In the abstract for "Calculus for a New Century: A Pump, Not a Filter," Lynn Steen wrote: "The authors agree on the forces that are reshaping calculus, but disagree on how to respond to these forces. They agree that the current course is not satisfactory, yet disagree about new content emphases. They agree that the neglect of…

Two decades ago, in an award-winning paper, Dan Kennedy (1995) likened learning mathematics to climbing a tree, for which there was only one way to climb: up a large and solid trunk. In the limited time that is available, many students give up the climb, impede others, fall off the trunk, or fail to climb the tree sufficiently well. In the case of…

Logarithms continue to play an important role in mathematics (most significantly in calculus), science, and engineering. It is therefore important for students to understand logarithms as real numbers as well as the characteristics of logarithmic functions. Exploration of challenges in understanding logarithms as real numbers and logarithmic…

Australian secondary school systems offer three levels of senior (year 12) mathematics studies, none of them compulsory: elementary, intermediate and advanced. The intermediate and advanced studies prepare students for further mathematics studies at university level. In the state of Victoria, there are two versions of intermediate mathematics: one…

Technology impacts students' learning experiences. The increased use of calculators, computer algebra systems, and computer-based and Web-based assessments opens up new opportunities and challenges for teaching and learning mathematics. Students' lives are becoming busier, and they have less time to dedicate to homework outside the classroom.…

The integration of digital technology confronts teachers, educators and researchers with many questions. What is the potential of ICT for learning and teaching, and which factors are decisive in making it work in the mathematics classroom? To investigate these questions, six cases from leading studies in the field are described, and decisive…

The revolution of technology in education has heralded a new wave of learning styles and in some cases total dependence on technology. Yet, statistics reveal no significant improvement in student performance in Mathematics and a downward trend in basic algebra skills. The major impediment in the learning process is lack of understanding of the…

The solutions of the discrete logistic growth model based on a difference equation and the continuous logistic growth model based on a differential equation are compared and contrasted. The investigation is conducted using a dynamic interactive spreadsheet. (Contains 5 figures.)

MATLAB is a powerful package for numerical computation. MATLAB contains a rich pool of mathematical functions and provides flexible plotting functions for illustrating mathematical solutions. The course of calculus-based business mathematics consists of two major topics: 1) derivative and its applications in business; and 2) integration and its…

This study used concept maps to investigate the effect of using graphing calculators on students' understanding of the derivative at a point. The study looked for differences between the concept images that are held by students' who are using graphing calculators and the students who are not using them. Seventy one students enrolled in two…

This paper focuses on using technology to support mathematics instruction. Technologies such as computers and calculators are widely used in the teaching of mathematics. The educators advocate the use of these tools to reduce tiresome computations and tasks so that class time can be more effectively used for learning mathematics. The purpose of…

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a graphical teaching and learning approach via the graphing calculator enhances students' understanding of the formal definition of limit. College students in six sections of Calculus I participated by completing a test prior to the introduction of the definition, and completing a second…

The paper concerns the analysis of the role of artefacts and instruments in approaching calculus by graphic-symbolic calculator at high school level. We focus on an element of the introduction of calculus: the global/local game. We discus the hypothesis that the zoom-controls of calculator support the production of gestures and metaphors that…

An experienced mathematics teacher in a rural high school in the United States was studied as she first implemented a reform calculus curriculum. Her instruction was compared to her previous practice using a curriculum not constructed with the reform movement in mind. Despite her early attempts to make her instructions more student-centered, the…

Forty-two studies comparing students with access to graphing calculators during instruction to students who did not have access to graphing calculators during instruction are the subject of this meta-analysis. The results on the achievement and attitude levels of students are presented. The studies evaluated cover middle and high school…