Why mathematics at Northbridge is teaching students essential 21st century skills

15 November 2018

Kohulan Jeganathan (6 posts) Math Curriculum Leader, DP and MYP Mathematics Teacher, and DP Chemistry Teacher View Profile

The incorporation of technology in the mathematics classrooms at Northbridge International School Cambodia is an essential tool for students to build 21st century skills. In addition, students are now preparing for employment opportunities that do not currently exist. As a result the ability to use technology in solving problems has become a strong transferable skill.

The Principles and Standards of School Mathematics outlined by the US based National Council of Teachers of Mathematics explain that incorporating technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning.

The Math department at Northbridge International School Cambodia empowers students to use different forms of technology when learning mathematics.

The ability for our students to use technology and understand its influence in solving problems, has enhanced their learning experience and has made math more interactive. Furthermore, lessons are more dynamic and concepts that can be quite analytical and hard to understand become more alive. Our students can engage and investigate them in a more in depth way like never before.

Here are some ways that the math department at NISC has incorporated technology in learning mathematics:

1) In Grade 9 math, students use Desmos an online graphing technology software to better understand linear functions. Desmos enables teachers to develop interactive lessons to further understand the properties of a line. Below is an example on an interactive lesson entitled Polygraph of Lines.

2) Grade 11 and 12 students are constantly working on perfecting their abilities to use their TI-84 calculators, which is an essential piece of technology as they navigate through the rigors of the IB Math Diploma Programme. Their graphing calculators enable them to solve real world application problems, by modeling functions and solving both differentiation and integration based problems.

3) In the early middle years programme, we see the introduction of calculators in the classroom. Grade 6 students recently saw how calculators do not always follow the order of operations. This made them consider the need for number sense while using technology, and how important it was for the user to control how technology is used.

4) In Grade 8, students are using Sketch Up, Google draw and other similar software to help better facilitate designing problems, which require an interaction of a variety of shapes.