The teacher plays several important roles in a technology-rich classroom, making decisions that affect students' learning in important ways. Initially, the teacher must decide if, when, and how technology will be used. As students use calculators or computers in the classroom, the teacher has an opportunity to observe the students and to focus on their thinking. As students work with technology, they may show ways of thinking about mathematics that are otherwise often difficult to observe. Thus, technology aids in assessment, allowing teachers to examine the processes used by students in their mathematical investigations as well as the results, thus enriching the information available for teachers to use in making instructional decisions.
Technology influences what mathematics is taught.
Technology not only influences how mathematics is taught and learned but also affects what is taught and when a topic appears in the curriculum. With technology at hand, young children can explore and solve problems involving large numbers, or they can investigate characteristics of shapes using dynamic geometry software. Elementary school students can organize and analyze large sets of data. High school students can use simulations to study sample distributions, and they can work with computer algebra systems that efficiently perform most of the symbolic manipulation that was the focus of traditional high school mathematics programs. The study of algebra need not be limited to simple situations in which symbolic manipulation is relatively straightforward.