What do graphics calculators and pedagogical change in the secondary mathematics classrooms have in common?
Allan Leslie White
The University of Western Sydney, Australia
PP: 3 - 10
Abstract
Graphics calculators, with a screen large enough to display simultaneously graphs, tables or a student's keying sequence and answers to multiple problems, have gained widespread acceptance in secondary school classrooms. They provide a cheap, powerful tool for exploring and communicating particular mathematical concepts and their use by teachers in the classroom has been described using metaphors (White 2004) such as a demon, a servant, an idol, a partner or a liberator. They provide a potential 'pedagogical Trojan Horse', moving teachers towards greater student-centred classroom strategies (White 2004).
As teachers and students gain in confidence and experience in the use of graphics calculators, the very nature of the teaching and learning process in the classroom changes (Farrell 1996). Graphics calculators become a focus that the teacher and students can use to communicate and share their understanding (Simonson & Dick 1997).
This paper develops a matrix of pedagogical approaches available to the teacher intending to use graphics calculators in the classroom that arises from the research literature. It also discusses the limitations of graphics calculators and their pedagogical implications, such as using examples which push the graphics calculators' technical limits to assist student understanding (Cavanagh & Mitchelmore 2003).
Keywords
graphics calculators, pedagogical change, secondary mathematics classroom, teaching strategy
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