Abstract
The graphics calculator, sometimes referred to as the “super calculator,” has sparked great interest among mathematics educators. Considered by many to be a tool which has the potential to revolutionise mathematics education, a significant amount of research has been conducted into its effectiveness as a tool for instruction and learning within precalculus and calculus courses, specifically in the study of functions, graphing and modelling. Some results suggest that these devices (a) can facilitate the learning of functions and graphing concepts and the development of spatial visualisation skills; (b) promote mathematical investigation and exploration; and (c) encourage a shift in emphasis from algebraic manipulation and proof to graphical investigation and examination of the relationship between graphical, algebraic and geometric representations. Other studies, however, indicate that there is still a need for manipulative techniques in the learning of function and graphing concepts, that the use of graphics calculators may not facilitate the learning of particular precalculus topics, and that some “de-skilling” may occur, especially among males. It is the contention of this paper, however, that much of the research in this new and important field fails to provide clear guidance or even to inform debate in adequate ways regarding the role of graphics calculators in mathematics teaching and learning. By failing to distinguish the role of the tool from that of the instructional process, many studies reviewed could be more appropriately classified as “program evaluations” rather than as research on the graphics calculator per se. Further, claims regarding the effectiveness of the graphics calculator as a tool for learning frequently fail to recognise that judgments of effectiveness result directly from existing assumptions regarding both assessment practice and student “achievement.”
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Penglase, M., Arnold, S. The graphics calculator in mathematics education: A critical review of recent research. Math Ed Res J 8, 58–90 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355481
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03355481