Digital skills in the development of mathematics in upper elementary education

Abstract

Introduction: The integration of digital skills into mathematics teaching in upper basic education has become a fundamental educational necessity. This research analyzes this integration at the "Aurelio Salazar" Educational Unit during the 2024-2025 period, identifying the main problem as the limited use of digital tools by teachers and their lack of integration into curriculum planning. Materials and Methods: The study employed a mixed-methods approach (quantitative-qualitative) with a descriptive-explanatory design. A questionnaire was administered to 27 students and an observation checklist was completed with one mathematics teacher, using random sampling to ensure representativeness. Results: Students demonstrated a positive attitude toward technology (67%) and recognized its usefulness for understanding mathematical concepts (78%). However, 52% reported that their teacher never uses digital technologies in class, and when they do, it is mainly limited to smartphones (74%). Teacher observation confirmed limited technological knowledge and a complete lack of integration of digital resources into their lesson planning. Discussion: A significant gap exists between student interest and actual teaching practice. The findings align with the literature highlighting the importance of teachers' digital competencies for improving educational quality. Teacher training emerges as a crucial factor in closing this gap and leveraging the potential of ICT in mathematics learning. Conclusions: There is an urgent need to develop teachers' digital competencies to enable the effective integration of technology into mathematics teaching. It is recommended to implement teacher training programs, guarantee access to technological resources, and promote curriculum planning that systematically incorporates ICT to optimize the development of mathematical thinking in upper basic education.