Technology Integration for Probability

Olivia Jordan
North Carolina State University

Since I am a former math teacher who struggled with integrating technology in my

classroom, I wanted to research and find resources that I could utilize in teaching probability. I
decided to focus on two sections of the Common Core State Standards for Math: Conditional
Probability and the Rules of Probability, S-CP, and Using Probability to Make Decisions, S-MD
(Mathematics Standards, 2014). My integration strategies concentrate on a high school
perspective, but most of these ideas can be adapted for use in a middle school classroom when
studying basic probability. Often in my classroom, students either loved or hated the probability
unit. Some really struggled to understand the ideas because the concepts were abstract.
Therefore, I wanted to find new technologies and websites to help students better understand
probability concepts.
The first type of technology that can be helpful in teaching probability is the use of
simulations. In an article by Beck and Huse, they explain the differences in using concrete
manipulatives and virtual manipulatives in their classrooms (2007). In their classrooms, they
utilized several virtual manipulatives for spinner situations and coin flips. The spinner website
showed students their results in a bar graph which Beck and Huse point out is a quick way for
students to see and analyze their overall findings (2007). In Beck and Huses experiences, they
noted that students could change the conditions of the virtual spinner (2007). This allows
students to quickly change the conditions for the probability experiment and test new hypotheses.
They stated that the virtual manipulatives sped up the data collection process and allowed
students more time to focus on the mathematical ideas (Beck & Huse, 2007). I found this to be
the case in my own classroom as well. It took quite a bit of time for students to roll a pair of dice
in class, especially when dice landed on the floor and had to be picked up, but it didnt take as
long if they used a dice simulation. This allows students to have more time in class to analyze

their results instead of using that time to collect the data. Roybler and Doering state that virtual
manipulatives, even though mostly used at the elementary school level, can positively impact the
mathematics attitudes of high school students (2013). These authors also quote Sarama and
Clements in saying that virtual manipulatives can be more manageable, flexible, extensible, and
clean (Roybler & Doering, 2013).
There are numerous websites that include simulations and data collection. One site I
found is a Weebly called Interactive Sites for Education: Probability that has a collection of
simulations and games for students to play to learn probability concepts (n.d). The Weebly has a
wide range of websites in regards to complexity. There are several interactive games and
simulations that are very basic and could also be utilized in a middle school setting. However,
there are also more complex simulations such as the simulation for Plinko which shows a graph
of the number landed on, counts the sample size, and calculates the mean and standard deviation
for the data.
Kazak, Wegerif, and Fujita suggest that probability simulations along with student
dialogue give students an opportunity to examine the reasoning behind unknown situations and
help them better understand difficult probability concepts (2013). Their study involved 7th grade
students who analyzed two bags of chips. One bag had all red chips while the second bag had
half blue chips and half red chips. Students drew from the bags several times to analyze the
fairness of the second bag. Some students thought they would draw the same color the majority
of the time from the second bag. However, they utilized Tinkerplots 2.0, a computer program, to
run a simulation of the game 1000 times. Afterwards, students made the connection that the
second bag was fair because they had an equal chance of drawing a red chip or blue chip. The
authors suggest that if students had only repeated the experiment 20 times without using a

simulation, the results may have been too varied to understand that the activity had a fair
outcome (Kazak et al., 2013).
If a teacher had access to a SMART Board, he or she could use this software to display a
simulation from the SMART Technologies software for a whole group demonstration or
discussion. Kallstrom suggests using SMART Boards interactive items, such as dice and coins,
to teach probability in the classroom (2012). This would be one way for a teacher to introduce a
basic probability concept or explain an activity to students before they begin.
When I first think of using simulations in the classroom, I often think of using a website
or online program. However, often students or math teachers have calculators available. As
suggested by Anthony Nazzarett in his probability lesson for a 7th grade mathematics classroom,
calculators can be used to conduct simulations (n.d.). He uses the Probability Simulation
available for TI-84 and TI-84 Plus and asks students to collect data for 50 coin tosses at a time
using this program. They record each set of data and repeat the simulation until they have 1000
trials (Nazzarett, n.d.). This helps students to quickly gather data from a large number of trials
and potentially see the effects of the law of large numbers.
Choo-Kim Tan conducted a study on the effects of graphing calculators on pre-university
students in a probability class (2012). Tan divided students into two groups: an experimental
group which used graphing calculators during instruction and a control group which utilized the
textbook for instruction. Students took a Probability Achievement Test before and after the 14
week instruction. While there was no statistical difference in student scores prior to instruction,
afterwards there was a significant difference when a hypothesis test was tested at the 5%
significance level. Tan attributes this increase in the results of the experimental group to reduced
time performing calculations, fewer careless errors when using the graphing calculators, more

