The pedagogical trojan horse : handheld technologies in the secondary mathematics classroom

It is claimed that access to quality education enables individuals to effectively participate in the workforce and contribute to society. Poverty, political conflict, and a lack of teachers and infrastructure can hamper access to education. Within the educational system, the traditional classroom that is associated with teacher centred pedagogy and behaviourist learning principles can act as a further impediment. It can be argued that there are five broad categories of teachers' behaviour when it comes to the integration of ICTs within their classroom. Teachers tend to view ICT as either a demon; a servant; an idol; a partner; or, a liberator. Traditional teachers most often see ICT as a demon to be avoided and feared. Handheld technologies can help overcome many of these physical, educational and sociological barriers in the traditional classroom setting while providing a "Trojan Horse" for change to traditional pedagogy. This paper will examine ways in which handheld technologies can gain entry inside the defensive walls of traditional teaching by enhancing and supporting current classroom pedagogy. It will examine ways of moving beyond current practice, because once unleashed within the classroom, handheld technologies alter the very nature of the teaching and learning process. As teachers and students gain in confidence and experience in the use of these technologies, the speed of transformation increases and the walls of past practices crumble. The traditional teacher moves from regarding handheld technology as a demon or servant to regarding handheld technology as a partner, and in some cases a liberator. Handheld technologies in mathematics and science classrooms become a vehicle to equip students with the skills needed in an emerging knowledge society, by engaging them in active, meaningful, collaborative learning, that stimulates their creativity, encourages them to solve problems, to think critically and turn information into knowledge. They provide a vastly cheaper vehicle, in comparison to computers, and allow learning to reach beyond the walls of the classroom and into the daily lives of the students.