Mathematical Knowledge Construction in Computer Based Learing

Using computer technology in teaching school mathematics creates new instructional environments. The emphases on the use of computer technology in the classrooms and in particular the use of computer-based exploration as a context of mathematics instruction have been reflected in the recommendation of the NCTM (Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics, 1989). Although the power of using computer technology in the exploration of mathematical problems has been recognized and stressed by many educators, we do not have many research studies on mathematics in computer-based explorations. Especially research has failed to clarify how computer technology can contribute to the construction of procedural and conceptual knowledge of mathematics. Up to now most researches on procedural and conceptual knowledge in computer environments have only focused on classifying programming languages which program language has more random access and rich interrelationship characteristic in relation to conceptual knowledge in humans, and which computer language has more characteristic flavor of procedural knowledge. How computer-based explorations affect the knowledge construction of mathematics, therefore, emerges as an issue of research on teacher education program for theoretical framework. This situation leads to do research on the effectiveness of using computer explorations in pre-service teacher education in terms of procedural and conceptual knowledge construction.