Technology for Pre-service Teachers

Abstract Math Concepts I and II are the three-credit courses required of pre-service elementary and middle school teachers at a diverse, mid-size, southwestern, urban, open-admissions university. This paper will discuss the course use of established technology including a) a departmentowned set of calculators, b) the classroom presentation computer, and c) the overhead projector. Further, the paper will describe course results before and after new technology was introduced. To increase the time and effort students spend on homework, study for tests, and work on the course in general, new technology, namely the use of the publisher's online materials has been incorporated into the course. Milieu Pre-service elementary and middle school teachers' degree requirements at a diverse, mid-sized, southwestern, urban, open-admissions university, called Downtown University for the purposes of this paper, include two mathematics courses beyond the college algebra level. Math Concepts I and II are the three-credit junior courses currently offered every semester for preservice teachers. The department syllabus specifies the required textbook, the sections of material recommended for each course, and states that there should be three or four tests. The syllabus also suggests a time schedule for each chapter and encourages the use of the publisher's online materials. The department syllabus' Goals/Objectives for Math Concepts I include "Students should be able to perform and explain arithmetic with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals in a variety of modes, understand place value and various number bases, be familiar with diverse historical number systems and use problem-solving skills for word problems. There will be an emphasis on word problems, calculators, and NCTM Standards." (Downtown University, 2007a). The department syllabus' Goals/Objectives for Math Concepts II include "Students should be able to apply elementary principles of counting, probability and statistics -including multi-stage probability, expected values and graphs; understand relationships among lines, planes, angles, polygons; calculate measures up to three dimensions; convert volume, capacity, mass, and temperature in both English and metric systems. There will be an emphasis on word problems, calculators, and NCTM Standards" (Downtown University, 2007b). Problem In order to increase the time and effort pre-service teachers spend on homework, studying for tests, and working on their mathematics course in general, the required use of the publisher's online homework materials was incorporated into my classes starting with the Fall 2006 semester. The students' increase in time and effort was anticipated to lead to an increase in knowledge which in turn would lead to an increase in the mathematical abilities and confidence of the preservice teachers. It was expected that any improvement in these areas would be evidenced in higher grades and fewer students dropping the course. The need for improved results in teacher education programs is exacerbated by the general poor achievement of students, even in fundamentals, in schools across the United States and is such common knowledge that discussions about it show up in the media (Shannon, 2005). Various demands coming from business, education, and the mathematical community stress the need in modern society for fluency in numeracy and quantitative reasonin