Using Show and Tell Apps to Engage Students in Problem-Solving in the Mathematics Classroom

Abstract

Show and Tell apps, which record students as they speak and write on a tablet, have a number of affordances for student learning in mathematics. One of these affordances is their utility in engaging students in problem-solving processes. Three iterations of research into Show and Tell apps present evidence that using Show and Tell apps for problem-solving can lead to improvements in the level and quality of student engagement. Students are encouraged to socially negotiate their understandings and Show and Tell apps can make student thinking more visible during this process. The apps also scaffold students to reflect on the processes they used for problem-solving.