because kids can learn virtually on a smartphone, laptop or PC. They can walk with their parents in the park and study a short lesson on the tablet. Education should be interesting and enjoyable so as not to frighten away the attention of the child, and modern technologies cope with this task.

A large selection of lessons, programs, games, quests, and so on create an excellent environment for teaching children of different ages. Experienced educators support and appreciate technology as a way to teach math, but they also highlight the importance of parents in the process. It’s pretty easy to hit the “start lesson” button and go about your business, as many parents do. Children may not understand the material and be afraid to ask their parents. The material remains not closed, they are not interested in further study and the program is closed. Parents do not need to hope that technology will solve all problems and teach mathematics to the level of Einstein. Pay attention to children and get involved in the learning process if you want the child to get a result.

Conclusion

It cannot be said that technology has not made a certain contribution to the modern methodology of education. There are factors that make the classroom curriculum more effective. But if we consider virtual learning portals, then they have become an excellent solution during distance education or as a way to explain to children the material that they did not understand at school. It can become a full-fledged learning technique if you give it enough time: watch videos, solve problems, take tests and enjoy your progress.