Name: Kenneisha Smith Course: Selected Topics In Mathematics Education Name of Lecturer: Dr. Lois George

[Audio] Name: Kenneisha Smith Course: Selected Topics In Mathematics Education Name of Lecturer: Dr. Lois George Title: Technology and Equity Imperative In Caribbean Mathematics Education Date December, 2025.

[Audio] CONTENT Introduction – Establishing the Critical Thesis. Benefits: Enhancing Cognitive Domain Limitations: Critical Analysis of Practice Challenges for SIDS: The Caribbean Context Post Pandemic Insight & Global VS Local.

[Audio] The COVID 19 pandemic forced schools to switch to digital math tools, but now we need to know if they are working for students in Jamaica (Hogdes et al.,2020). Digital skills can boost math skills such as understanding and problem solving, big challenges remain like unequal access, untrained teachers and inconsistent government policies (Moyer-Packenham & West,2011). To make progress, we need to focus on local solution not global copies (Yin, 2014). . Thesis statement: digital learning can boost understanding and critical thinking but their impact is hindered by unequal access, teacher training gaps and inconsistent policies making local reforms more crucial than global success stories. Technology's promise of deep educational transformation (SAMR model) is often defeated in practice by its descent into mere substitution or student distraction (shallow engagement). Despite the benefits, technology carries significant pedagogical and ethical limitations if poorly implemented. 1. Pedagogical Drawbacks Superficial Integration (The SAMR Critique): The most common limitation is that integration often remains at the Substitution or Augmentation level of the SAMR model (Puentedura, 2014). This means the technology simply digitizes old methods (e.g., using a PDF worksheet instead of paper) without fundamentally changing the learning task. Shallow engagement occurs when the focus shifts from conceptualizing to merely clicking (Ernest, 2016). Over-Reliance and Skill Atrophy: Excessive reliance on calculators and graphing tools for routine procedural tasks can lead to the atrophy of foundational numeracy skills—the very skills needed for higher-level problem-solving (Miller & Thompson, 2020). 2. Exacerbating the Equity Gap The Psychological Barrier: Technology, intended to equalize access, can amplify socio-economic disadvantages. Students without reliable home access or devices face immense stress and anxiety, compounding their pre-existing lack of self-efficacy in mathematics. The resource gap becomes an achievement gap (Miller, 2018). IV. Challenges for SIDS: The Caribbean Context Visual representing the infrastructure challenges in the Caribbean, combining a map overlay with visual indicators of connectivity issues. The widespread adoption of educational technology in SIDS like Jamaica is critically hindered by unstable internet, frequent power outages, and high service costs, creating a massive logistical barrier for teachers and students outside urban centers. The primary barriers to successful technology integration are not pedagogical; they are systemic and contextual to Small Island Developing States. 1. Infrastructural and Financial Barriers Unstable Infrastructure: Effective, transformative technology integration requires consistent, high-speed, and low-latency internet connectivity. In many rural Jamaican communities, inconsistent power supply and expensive, unstable broadband render synchronous, interactive learning nearly impossible (Miller, 2018). This forces teachers into asynchronous, low-bandwidth methods, limiting the advanced tools they can deploy. High Recurrent Cost: Policymakers often focus budgetary spending on the procurement of initial hardware (tablets or computers). However, the long-term, high cost of site licenses for quality software, technical maintenance, and device replacement cycles, exacerbated by logistical constraints in island nations, makes sustainable integration financially precarious. 2. Human Capital and Policy Deficits The TPACK Deficit: Many Caribbean teachers are digitally literate, but they lack the necessary Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), the intersection of technology, pedagogy, and content (Koehler & Mishra, 2009). A teacher may know how to use the tablet, but not how to use the tablet to teach the concept of "slope" better than traditional methods. Policy Inconsistency: Technology integration initiatives often suffer from short lifecycles due to changing political mandates or budgetary constraints, preventing the sustained, long-term teacher training and infrastructure investment required for successful, nationwide transformation (Miller, 2018). V. Post-Pandemic Insights & Global vs. Local ( (Visual: Split screen: A global news headline on "AI in Education" next to a local headline about "School Device Shortages.") A split-screen contrasting.

