ABERDEEN, S.D. – Dr. Monte Meyerink, assistant professor of mathematics education and director of the NSU Math Clinic at Northern State University, has co-authored a peer-reviewed research article examining how future teachers plan to integrate technology into K-8 mathematics instruction.
The article, titled "K-8 Pre-Service Teachers' Technology Integration in Mathematics: Perspectives and Anticipated Practices," was published in the June 2025 issue of the Journal of Research in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, a free, open-access journal published by Eastern Mennonite University.
Meyerink's research explored pre-service teachers' knowledge of technology integration, their questions and concerns about implementing technology in the classroom, and their anticipated practices for using technology to teach mathematics. The study also compared two prominent technology integration frameworks — the SAMR and PICRAT (Passive, Interactive and Creative for student engagement, as well as Replacement, Amplification, Transformation for the impact on teaching practices) models — to evaluate their effectiveness as planning tools for educators. The SAMR model outlines four levels of technology integration: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition. The PICRAT model helps educators think critically about how they integrate technology into their classroom: Passive, Interactive and Creative related to students’ relationship to technology, and Replacement, Amplification and Transformation related to the impact on teacher practice.
Key findings from the research revealed that pre-service teachers reported limited knowledge of technology integration and had questions about when and how to effectively incorporate technology into their teaching. Despite these concerns, participants indicated they anticipate using technology frequently in their future classrooms. The study found that pre-service teachers tend to design technology-enhanced mathematics activities that foster interactive learning and amplify instruction. Additionally, the research highlighted the PICRAT model as a particularly useful framework for planning technology integration in K-8 mathematics contexts.
"This research contributes to a deeper understanding of pre-service teachers' readiness to use technology to teach K-8 mathematics concepts before they enter the teaching profession," Meyerink said. "These findings, paired with the comparison of the SAMR and PICRAT models, are especially useful to teacher educators for programming and research purposes."
Meyerink joined Northern's faculty in 2022 and has experience teaching mathematics to students in grades 5-16. At Northern, he primarily teaches undergraduate-level mathematics and mathematics education courses, as well as a graduate-level research methodology course. His research interests focus on the preparation of mathematics teachers.
Meyerink’s full research article is available at https://jrsmte.com/article/k-8-pre-service-teachers-technology-integration-in-mathematicsperspectives-and-anticipated-practices-16424.