The purpose of this book is to provide teachers with some professional learning in relation to using iPads and other tablets to enhance the teaching and learning of mathematics in the primary classroom. The book is also a resource with a collection of teaching and learning ideas to be used in the primary and middle years mathematics classroom. However, it should not be used solely as a resource. There are unlimited and ever changing ways you can use technology in the classroom and it is impossible to have a definitive list of ideas. The goal in writing this book is to promote the thoughtful integration of tablet devices in ways that enhance teaching and learning. In fact, the author Dr Catherine Attard emphasises caution when using technology because she firmly believe that it is not the answer to all of the problems associated with school mathematics.
The book is organised into three sections. In the first, Dr Attard draws on her own research into the use of tablets in primary mathematics classroom and her research on student engagement to provide a theoretical base for the activities and tasks she present in Section Two. She uses the SAMR model as a frame for thinking about the effectiveness of how we implement technology and as a tool for planning. She also aligns SAMR with the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics proficiency and with Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy. In this section she also provide a description of the different categories of apps. In Section Two, she present a variety of teaching and learning ideas. These are only a small example of ways in which tablets can be used in the mathematics classroom, however, the style of questioning and activities can be replicated or adapted in many different ways. There are short tasks that can be used as lesson warm-ups, and extended investigations. The activities incorporate mathematics-specific applications, generic productivity applications and games. In the final section of the book she has a ‘mixed bag’ of ideas and resources. She looks at some coding apps suitable for young children, and she provides a short list of some of her favourite websites that can be used in conjunction with a tablet. She then provide a list of student reflection prompts these can be written or can be video-recorded on a tablet.