The goal isn’t more technology. The goal is better technology.

After my last episode about rethinking technology in math class, I kept coming back to one question:
“If I’m going to be more intentional about technology, what does that actually look like?”

It is easy to say we want to use technology with purpose, but it’s much harder to look at our classrooms and decide:

What stays? Changes? And what do students actually need?

The answer surprised me.

Some of the technology I’m most excited about using next year is not new technology at all.
It is technology that already exists.

The difference is that I’m thinking about it differently.

Technology is not the problem. The purpose matters.

Let me start here.

I am not anti-technology.
I still use and love tools like Desmos, Snorkl, ASSISTments, and AI.

These tools can create incredible opportunities for students to explore mathematics, receive feedback, and communicate their thinking.

The question I’m asking now is not:
“Can I use this technology?”

The question is:
“What is this technology helping students do?”

If the answer is:

• think more deeply
• explore ideas
• visualize mathematics
• receive feedback
• communicate their reasoning

then technology can be incredibly powerful.

But if the technology is simply helping students avoid the thinking?
That is where we need to pause.

Learning first. Technology second.

Going into next year, my technology philosophy is pretty simple.

Learning first.
Technology second.

I want students spending time:

• talking through ideas
• making predictions
• reasoning with one another
• working through problems
• and making sense of mathematics

before they immediately reach for a screen.

Technology should not replace mathematical thinking.
It should amplify it.

That shift changes the way we choose tools.

Instead of asking:
“What technology can I add to this lesson?”

We start asking:
“What does my learning goal require?”

Using TPACK and SAMR to make better decisions

Two frameworks have helped me think more critically about technology use in math class:

TPACK and SAMR.

I know educational frameworks can sometimes feel like another thing added to the teacher plate. But I actually think these are helpful because they force us to ask better questions.

TPACK reminds us that strong technology integration happens when three things work together:

content
pedagogy
technology

The tool itself is not what makes a lesson effective. The power comes from choosing a tool that supports the mathematics students are learning and the way they are learning it.

SAMR pushes us to think about whether technology is actually improving the learning experience.

Are we using technology to create something more meaningful?
Or did we just turn a worksheet into a digital worksheet?

Those are very different things.
And sometimes?
The best choice is not using technology at all.

The return of the graphing calculator

One thing I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is the TI-84.

Somewhere along the way, I think many of us assumed tools like Desmos replaced graphing calculators completely.
And Desmos is amazing. But I’m not convinced that means graphing calculators no longer have a place.

In fact, one of my goals this summer is to learn more about what the TI-84 can actually do.

I think there are opportunities for students to:

• explore
• graph
• model
• notice patterns
• and investigate mathematics

without always needing a Chromebook.

The newest tool is not automatically the best tool.
The best tool is the one that supports the learning goal.

The technology tools staying in my classroom

While I’m rethinking some technology use, there are definitely tools I’m keeping.

ASSISTments is one of them.

I love the immediate feedback students receive. They can check their understanding, make corrections, and continue learning without waiting days for feedback.

One thing I especially appreciate is that students can still record their thinking in their workbook while receiving digital support.

Paper thinking + Digital feedback.
That combination is powerful.

Snorkl is another tool I’m keeping.

Being able to hear students explain their thinking gives me information I cannot always get from written work.

A student can arrive at the correct answer and still have a misunderstanding. Their explanation tells a much bigger story.

AI is another tool I’m excited about continuing to explore.
The key is making sure it supports thinking.

AI can help students reflect, generate ideas, and receive feedback.
It should not replace the process of learning.

My “best of both worlds” approach

I think the biggest shift I’ve made is realizing this does not have to be an either/or decision.

It is not:

• Technology or no technology.
• Digital or paper.
• Screens or no screens.

I want what I’m calling the Hannah Montana Model:

The best of both worlds.

I want:

• paper and pencil thinking
• whiteboards
• discussion
• calculators
• digital feedback
• technology tools
• accessibility supports

All of it.

The goal is not choosing one side.
The goal is making intentional decisions.

What this looks like next year

Right now, I’m imagining my classroom looking something like this:

Beginning of class:
Students discuss, think, and make sense of ideas.

Middle of class:
Students consolidate their understanding through discussion, notes, and processing.

End of class:
Students use tools like ASSISTments for targeted practice and feedback.

Technology becomes purposeful.
Not constant.
And I think that difference matters.

The question I’m asking myself moving forward

The biggest thing I’m learning is this:
Technology is not a teaching strategy.
It is a tool.

And just like any other tool, its impact depends on how we use it.

I’m not trying to use more technology next year.
I’m trying to use better technology.

And I think those are two very different goals.

Join the July Math Therapy Book Study

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We’ll explore how math identity, confidence, productive struggle, and emotional experiences shape the way students learn mathematics.

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Want help creating more meaningful math experiences?

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