Nurturing Creativity in Future Mathematics Teachers Through Embracing Technology and Failure

Abstract

This chapter discusses how modern educational technologies open new opportunities for educating creative and engaging mathematics teachers. In particular, the focus is on using technology to engage mathematics teacher-candidates in exploring how technology can facilitate productive mathematical thinking. The chapter emphasizes the need for viewing mathematics learning as a creative, collaborative and constructive process that sometimes is fraught with inevitable challenges and productive failures, and at other times filled with exhilarating discoveries and new insights. The chapter suggests various ways of implementing digital technologies, such as data collection and analysis tools, electronic response systems, PeerWise, computer simulations, dynamic mathematical software, and Collaborative Learning Annotation System in mathematics teacher education courses in order to inspire teacher-candidates to embrace technology-enhanced creative mathematical thinking. In addition, the importance of technology in scaffolding teacher-candidates and consequently mathematics learners in experiencing and overcoming productive mathematics learning failures is emphasized. The challenge of the implementation of these technologies in mathematics teacher education and the opportunities they offer for embracing creative mathematical thinking are also discussed.