Note: This post is in response to Week 3 Module 3 Blog 1
This week we’re looking at a variety of hardware and
software technologies for use in the classroom. I’ve chosen a Texas Instruments
TX-Nspire CX-CAS calculator which I’m learning to use for my own studies.
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| Image from https://education.ti.com/en/products/calculators/graphing-calculators/ti-nspire-cx-cas |
CAS
stands for Computer Algebra Software which allows programming of complex
operations with the calculator. There are many resources available for the
classroom use of this calculator, including class sets, networking hardware,
teacher software and charging stations (see https://education.ti.com/en/products?category=ti-nspire-technology
), not to mention online teaching resources, some specifically for Australia
(e.g. http://compasstech.com.au/nsw/index.html
).
One of the limits of using such hardware are the rules
around their use for assessments. The current NSW HSC does not allow this type
of calculator, although I note that the Victorian VCE does. The Australian Curriculum (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], n.d.) does not yet specify approved
calculators, however it does indicate in the ICT capabilities that CAS can
engage students and promote understanding (ACARA, n.d.).
These rules mean that although the average smartphone has more processing
power, memory and storage than the calculator, calculators are still developed
specifically for use in mathematics classrooms (alongside software and apps which have similar capabilities).
The use of CAS in the classroom can enable students to solve
problems outside of their pen and paper skills and to be more willing to
attempt unfamiliar problems (Cameron & Ball, 2015). To really take advantage of
this though, we need to shift the focus to teaching competencies which
complement the work of computers rather than compete with it (Gravemeijer, Stephan, Julie, Lin, & Ohtani, 2017).
I wonder whether we will reach a point where the use of
smartphones/internet/computers becomes a non-issue and the curriculum is truly
adjusted to cater for this? I know from my own experience that simply having a
calculator which can do complex calculations is not enough – in the end we need
a level of conceptual understanding to be able to ask the right question, enter
the right calculations, analyse and break down the problem (Gravemeijer et al., 2017). Will students lose the
capability of doing these calculations manually, or with a “standard”
scientific calculator? Perhaps, but is that a problem? Could stand alone calculators
ultimately go the way of the abacus or the slide rule?
References
Australian
Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (n.d.). Australian
Curriculum. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
Cameron, S., & Ball, L. (2015). CAS or pen-and-paper: Factors
that influence students' choices. Mathematics
Education Research Group of Australasia.
Gravemeijer, K., Stephan, M., Julie, C., Lin, F.-L., & Ohtani,
M. (2017). What mathematics education may prepare students for the society of
the future? International Journal of
Science and Mathematics Education, 15(1), 105-123.
doi:10.1007/s10763-017-9814-6
yes, now you are lifting to the next level well done, don't forget 2 posts for each week. Sandra SC
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra, running a little behind but the 2nd post for week 3 is up now :-)
DeleteThanks for your insight Michelle! I wanted to write about a hardware specific to mathematics for my post also but struggled to find anything that I, myself, would actually use in a classroom. I agree that these calculation software are useful, but what do you think of these single-use hardware devices, such as graphic calculators?
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren, I definitely think they have a place at the moment (which is why I bought one) however I feel that ultimately they only really hold value because certain models are allowed in exams (as opposed to computers/phones/software which generally are not). In a strange way, I think the education market is keeping calculator manufacturers in business!
Delete