Resources and guidance for using ICT effectively in mathematics lessons

The National Curriculum for mathematics says: 'Pupils should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through choosing appropriate ICT tools and using these to solve numerical and graphical problems, to represent and manipulate geometrical configurations and to present and analyse data'.

The opportunities provided through using ICT mean we can reconsider the most appropriate ways of teaching mathematics. Concepts, structures and processes can be represented in new and revealing ways, often using dynamic images, and this permits insights and understandings that were difficult to convey previously.

The appropriate use of ICT can increase pace in lessons, improve pupils' engagement and encourage discussion, and should be considered as an essential tool for both teachers and pupils to use.

This focus area contains ICT resources, many of which have been extensively trialled in the ICT pilot 'Improving learning in mathematics'. Alongside the resources there is guidance on how to use them in the classroom, in particular to promote discussion and pupils' mathematical thinking.

The resources are sorted by the mathematics strands, and further divided into sub-strands. For example, a resource to support the teaching of standard form is found in the strand Number, sub-strand Integers, powers and roots.

As the site continues to develop there will be more and more content, all of which can be accessed through this site or by hyperlink from the Mathematics Framework site (coming April 2008).