Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: [Phys-L] physics with and/or without calculators



It is certainly hard to change the culture and to thwart their expectations
that they can use calculators on an exam. That said, I have become
convinced that calculators are an awful crutch that disables many students,
preventing them from growing significantly in their mathematical
understanding.

It may be hard, but helping students grow up and leave the cradle is
something we as educators need to be willing to do. If my students whine
about having to give algebraic rather than numerical answers to test
problems, I generally tell them that they can find some other course to
take.



On Thu, Dec 19, 2013 at 10:40 AM, Anthony Lapinski <Anthony_Lapinski@pds.org
wrote:

Hard to change the calculator culture of teachers, school, and
standardized tests.
All kids have calculators. Students will use them at home. And they would
want/expect
to be able to use them on a test.

Phys-L@Phys-L.org writes:
On 12/19/2013 08:35 AM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:
Over the years I have thought about teaching physics without a
calculator.
I could
essentially make up math problems where the numbers would come out as
simple,
non-repeating decimals.

You can split the difference. Assign some problems like that,
along with some where calculators are allowed.

===========

Funny story: Once upon a time the chemistry class allowed students
to use calculators only after they demonstrated competence doing
basic math by hand. One smart but slightly scatterbrained student
flunked the basic test. She came to me for help. I said calculator,
shmalculator, you don't need a calculator for HS chemistry. I taught
her the tricks for doing arithmetic fast without a calculator, up to
and including square roots. She would have been allowed to re-take
the basic math test to get permission to use a calculator, but she
never bothered, because -- after a modest amount of practice -- doing
calculations in her head was faster than reaching for the calculator.

In addition, sometimes (albeit not always) thinking about the
numbers helps develop insight about the nature of the problem.

_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l


_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l




--
Todd K. Pedlar
Associate Professor of Physics
Luther College, Decorah, IA
todd.pedlar@luther.edu
or pedlto01@luther.edu