Getting started with using technology to support explanations and modelling in maths

4 ways to use tech tools to enhance your explanations and modelling

1. Use dynamic representations to reveal structure

Mathematics is full of relationships that shift as one quantity changes. Dynamic tools such as GeoGebra or Desmos allow teachers to show these changes in real time, making the mathematical structure more visible. With a simple slider, a straight line can steepen or flatten, a quadratic can widen or narrow, and a transformation can be played forwards or backwards with accuracy that is difficult to achieve on a board.

In primary classrooms, dynamic fraction tools or angle applets can show, for example, how adjusting one part of a shape affects another. Rather than drawing repeated diagrams, teachers can focus their explanation on the relationships at play, guiding pupils towards noticing what stays the same and what changes.

In secondary settings, being able to link an equation, its graph and a table of values side by side, helps students see how each representation reinforces the others. Recent classroom research shows that students taught geometry with GeoGebra-assisted instruction gained stronger conceptual understanding of geometric ideas than those taught through conventional approaches. The real benefit comes from being able to control what students attend to. A single adjustment can spark a discussion about gradient, scale, symmetry or rate of change, without the distraction of redrawing the entire example.

2. Strengthen conceptual understanding with virtual manipulatives

Manipulatives have long supported learning in maths, especially in primary classrooms where students build early number sense. Virtual manipulatives extend this by offering a level of precision and flexibility that is harder to maintain with concrete resources. Blocks snap neatly into place, algebra tiles hold their shape, and number lines adjust seamlessly. Many tools also display symbolic notation alongside the visual model, helping students make the important transition from concrete to abstract.

For primary students, virtual base ten blocks or bar models can help explain regrouping in addition and subtraction or represent fractions with accuracy. Students can adjust the model and immediately see the corresponding symbolic changes, reinforcing understanding rather than memorisation.

In secondary classrooms, algebra tiles or balance model representations support explanations for expanding brackets, factorising and solving equations. They offer a bridge between the physical arrangement of tiles and the symbolic structure of an expression. A meta-analysis of virtual manipulatives, synthesising 66 studies, reported moderate positive effects on mathematics achievement – when these tools were used alongside explicit teaching and clear links to notation.

Virtual tools also support inclusion. Students with fine motor difficulties may find digital movement easier – and teachers can scale, zoom or adjust colour contrast to suit students’ needs. As with all technology, the value lies in how the representation is used, not in the tool itself.

3. Capture and revisit modelling with screencasting and digital ink

One of the challenges in maths is that live explanations disappear as soon as they are rubbed off the board. Screencasting offers teachers a way to capture their modelling so that students can revisit key steps later. A short recording of a worked example, with digital ink and narration, gives students access to the teacher’s reasoning at their own pace. They can pause, replay or slow the explanation without feeling rushed.

This approach supports both primary and secondary learners. In primary, teachers might record a slow, deliberate explanation of how to set out column subtraction or how to interpret a bar chart. In secondary, recordings might cover solving simultaneous equations, working with standard form or constructing loci.

Research shows that visual, interactive screencasts can make conceptual learning more accessible and help students develop a deeper understanding of key ideas. As it says in this research paper:

“mathscasts… enable students to develop deeper understanding of key foundational concepts… [and] provide explanations of complex concepts and reinforcement of concepts previously learnt.” 

Departments often find that building a small library of method videos brings consistency, so pupils hear the same language and layout across classes.

A simple visualiser can also make modelling more effective. Teachers can annotate directly onto textbooks, worksheets or students’ work, making the explanation feel immediate and supported with familiar resources.

4. Enrich mathematical talk through student-generated explanations

When students explain a method, they deepen their own understanding. Digital tools enable more students to contribute without the pressure of standing at the front of the class. A short screen recording, where a student explains a method using a stylus or mouse, offers powerful insights into their understanding of the concept.

In primary classrooms, pupils might narrate how they partition a number, build an array or interpret a bar model. In secondary settings, they might explain their choice of method for expanding brackets or talk through a graphing decision. These recordings help teachers identify gaps in understanding and allow students to rehearse mathematical language with precision.

This practice aligns with research showing that structured explanation and worked example analysis can support problem solving and reduce errors. With technology, the process becomes more inclusive and easier to manage.