Journal article
Teaching the incidental mathematics: How integrated tasks with digital technologies unlocked mathematics concepts in primary school classrooms
Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol.38, pp.301-322
2026
Abstract
Integrated STEM learning is gaining momentum globally. Despite the foundational role of mathematics in STEM, it is often overshadowed by other disciplines. The growing emphasis in education on students developing their skills in digital technologies and finding connections between learning in mathematics and digital technologies led to the development of this 12-month project. In this exploratory multiple case study, primary teachers were supported to develop integrated mathematics and digital technologies tasks through professional learning and mentoring. Teachers trialled tasks in their classrooms and shared the tasks and their reflections during professional learning and mentoring sessions, providing opportunity for feedback and learning. The purpose of the aspect of the project reported in this paper was to explore the opportunities for making extra mathematical connections that arose from integrating mathematics and digital technologies. Through stories told in mentoring sessions, teachers from two schools reported their students’ deepened understanding. Teachers were able to engage in augmented learning opportunities as they activated knowledge of content and curriculum and specialised content knowledge, making connections to more mathematics concepts than they had intended to teach. These findings indicate that integrating mathematics and digital technologies can potentially provide opportunities to deepen and consolidate learning in mathematics through connections beyond the initially intended concepts.
Details
- Title
- Teaching the incidental mathematics: How integrated tasks with digital technologies unlocked mathematics concepts in primary school classrooms
- Authors
- Emily Ross (Corresponding Author) - The University of QueenslandMargaret Marshman - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary AccessNatalie McMaster - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Publication details
- Mathematics Education Research Journal, Vol.38, pp.301-322
- Publisher
- Springer Dordrecht
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1007/s13394-025-00529-0
- ISSN
- 2211-050X
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
- Data Availability
- Data supporting this study cannot be made available due to ethical reasons.
- Organisation Unit
- Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre; School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991128904902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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