Learning Design and Technology ⊗Mathematics Education

 

My experience with technology and its products such as the internet and computers began during an undergraduate ICT course that primarily focused on basic computer skills and their hardware and software components. Over the last two decades, I have realized how newly emerging technologies directly and continuously influence the dynamic of the education sphere.  Furthermore, my background in mathematics and mathematics education enables me to understand the impact of emerging technologies on education. My true interest in the integration of technology into education was revitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis when the world was almost completely locked down. This was the tipping point for me to critically consider the ever-changing role and application of technology in all aspects of our daily lives. I then recognized and learned about the mandatory need to transition from in-person education to online education or a hybrid approach. My growing interest in technology drives me to study technology’s role in education and its potential as an educational investment for future generations, prompting me to enroll in the Learning Design and Technology Graduate Certificate Program at Arizona State University. I aim to attend required courses, work hard, and create a collaborative learning environment to pursue a career in learning design, technology, and mathematics education, promoting personalized and adaptive learning experiences.

Educational background and work experience

I’m Mekonnen Yimam, a senior faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at Haramaya University, is currently serving as an assistant professor in Mathematics Education. In 2022, I obtained my doctorate in Mathematics Education from Bahir Dar University. I received both my first degree (B.Ed. in Mathematics) and second degree (MSc in Mathematics) from Haramaya University in 2006 and 2011 respectively. Furthermore, in 2012, I completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Mathematical Sciences at AIMS, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

I began my professional career by joining the Department of Mathematics at Haramaya University as a graduate assistant in July 2006. Since then, I taught undergraduate and postgraduate mathematics, as well as mathematics education, and supervised, examined, and evaluated students’ essays and theses at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. I have been taking part in the university’s research and community service activities. For example, I consistently assisted in the administration of the Department’s annual mathematics Olympiad and training program, and I eagerly participated in various departmental activities assigned to me or initiated by myself, making significant contributions. I have published four articles on mathematics education in reputable journals. I also serve as the Mathematics department’s continuing education coordinator.

Professional skill sets

My research expertise in Mathematics Education has provided me with qualitative and quantitative research skills, as well as data processing and interpretation tools. My engagement in teamwork has helped me build collaborative, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Also, my critical reading of current research literature on technology integration in mathematics teaching and learning prompted me to discover more about the role of developing cutting-edge technologies in transformative education. I am then encouraged to pursue a profession in the field of Learning Design and Technology plus Mathematics Education, focusing on the intersection of emerging cutting-edges technologies and mathematics education. I will maximize my ability to contribute to the advancement of Learning Design and Technology to meet the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and digital world.

Short term and long-term goals

 For innovative integration of technology in mathematics education, I will make every effort to gain a solid foundation in educational technology skills and knowledge. In the short term, my goal is to enhance my understanding of the theoretical foundations and instructional models that underpin the Learning Design and Technology, with a particular focus on technological innovations applicable in mathematics education that make mathematics more accessible and real to learners’ understanding and reasoning

Some specific short term goals include

·         Developing technology-integrated course materials in Higher education

·         Creating learning environments that embeds virtual and augmented reality technologies  

·          Designing innovative assessment strategies in mathematics

·         Implementing data-driven intervention programs for maths teachers professional development 

Over the next five years, I aim to become a recognized researcher and learning design specialist in innovative education, establish an online collaborative teacher professional development forum, and create inclusive virtual math classrooms.

Below are some of my long-term goals:

·         Creating collaborative groups of learning designers for innovative education

·         Creating virtual maths platform for maths teacher professional development  

·         Set up an online school academy  

 My theoretical understanding  

 My approach to Learning Design and Technology is informed by prominent learning theories, including cognitive learning, situated learning, and sociocultural learning perspectives. From a cognitive learning perspective, educational technologies, viewed as cognitive tools, aid learners in understanding abstract concepts and enhancing thinking and problem-solving through visualization, online platforms, and multiple knowledge representation techniques. From a social learning perspective, educational technologies serve as a medium for social interactions in which people share ideas and perspectives on various online platforms, resulting in the construction of a shared knowledge. In the process of constructing knowledge, technology serves as a bridge. Technology can be viewed as a scaffolding mechanism that provides learners with technology-based support for personalized learning within the zone of proximal development. By focusing my reading on the systematic design of instruction (Dick & Carey, 1990), I have gained an understanding of a systematic approach to instructional design that includes models and methods for developing instructional materials.

Future Contribution to the Field

·      Providing a foundation for Ethiopian national policy dialogue on the potential of innovative technologies in transforming education for full-scale digitization, establishing online collaborative professional development platforms, and promoting equitable and inclusive education for all. My specific future contributions include gender equality in technology-embedded STEM fields and accessible educational technology to remote areas and students living in rural areas.

By focusing on the intersection of emerging cutting-edge technologies and mathematics education, I hope to help advance the field of Learning Design and Technology in response to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution generation and the digital transformation of education.