THIS MESSAGE WAS SUBMITTED THIS MORNING BUT WAS PROBABLY LOST.
I would like to share my impressions about graphic calculators from Texas
Instrument (Ti-83). Many mathematics teachers are highly enthusiastic
about such calculators. They think that teaching of math and science can
be elevated to a higher level with such devices because "drudgery" is
eliminated and time is gained for "cultivating higher level skills".
I never used a graphic calculator until this weekend. Therefore I am in
a good position to imagine how a youngster, who received the Ti83 as a
gift, may feel about it. Suppose he just opened the box and is trying to
learn about the gadget from the guidebook included. My guess is that the
kid would be frustrated and would give up very quickly. The book was
written for knowledgeable math teachers, not for novices. The kid would
likely conclude "I am too stupid to learn it by myself".
Now let me tell you how I, a "knowledgeable teacher" reacted to the same
task of learning about the Ti83. I opened the book and I saw familiar
things, matrix operations, programming, statistics, etc. I did what they
said and learned how "this or that" must be done. But the more I learn more
I am convinced that Ti83 operations are horrible. I have done these things
with other tools and I can not imagine how anyone can enjoy Ti83.
I suppose that what is true for this particular model is also true for
other calculators of that kind. How can I enjoy programming when I discover
that even simple expressions can not be typed directly? The words such as
IF or ELSE, or operators such as < or =, etc. must be cut from menus and
pasted into programs. And I must remember how to generate these menus and
submenus (which keys to press and in what order). And the screen is so
tiny. And the debugging is so difficult. And ...
I know it is not wise to formulate an opinion on the basis of a one-day
impression. But I have a desire to share these reflections. What do you
think about graphic calculators? How many of you use them in the CBL
activities? I also was motivated by the prospect of taking students
outside for data gathering. But I may change my mind. The learning curve
is so steep. And climbing it is so unpleasant. The MBL activities are much
more attractive in that respect. Yes, sophisticated calculators are less
expensive than computers. But are they worth using? What evidence is
available that teaching high school mathematics with them is more
productive than teaching it traditionally?
Ludwik Kowalski