On the nature of students' digital mathematical performances

In this book I analyze twenty-two digital mathematical performances (DMPs) available at www.mathfest.ca. The focus is on the role of the arts and technology in shaping elementary school students’ mathematical communication and thinking. I employ qualitative case studies, along with video analysis, using categories of what makes good films (surprises, sense-making, emotions, and visceral sensations). I also conduct an analysis using the mathematical processes and strands of the Ontario Curriculum. The multimodal nature of DMP is one of its most significant pedagogic attributes. The playfulness offers scenarios for students’ collaboration and creativity. The production of conceptual DMPs is a rare event. Some DMPs explore mathematical surprises, emotions, and sensations, but they have gaps in terms of sense-making. The use of the arts and technologies does not guarantee the mathematical conceptuality of DMPs. This study contributes to mathematics education with a discussion about how mathematical ideas can be communicated and represented as multimodal-artistic texts at the elementary school level, pointing out directions about the pedagogic components for conceiving conceptual DMPs.