ABERDEEN, S.D. — Dr. Monte Meyerink, assistant professor of mathematics education and director of the Math Clinic at Northern State University, has co-authored new research examining how future teachers evaluate technology-enhanced geometry activities and decide whether they would use those activities in their classrooms.
Meyerink co-authored the study with Dr. Fenqjen Luo of Montana State University. Their article, “K-8 Pre-Service Teachers’ Evaluation of Existing Geometry Activities That Utilise a Technological Resource,” was published in Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, the peer-reviewed journal of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
The study examined how 44 K-8 pre-service teachers evaluated existing geometry activities incorporating technological resources such as mathematical games, virtual manipulatives and dynamic geometry environments. Researchers considered what participants liked and disliked about the activities, why they would or would not consider using them in their future classrooms and how the activities aligned with the PICRAT technology integration framework.
“This research provides insight into how future teachers evaluate technology-enhanced mathematics activities before entering the profession,” Meyerink said. “Understanding the characteristics of activities that pre-service teachers value, question and ultimately choose to implement can help teacher educators better prepare future mathematics teachers to integrate technology effectively and meaningfully.”
The PICRAT framework considers how students interact with technology — passively, interactively or creatively — and whether technology replaces, amplifies or transforms traditional instructional practices.
The study found that pre-service teachers most frequently selected and evaluated activities that promoted interactive student engagement and amplified instruction. Technology-enhanced mathematical games that provided immediate feedback were particularly common among the activities selected.
More than 90% of participants indicated they would consider using the geometry activity they evaluated in their future classrooms.
Researchers also found that relatively few participants selected activities representing the creative or transformative levels of technology integration, where students create mathematical products or participate in learning experiences that would be difficult to accomplish without technology. The findings suggest teacher preparation programs may benefit from providing future educators with additional opportunities to explore creative and transformative uses of educational technology.
“Dr. Meyerink’s research is a great example of the expertise our faculty bring to Northern,” said Dr. Anna Schwan, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of Northern State University’s Millicent Atkins School of Education. “When our faculty are engaged in research like this, our students benefit because they’re learning from people who are asking important questions about what works in today’s classrooms. That strengthens how we prepare future teachers and, ultimately, the students they’ll go on to teach.”
The research builds on Meyerink’s ongoing scholarship in mathematics teacher preparation and technology integration. In 2025, Meyerink and Luo published research examining K-8 pre-service teachers’ perspectives and anticipated practices related to technology integration in mathematics.
Meyerink joined Northern’s faculty in 2022 as a mathematics education specialist. He teaches undergraduate mathematics and mathematics education courses as well as graduate research methodology and directs the Math Clinic. His research focuses on mathematics teacher preparation.
A Northern alumnus, Meyerink earned both his Bachelor of Science in Education and Master of Science in Education from Northern State University. He earned his doctorate from Montana State University.
The full research article is available at mted.merga.net.au/index.php/mted/article/view/1390.
For more information, contact Chad Hatzenbuhler, director of communications and marketing, at chad.hatzenbuhler@northern.edu or 605-626-2046.