An Analysis of the Dynamics of Mathematics Classes with Digital Technology Based on Activity Theory

The digital paradigm shift has led to a digital transformation of education, emphasizing the use of technology in teaching and learning. However, the effectiveness of technology in math classrooms is ambivalent, and it is necessary to understand how to apply it. This study analyzed the mathematics lessons of two teachers in order to reveal the dynamics of lessons with digital technologies in a view of teaching practice and to identify pitfalls and opportunities through activity theory. The results of the study showed that the activities within the classroom community were dynamically changing over time through the interaction among the elements of the activity system, and various pitfalls and opportunities appeared in the process. The teacher, as the subject of the activity, could appropriately change the purpose of the activity and turned the pitfalls into opportunities. The significance of this study is that it examines the actual use of digital technologies in schools and the dynamics of mathematics classes using digital technologies in focusing on teachers. In particular, unlike previous studies, this study did not emphasize the implementation of instructional plans, so it is meaningful in which the dynamics of the lessons can be investigated by observing the lessons in a natural setting, and the teacher’s role as a central figure in the activity is emphasized, which provides meaningful implications for future research on the use of digital technology and the development of instructional models, as well as research and development of the role of the teacher’s competencies for teaching in the digital era.