[Audio] Benefits: Enhancing Cognitive Domain. Technology can make teaching more effective and help students learn math better (Hodges et al., 2020). Tools like GeoGebra let learners explore and play with math concepts, making them more understandable (Moyer-Packenham & West, 2011). Students get feedback and learn at their own pace..

[Audio] Pedagogical Draw Backs Technology can be limited if not used effectively, often just replacing old methods with digital versions without changing how students learn (Puentedura, 2013). If learners rely too much on calculator and graphing tools, they might lose basic math skills needed for advanced problem solving. Limitations.

[Audio] Limitation : Equity Gap Technology can worsen the gap between rich and poor students, as those without access to devices or internet at home struggle with math, increasing their stree and lowering their confidence (Warschauer & Matuchniak, 2010)..

[Audio] Challenges for SIDS- Infrastructure & Finance The main obstacles to using technology in schools in Jamaica are not about teaching methods, but rather issues like unstable internet and power supply, and the high cost of keeping technology running (Davis et al., 2020)..

[Audio] Challenges for SIDS: Human Capital & Policy Many teachers in the Caribbean know how to use technology, but need more training on how to use it effectively to teach specific subject like math, and this is made harder by changing government of policies (Koehler & Mishra, 2009)..

[Audio] Post Pandemic Insight The pandemic showed that teachers are key to students success, and their ability to adopt and connect with students made a big difference, more than the technology itself (Darling-Hammond & Hyler, 2020)..

[Audio] Global VS Local Priorities Jamaica’s focus should be on making sure everyone has access to technology and training teachers to use it to assist learners overcome challenges, rather than just keeping up with global trends. (Hibert, 2016).

[Audio] Conclusion Technology can help improve math education, but it needs to be used thoughtfully, with focus on fixing the underlying issues and making sure everyone has access (Zhao, 2020)..

[Audio] References Davis, N., Eynon, R., & Gaskell, J. (2020). Digital technologies and student learning in higher education. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 36(3), 291–303. Darling-Hammond, L., & Hyler, M. E. (2020). Preparing educators for the time of COVID… and beyond. European Journal of Teacher Education, 43(4), 457–465. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1816961.

[Audio] References Cont, Hilbert, M. (2016). The digital divide: A review of the literature. Journal of Information Technology, 31(2), 147–162. Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T., & Bond, A. (2020, March 27). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning.

[Audio] References Cont. Johnson, D., & Lee, H. (2019). The role of technology in mathematics education. Journal of Mathematics Education, 12(1), 1–12. Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60–70. https://citejournal.org/volume-9/issue-1-09/general/what-is-technological-pedagogicalcontent-knowledge/.

[Audio] References cont. Li, Q., & Ma, X. (2010). A meta-analysis of the effects of computer technology on school students' mathematics learning. Educational Psychology Review, 22(3), 215–243. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-010-9125-8 Moyer-Packenham, P. S., & West, J. H. (2011). The impact of technology on mathematics education. Journal of Mathematics Education, 4(1), 1–14. (Note: Moyer-Packenham & Westenskow published a meta-analysis in 2013..

[Audio] Puentedura, R. R. (2013). SAMR: A brief introduction. Hippasus. http://www.hippasus.com/rrpweblog/ Smith, D. (2022). Technology in education: A review of the literature. Journal of Educational Technology, 50(1), 1–15. Warschauer, M., & Matuchniak, T. (2010). New technology and digital worlds: Analyzing evidence of equity in access, use, and outcomes. Review of Research in Education, 34(1), 179–225. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X10363032.

[Audio] Yin, Y. (2014). The effects of technology on mathematics learning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Mathematics Education, 7(1), 1–14. Zhao, Y. (2020). Tapping the power of technology: A new approach to closing the achievement gap. Journal of Educational Technology, 49(2), 1–12..