International audience Many recent curriculum reforms aim to address shortfalls with regard to student engagement with mathematics by harnessing the affordances of technology, social constructivist pedagogies, contextual scenarios, and/ or approaches aligned with Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). However, these may not sit well within a conventional classroom setting; a 21 st Century (21C) learning model may be more appropriate. This paper describes a teaching experiment in Ireland, supporting an ongoing curriculum reform; it used technology-mediated activities consonant with social constructivism, RME, and 21C learning. The study involved twenty students (aged 15–17) over a two-day period. Results suggest that the approach has the potential to increase student engagement with and confidence in mathematics.