The activity structure of technology-based mathematics lessons: a case study of three teachers in English secondary schools

ABSTRACT

This article examines patterns of classroom organisation and interaction associated with the use of a particular type of digital technology – the dynamic software GeoGebra – in the lessons of an opportunity sample of three English secondary-school mathematics teachers. The concept of activity structure is used to organise this study, further informed by the concept of instrumental orchestration. While the case study analysis identifies structures already reported in those earlier papers, it also draws attention to the prevalence of a Predict-and-test format in tasks carried out by students at the computer. This study also shows how synthesising the activity structure and instrumental orchestration frameworks may be productive.

KEYWORDS:

• mathematics teaching
• digital technology integration
• activity structure
• instrumental orchestration
• structuring features of classroom practice (SFCP)

Acknowledgements

The first author thanks the Ministry of National Education of Turkey for supporting her doctoral studies during which this research was undertaken.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Gulay Bozkurt http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9573-5920