Learning Mathematics in the 21st Century: Adding Technology to the Equation

The early twenty-first century has witnessed an explosion of technological changes that have revolutionized the way we travel, shop, interact and play. Technology can also transform education by boosting motivation, personalizing instruction, facilitating teamwork, enabling feedback, and allowing real-time monitoring. However, a gap exists between the potential impact of technology and the actual results of public initiatives. This book brings together leading regional and international experts in the field to shed light on how governments can take better advantage of the potential of technology to improve student learning. Specifically, the book focuses on mathematics, a critical learning area in which most students in the region do not attain even basic levels of proficiency. The first part of the book presents a thorough diagnosis of the main challenges to mathematics learning in the region. The second part of the book describes a range of technological models and assesses their capacity to tackle these challenges and produce improvements in learning. By combining theoretical and empirical approaches, reviewing innovative initiatives, and drawing lessons from psychology, education, and economics, the book aims to become a reference for policymakers who want to make the promise of technology in education a reality for all students in the region.