Balancing Technology and Traditional Skills in the Classroom

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There is no question that technology has transformed math classrooms for every grade level. Elementary through college, this change has been prevalent. But where is the line to draw? How much do we need to learn if technology can just do it for us? As a future math educator, these are questions I have been asking myself. How can I balance the use of technology to enhance learning and teach traditional skills?

In math, technology isn’t necessarily good or bad. It all depends on situational awareness and how it is being used. On the positive side, technology can deepen understanding, especially with graphing and visual aids. This can help students see what they are solving and grow deeper conceptual understanding. For example, students can explore the relationship between a quadratic equation and its graph. They can observe transformations and their equations in real time instead of memorizing the quadratic equation. This can be good for them because it prioritizes understanding instead of straight up memorization.

However, how much reliance on technology is too much? There is an argument to be made that technology can weaken foundational skills. If students only do arithmetic on calculators, they may struggle later in situations without them. Apps can solve equations step-by-step, and students can follow this and memorize the process without requiring reasoning. This can hinder them in their future because basic skills like arithmetic, mental math, and basic algebra are key to higher level thinking.

The answer to this problem is intentional use. We should use technology to strengthen learning, not to replace reasoning and critical thinking. This could mean that students first learn to solve equations with pencil and paper and then verify their answers with technology like graphing apps. Integrating technology in this way reinforces their learning rather than hindering understanding.

There is also something to be said about learning goals. If you want students to be able to discover and explore relationships without being limited by their computational abilities, incorporating technology would be very helpful. If the learning outcome is topic fluency, it might be best to limit the use of technology so they can build confidence in math processes. We simply must ask ourselves “What is my learning objective? What do I want students to engage in?”

Overall, teaching students means preparing them for their futures in the real world. This includes teaching foundational skills and technology. While there is software out there to solve the most complex problems, we must first understand the math and processes that go on behind the scenes. We have to find a balance to properly prepare students for conceptual thinking and technology proficiency. Rather than replacing math skills, technology should deepen thinking and serve as a bridge between foundational knowledge and real-world examples.

 

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