Using digital tools to teach maths

Trainee teachers on our two-year Secondary Mathematics Education BA(Hons) with QTS degree are benefitting from a new Digital Learning Partnership Project. 

The project provides specialist subject-specific software to support trainee mathematics teachers and was inspired by the secondary national mathematics curriculum. 

Sarah Yelling, subject lead at the university, was paired with Sam, a University of Brighton media student, to develop a project website to support the degree module Exploring Mathematics Utilising Tools and Resources.  

Through the module the trainee teachers are introduced to a range of digital tools that support a range of maths topics from algebra to geometry. Although each had its own online presence prior to the development of the project website these weren’t available in one place.  

The technologies now have their own website, where they are organised against the national curriculum, making them more accessible to the students. The site also includes additional videos and apps created by Sarah.   

Sarah said: “I wanted to create something that would house video tutorials to provide students on this module with the necessary skills to use these packages but would also give them access to pre-created applets. I wanted to produce something that would act as an initial store where future students could co-create content and thus become an ‘inclusive Collaborator’. 

“Sam’s knowledge of design and the student perspective were invaluable.”  

The legacy of this project is an ever-changing website that not only provides additional support to future students, but also allows future students to become authors and add their own material.  

Find out how you can train to teach at the University of Brighton.