opportunities for active participation during class, further analysis of problems, and increased
understanding due to the visual representations provided by the graphing calculators (2012).
Interactive games are another way to incorporate technology in a mathematics classroom.
Tom DeRosa, a former math teacher, blogged about a game he utilized in his classroom to teach
probability basics. His students played Deal or No Deal and recorded data on a spreadsheet
during the game. Each row of the spreadsheet represented one round of the game, and students
used these rows to record the bank offer, the number of briefcases remaining that had more
money than the bank offer, the probability of the class winning more money than the current
bank offer, and whether or not the class took the deal. DeRosa used a card game version of Deal
or No Deal and created worksheets for students to record their data on (2008). However, this
game could easily be adapted to use technology. I played Deal or No Deal in my classroom, but
instead of using a card game I used the games app on my iPad and utilized my projector so that
the whole class could see the briefcases that were chosen and remaining. If students each had
laptops or iPads, the teacher could send out a Google Sheets template with the four columns
mentioned earlier, and students could type in their data. After the class had played once together,
students could even work in groups to play individual games and record data. I always enjoyed
using this game in my classroom on the first day or two of our probability unit as a review of
how to calculate probabilities and remind students that probability helps us shape our decisions
even if we may not realize it.
A third way to support the teaching of probability while utilizing technology is
webquests. Sites such as Probability Webquest allow students to explore specific probability
websites, simulations, or games and then create a finished product to showcase their knowledge.
Probability Webquest has students visit 4 websites and record their data and findings from

each on a worksheet. This worksheet is their evaluation component of the webquest, and to wrap
up the activity, students answer a reflection question as part of the conclusion (Probability
Webquest, n.d.). Webquests are a way for teachers to help direct student exploration through a
series of simulations, games, and activities.
Videos and songs are another way to incorporate technology into a mathematics
classroom. A website like Khan Academy offers probability videos for students to view when
learning, reviewing, or getting additional help on a probability topic. In addition, Khan Academy
offers practice problems for students to complete during lessons. This is part of their coach
resource, and teachers have the option of assigning specific lessons to students. There is also a
scavenger hunt provided on the Khan Academy website to help students familiarize themselves
with the sites features. In the Why I Use Khan Academy - an Educators Perspective video
provided on their website, teachers reiterate that Khan Academy allows for more individualized
learning in their classroom (Khan Academy, 2014). Probability songs created by students or
educators can help students remember concepts or formulas. For example, Jojoluvs uploaded
The Probability Song set to the tune of a Bruno Mars song. It explains the basic formula for
identifying the probability of an event, probability of independent events, and complements
(2011). This song would allow students to quickly review basic probability concepts at the end
of a lesson or the next day at the beginning of class. In addition, students could write their own
song and create a video explaining a probability concept.
Online spreadsheets and data collaboration are essential in a statistics classroom and can
be incorporated in a probability unit. Staley, Moyer-Packenham, and Lynch suggest using a
telecollaboration project to teach statistics and data collection. They describe a Fruit Loops
telecollaboration project that included data collection by students from kindergarten to high

school. Data was downloaded each week in the form of spreadsheets and also onto students
graphing calculators. The authors describe in-depth the four units completed by an AP level
statistics class utilizing these data sets. One unit, Anticipating Patterns, helped students explore
expected value, relative frequency probabilities, the law of large numbers, and probability
distributions (Staley et al., 2005). Telecollaboration projects help students develop data
collecting skills in addition to collaboration skills while increasing their understanding of
mathematical concepts.
Therefore, probability instruction can be supported and enhanced by utilizing technology
in a variety of formats. As noted earlier, simulations, graphing calculators, interactive games,
webquests, videos and songs, and data collection tools can help students explore probability
concepts and test hypotheses. These technology tools allow students to complete calculations
faster, analyze real-world situations, and collaborate with peers.

References
Beck, S., & Huse, V. (2007). A Virtual Spin on the Teaching of Probability. Teaching
Children Mathematics, 13(9), 482-486.
Beigie, D., Johnson, G., & Dogbey, J. (2010). Mathematical Explorations: Probability
Experiments with Shared Spreadsheets. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle
School, 15(8), 486-491.
DeRosa, T. (2008, February 9). I Want to Teach Forever. Retrieved November 22,
2014, from
http://www.teachforever.com/2008/02/lesson-idea-probability-using-deal-or.html
Interactive Sites for Education: Probability. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2014, from
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/probability.html
Jojoluvs. (2011, May 31). The Probability Song. Retrieved December 2, 2014, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xm1SDlnvh4
Kallstrom, L. (2012, January 17). Easy Ways to Use the SMART Board in Your Math Lessons.
Retrieved December 1, 2014, from
http://www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-math-lessons/29716-using-smartboards-in-your-math-lesson-plans/
Kazak, S., Wegerif, R., & Fujita, T. (2013). 'I Get it Now!' Stimulating Insights About
Probability Through Talk and Technology. Mathematics Teaching, (235), 30-33.
Khan Academy. (2014). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from
https://www.khanacademy.org/
Mathematics Standards. (2014). Retrieved November 26, 2014, from
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/

Nazzarett, A. (n.d.). Learning Probability with Technology and Manipulatives [PDF file].
Retrieved November 30, 2014, from
http://math.buffalostate.edu/~it/projects/Nazzarett.pdf
Probability WebQuest. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2014, from
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Staley, J., Moyer-Packenham, P., & Lynch, M. C. (2005). Technology-Supported Mathematics
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Tan, C. (2012). Effects of the application of graphing calculator on students probability
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