Re: Programmable Calculator Policies

[Doug Craigen <dcc@cyberspc.mb.ca>]

One problem with this discussion wherever I see it pop up is that the
immediate question gets lost among all sorts of larger philosophical and
methodological issues associated with teaching and examining students.

> From my perspective we have a fairly clear issue here: if you are planning
to in any way restrict the reference material that students bring in to
the exam, then calculators are an issue that you have to deal with.
Put it another way.  Would you permit a student to bring a stack of paper
to rummage through during an exam without ever checking what was on the
paper?  If not, you are showing a double standard if you aren't concerned 
about what they are bringing in their calculator (either in memory, or
perhaps written on small cards tucked into convenient hidden spots in
the built-in case).

While many counter arguments can be brought against calculator standards,
I suspect the main motivation is largely unspoken - trying to enforce
standards is a major pain in the neck and creates disruption at the
student's desk while you fumble about with their calculator.  I doubt that
any of us really want any of that.

Exams that I have given in the past have been composed to minizime any
potential benefit that could be derived from sneeking in more crib sheet
material than I permit.  But it always bugs me that dishonest students
might find a way around my rules to get an advantage over the others.

My own proposal for the calculator issue has been quite similar to
Leigh's, but doesn't focus on a particular institution.  I suspect that
attempts to get a standard calculator for examination purposes would get
bogged down in multiple political issues at most institutions.  My
proposal has been as follows:

I (for the sake of argument) make up a  trademark to indicate that
a calculator meets certain criteria.  Any manufacturer can obtain a
licence to have this trademark appear on any of their models that meet the
criteria.

So, for example, my trademark is "ExamSafe", appearing in red 4 mm high
letters, on a white background inside a blue box in the top left hand
corner of the calculator.  If this trademark appears it indicates:
1.  the calculator does not solve algebraic or calculus problems
2.  it does not have a memory capable of storing facts or equations.
3.  it only displays numbers in an acceptably small size (reading 
    answers off of large display calculators of other student is
    another common concern)
4.   .... others.... 

As Leigh pointed out, such a calculator would not be expensive.  For many
students it could still be the only calculator they ever needed to buy
(it would have been the only one I've ever needed). And if it caught of
(i.e. most teachers concerned about calculators in exams opted to require
the use of ExamSafe Calculators), they would have one small purchase that
eliminated a lot of student-teacher exam tension from high school through 
college. This approach does not favor individual manufacturers or force
particular models on the student.  There is at least one professional exam
(in accounting I believe) which has a society approved calculator
manufactured (by Sharp I believe).  I find this level of selectivity
distasteful, and if the idea ever caught on in a big way it would result
in competing models/trademarks from different companies, probably with
different "acceptable" criteria.  In other words, things would get very
confusing...

If anyone likes my proposal (or at least the generalities given here),
contact me by e-mail to talk further.

|++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|
| Doug Craigen                                                 |
|                                                              |
| If you think Physics is no laughing matter, think again .... |
|    http://cyberspc.mb.ca/~dcc/phys/humor.html                |
|++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++|