The use of interactive screencasts to promote active and engaged learning in the Further Education mathematics classroom: A descriptive case study from North East England

This Research-to-Practice Work in Progress paper explores the lifelong learning sector which is an important but often challenging area of education. It can be subject to low and inconsistent levels of funding and can attract students who find certain areas of the curriculum particularly challenging. This can lead to a lack of engagement and disruptive behaviour in the classroom. For over a decade, the UK government have been keen to ensure that all adults have a minimum level of ‘functional skills' including mathematics. In England's Further Education Colleges, this means many students have to study mathematics alongside their main subject programme, even though they may not be motivated to do so. The aim of this research study is to investigate if technology and specifically interactive screen casts can motivate and engage these students in their mathematics classrooms. This research adopts a case study action research approach working with a group of learners and their teachers/classroom assistants in a college in North East England. The preliminary results indicate that these learners struggle with motivation and engagement. The adoption of technology in the form of interactive screencasts could bring benefits to these types of learners by providing a more active and individualized learning experience addressing their motivation and engagement issues and accommodating a range of learning styles.