Digital and 21st Century Competences: Challenges and Difficulties in The Teaching and Learning of Mathematics by Ecuadorian Teachers

Abstract

The objective of the study is to identify the challenges and difficulties faced by Ecuadorian Teachers in the implementation of GeoGebra as a didactic resource for the teaching and learning of mathematics. The research is framed in a mixed exploratory sequence approach with a population of 832 teachers who were trained by the Ecuadorian Institute of GeoGebra (IEG) at the National University of Education in the period 2017-2020. The sampling was non-random conformed by N=144 teachers, who answered the online questionnaire. The instruments were the 32-item questionnaire grouped into three parts: (1) sociodemographic aspect, (2) difficulties in implementing GeoGebra in the classroom, (3) challenges of implementing GeoGebra rated on a Likert scale, and (4) open-ended questions about the advantages and disadvantages of using GeoGebra in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed with SPSS and ATLAS.ti. The results show that the difficulties that teachers have faced in the implementation of GeoGebra in the classroom is the digital gap existing in the 21st century through lack of access to technological equipment (87.5%), followed by the lack of training in the use of GeoGebra (79.1%). The advantages of using GeoGebra respond to the potential of using GeoGebra in the teaching and learning of mathematics, which are linked to the dynamic, innovative, interactive and user-friendly tool.