The Influence of Computer Use in

Learning Mathematics: A Comparative

Study
Rachel Ayieko and Elif Gokbel

Presentation format
Problem
Purpose of the study
Research questions
Methods
Findings
Discussion

Problem

Changing role of technology

Entertainment to instruction
Improving students mathematical achievement (e.g., Wittwer &
Senkbeil, 2008)

Technology for learning:

Computer use at home (e.g., House, Telese, 2012)
Computer games (e.g., Demirbilek & Tamer, 2010)
Computer aided instruction (e.g., Barrow, Markman, & Rouse,
2008)
Using the web (e.g., Loong & Herbert, 2012)

Problem
Teachers use of computer/computer software (e.g.,
Demirbilek & Tamer, 2010)
Challenges

Classroom management
Difficulties in focusing on the lesson goals
Support for computer integration in teaching

Professional development
Technical assistance

What are successful ways for integrating computer

technology in mathematics instruction?

Purpose of the study

To investigate the relationship between computer use and

(i) students beliefs about learning mathematics, (ii)
mathematics reasoning skills in mathematics, of eighth
eighth grade students and their teachers.

Research questions
R1: What are differences in computer use in the United States, Singapore,
Finland, and Taiwan?

by students
by students teachers

R2: What are the differences in students mathematics reasoning and their
beliefs in mathematics across the four countries?
R3: Is there any relationship between the use of computer/computer software
and eighth grade students reasoning in mathematics across the four countries?
R4: Is there any relationship between the use of computer/computer software
and eighth grade students beliefs in mathematics across the four countries?

Methods
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science

Study (TIMSS 2011) .

Sample

Country

Female

Male

Number of
classes

Chinese Taipei

2448

2594

152

Finland

2061

2166

258

Singapore

2932

2992

330

United States

5275

5164

557

Methods: Variables

Computer use

Computer use
by students

Students'
reasoning
Students'
positive beliefs

Computer use by
teachers

Students' negative
beliefs

Methods: Analysis
Students and the students teachers were sampled using disproportionate sampling

process that involved a multi-stage sampling procedure.

Use descriptive analysis to show the differences in computer use , mathematics

reasoning skills, and students beliefs about learning mathematics across the four
selected countries.
Multi-level model with students variables set at level 1 and students teachers variables

set at level 2 .
Use of International data base analyzer (SPSS plug in) and HLM software( takes
consideration of weighting and plausible values of the subscale scores )

Students computer use

US
Singapore
Finland
Chinese Taipei

Support and comfortability in

computer integration

US
Singapore
Finland
Chinese Taipei

The frequency of selected

computer activities during
mathematics lessons

US
Singapore
Finland
Chinese Taipei

Students beliefs about learning mathematics

US
Singapore
Finland
Chinese Taipei

Students mathematics reasoning

Mean ( PV)

SD (PV)

Chinese Taipei

608.97

104.16

Finland

511.57

75.27

Singapore

604.34

96.23

United States

503.41

82.45

International
Average

557.11

89.53

Relationships between students computer use and

mathematics reasoning

Level 1
BSMREA01ij = 00 + 10*BSBG04ij + 20*BSBG06Aij +
30*ATHOMEij + 40*ATSCHOOLij + 50*OTHERPLij +
60*FEMALEij + u0j+ rij

Variable
s

Taiwan

Finland

SE

SE

Singapore

United
States

SE

SE

602.87*
*

4.71

498.30*
*

2.7
5

Intercept 608.97* 4.3

*
1

506.60* 2.59
*

Gender

-8.37*

3.2
1

-3.80

-3.94 -12.87*

4.03

-10.16** 1.6
0

Books

19.64**

1.3
6

13.86**

1.10

0.96

1.32

7.56**

0.5
2

0.9
8

0.76

0.80

-0.50

0.63

-1.09*

0.3
3

Educatio 1.06
n( mothe
r
Students
compute
r use
At home

-3.72+

1.8
8

-3.05

3.28

1.92

1.49

1.34

1.3
3

At
School

6.15*

2.9
4

-1.85

1.90

0.78

1.38

1.27

1.0
0

Other
places

15.82**

1.8
3

12.63**

1.90

-6.75*

1.56

-6.90**

0.7
1

Students Teachers Computer use and students

mathematics reasoning
BSMREA01ij = 00 + 01*BASISINSj + 02*SUPPLEMEj +

03*COMFSUPPj + 04*EXPLOREMj + 05*DOPROCj +

06*LOOKUPIDj + 07*PROCESSDj + 10*BSBG04ij +
20*BSBG06Aij + 30*FEMALEij + u0j+ rij

Variables

Taiwan

Finland

SE

Singapore
SE

SE

United
States
B

SE

Basis of
instruction

-29.41

31.75 29.11

23.63 13.39

12.15

Supplement
for
instruction

3.30

15.6
0

-2.79

8.25

-1.08

19.43 4.40

9.05

Comfortable 1.17
and
supportive
env.

3.74

0.70

1.85

-1.34

3.02

1.87

Explore
math
concepts
and
principles

18.0
24.29 8

4.28

12.87 21.85

Practice
skills and
procedures

9.91

9.78
29.18**

Look up
ideas

27.0
11.53 2

30.6
5

-14.31

5.85

10.72 18.35

2.24

14.99 11.96

10.78

14.51 -14.06

13.58

14.83 -1.17

0.4

Discussion
In Finland and the United States, use of computer for lower

order thinking by students teachers was negatively related

to students mathematics reasoning
Positive relationship between computer use for exploring
mathematics concepts and ideas was positively related to
students mathematics reasoning in Finland, Singapore and
the United States.
Computer use for looking up ideas by students teachers was
negatively related to students mathematics reasoning in
Taiwan, Finland, and the United States
Computer use for process and analyzing data had a postive
significant relationship with students mathematics reasoning
in Finland but a negative relationship in Singapore.

References
Barrow, L., Markman, L., & Rouse, C. E. (2008). Technology's edge: The educational benefits of computeraided instruction (No. w14240). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Demirbilek, M., & Tamer, S. L. (2010). Math teachers perspectives on using educational computer games in
math education. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 709-716. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.12.222
House, J. D., & Telese, J. A. (2012). Effects of mathematics lesson activities and computer use on algebra
achievement of eighth-grade students in the United States and Japan: findings from the TIMSS 2007
assessment. International Journal of Instructional Media, 39(1), 69.
Loong, E. Y., & Herbert, S. (2012). Student perspectives of web-based mathematics. International Journal of
Educational Research, 53, 117-126. doi:10.1016/j.ijer.2012.03.002
Wittwer, J., & Senkbeil, M. (2008). Is students computer use at home related to their mathematical
performance at school? Computers & Education, 50(4), 1558-1571. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2007.03.001