Factors that influence secondary mathematics teachers' integration of technology in mathematics lessons

While many studies describe the use of technology in the mathematics classroom, few explore the factors that influence teacher decisions around its use. The participants in this study were 21 early career secondary mathematics teachers who had completed an undergraduate mathematics teacher preparation program in the USA with a strong emphasis on the use of technology to teach mathematics. In this qualitative study, interview data were collected and analyzed with attention toward why teachers choose to use technology to teach mathematics, what tools they chose to use and why, as well as the general factors they consider when selecting particular technology tools. Findings indicate that one of the most important factors when deciding whether to use technology was how well it aligned with the goals of a lesson. The range of technology used spanned mathematical action tools, collaboration tools, assessment tools, and communication tools. When selecting particular tools teachers most heavily considered ease of use for both themselves and their students. These findings suggest that when considering how to infuse technology into teacher education programs we suggest that it is important to focus more broadly on types of tools, ways teachers can position them, and how particular activities align with specific mathematics learning objectives.