The computer in mathematics teaching: scenes from the classroom

In this paper we analyse, through a case-study approach, the role assigned by mathematics teachers to the use of educational software. We considered cases in which teachers autonomously chose and used by the software. Our analysis was carried out by the direct observation of classroom activities. Two areas of particular note were those of how the computer was used, e.g., in the development of mathematical knowledge and/or reinforcing ideas already taught, and the nature of the teacher-pupil classroom discourse. Results indicate that even experienced users make limited use of the exploratory potential of the technology, and the dynamics of communication (teachers, pupils, computer) is still very much that of a ‘teacher directed and led’ classroom.