It seems that calculators continue to be misunderstood as devices solely for calculation, although the likely contributions to learning mathematics with modern calculators arise from other characteristics. A four-part model to understand the educational significance of calculators underpins this paper. Each of the four components (representation,…

When teaching transformations of functions, teachers typically have students vary the coefficients of equations and examine the resulting changes in the graph. This approach, however, may lead students to memorise rules related to transformations. Students need opportunities to think deeply about transformations beyond superficial observations…

In this article, the author focuses on possible ways to develop the concepts of joint variation and function through the upper primary and lower secondary years of education. The examples demonstrate the building of a range of important mathematical ideas by modelling life-related situations using students' informal and intuitive knowledge. Over…

Illustrates the ease with which programs occupying only a single command line of a graphics calculator can be constructed. (MKR)

Discusses the appropriateness of lower secondary school students using graphics calculators instead of scientific calculators. (ASK)

Discusses the use of Calculator Based Ranger (CBR) in mathematics classrooms. Provides a classroom activity in which students graph walking in different directions and speeds. Presents student work and testing. (ASK)

Reviews 10 years of graphing calculators. Examines the issues associated with them and attempts to confront some questions such as, for the teacher, whether graphing calculators should be used in instruction. (ASK)

Offers a few examples of the ease with which science, mathematics, and technology can converge. Illustrates some of the potential of Calculator-Based Laboratory (CBL) and Calculator-Based Ranger (CBR) to study mathematics. (ASK)

Discusses the benefits of new technologies, especially graphing calculators, in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Presents two activities for teaching algebra and regression using graphing calculators. (ASK)

Shares observations on the use of graphing calculators based on anecdotal evidence and conversations with teachers in the United States. Compares these issues according to U.S. and Australian educational systems. Discusses the acceptance of calculators into the U.S. educational system, teacher expertise levels, and equity issues. (ASK)

This article describes a project in which certain key concepts in probability were explored using graphics calculators with year 10 students. The lessons were conducted in the regular classroom where students were provided with a Casio CFX 9850 GB PLUS graphics calculator with which they were familiar from year 9. The participants in the…

Not so long ago, the common response of teachers to high school use of computer algebra systems (CAS) was invariably along the lines of, "What will be left to teach if our students have access to devices which solve, factorise, do calculus and more?" and "If students use such tools, then they will never learn how to do their mathematics, and their…

An approach to equation solving using calculators that promotes the trial-and-error method as a useful strategy when combined with calculators is presented. The approach is specifically geared towards the secondary schools as a way of moving to harder equations that the linear and quadratic ones traditionally used. (MP)

Presents graphing calculator activities that rely on resolving the magnitude and direction form of vectors into their Cartesian components so that they are suitable as applications for vector or trigonometric relationships for years 10-12. (ASK)

Technology is evolving and now some secondary classrooms see students using computer algebra systems (CAS), however, Zbiek (2003) points out that "graphical representations seem to abound in CAS-using classrooms" and "many [research] studies of the use of CAS depend highly on the graphing component of the tool". Kissane (2001) suggests that with…