by W. Gary Martin, MTEP 2.0 principal investigator
There is a well-known saying—"may you live in interesting times"—sometimes thought to be a blessing, sometimes a curse. Either way, we are certainly living that reality. As we try to navigate these interesting times, it is important to identify reputable sources that provide a strong foundation for our work, both in making sound decisions and in being able to defend them.
Certainly one major feature of these interesting times is the onslaught of AI and technology. Fortunately, there several major policy statements address these issues:
- The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics Teaching statement calls for continued acknowledgment of the importance of the teacher’s role in the face of AI and for active engagement of mathematics educators in developing and testing tools for use in the classroom.
- NCSM Leadership in Mathematics Education’s Leading with Technology: Enhancing Mathematics for All Students [PDF] statement emphasizes that "mathematics leaders must purposefully integrate appropriate technologies in the classroom to strengthen teaching practices, enhance the curriculum, attend to students’ diverse learning needs and better assess student learning."
- NCTM has another statement, Equitable Integration of Technology for Mathematics Learning, that highlights the need to use technology in a way that enhances opportunities for all students.
- The Association of Mathematics Teacher Educator’s Position Statement on Technology [PDF] specifically focuses on how technology can be effectively incorporated into mathematics teacher preparation.
In addition, NCSM has released a resource entitled Educational Technology & AI Guidance for Math Leaders, which may be helpful. The guide is designed to support mathematics education leaders in making informed decisions about the use of educational technology and AI in math classrooms. Rather than serving as a "how-to" manual for specific tools, the resource provides a leadership framework that prioritizes equity, reasoning, teacher agency and instructional integrity.
MTEP was fortunate to have the lead authors of this guide, Michael Greenlee (professional learning director, NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education) and Chadd McGlone (co-journal editor, NCSM) present our March NIC-Cast. For those who were unable to attend, you can access the recording on YouTube.
As you navigate AI and technology use and other facets of these interesting times, position statements and other official resources published by national organizations can provide useful insights to guide your journey, as well as providing credible support for the decisions you make. These resources are easily accessible via the MTEP Policy Database, which includes extensive tagging as well as a search engine. We also encourage you to send other resources that you find useful to add to that database! Suggestions can be sent to Gary Martin at martiwg@auburn.edu.
Advocacy Corner: Each article will feature a few ways you and your programs can advocate for your programs and the profession. With the ever-changing political landscape, it’s important our voices, the voices of the teachers we prepare and the students they impact, are elevated and heard. The ideas presented each month are only suggestions and do not represent an endorsement of one organization, app, or tool over another. Have a favorite way you advocate? Please send additional suggestions for this list to mleadabrand2@unl.edu.