2025 Theses Doctoral

In-service geometry teachers’ technology use and beliefs: Developments catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic

Mei, Baldwin

Secondary geometry’s emphasis on conjecturing, proof, and visuo-spatial reasoning skills makes it an important steppingstone for students’ mathematical journey. The COVID-19 pandemic caused notable learning loss in mathematics still felt to this day. However, it also increased technology use due to mandatory remote learning, some of which have shown promise in improving geometry learning outcomes. The dual need to redress students’ learning loss and better understand the impact of widespread technological integration into geometry teaching during COVID suggest there is value in understanding the impact of COVID-19 on secondary geometry teachers’ technology use. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in in-service secondary geometry teachers’ technology use and beliefs before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

This qualitative study investigated New York City secondary geometry teachers who had taught geometry before, during, and after COVID. Data collected consisted of survey data, teaching artifacts, and interviews, which were analyzed to come to a holistic understanding of what, how, and how frequently technologies were used, teachers’ beliefs about technology, and why technologies were chosen by participants. From this analysis, profiles of geometry teacher technology use and beliefs were generated to illustrate trends that resulted from the COVID pandemic’s influence.

The study found that secondary geometry teachers largely maintained their pre-COVID technology use patterns in post-COVID, with limited technological imports as a result of COVID. However, teachers during COVID used technologies in ways that favored direct instruction over exploratory learning. Teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs increased, but their belief in the efficacy of technology did not change. Five profiles of secondary geometry teachers’ technology use with varying levels of technology use and beliefs were generated.

The implications of these findings suggest that post-COVID geometry teaching has added asynchronous supports for struggling students, but that teachers are split regarding using technology tools for geometry specific tasks, some favoring the collaborative affordances offered by analog technologies, especially for developing proof and conjecture skills, while others appreciate the visuo-spatial reasoning support that comes from digital technologies. The five profiles can serve to inform school administrators and teacher educators how to approach improving technology use for specific groups of secondary geometry teachers.