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Abstract
New technologies have a great and ever increasing impact on the lives and learning of young people. They are being used increasingly in education and it is important to understand the ways in which they work and impact on communicative processes. This paper considers one technological context and outlines an initial investigation into the nature of communication about a mathematical problem on the AskNRICH discussion boards on the NRICH website (www.nrich.maths.org.uk). It involves elements of collaborative problem solving but also shows some conventions adopted from other settings including those associated with classroom talk and text messaging. The discussion boards have been established for some years and the project is seeking to evaluate the contribution they make to pupils’ mathematical development. This paper is a description of a qualitative study, the purpose of which was to gain some ideas about the nature of the communication on the boards and its value.