The concept of function is central in mathematics and grows in importance as one progresses in depth and breadth of understanding mathematics. Results from national assessment progress reports indicate that the majority of students do not comprehend the concepts of function and graphing. Technology has the potential to improve the understanding of…

This book is a compatible instructional component to any algebra textbook and was developed by University of Hawaii under the Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education Improvement Act. The tasks align with the content and instructional approach used in daily classes that emphasize standards-based teaching and learning. The tasks…

Handheld computers, sometimes known as PDAs, have been available for purchase since the mid-1990s, as have their handheld relatives, the graphing calculators. It is only in the past few years, however, that these diminutive devices have made their way into K-12 schools in numbers significant enough to allow us to draw conclusions about their…

Discusses the interconnection among the various modes of the TI-92 calculator (geometry, data graphing, function graphing, and algebra) and how the power of visualization is extended to provide multiple approaches to complex problem situations. Provides a graphing problem with illustrations and results. (AIM)

Presents an activity devised as a method of introducing periodic functions that can enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of function. Employs a calculator-based laboratory, a light sensing probe, and an appropriate calculator. Calculator programs and sample data are included. (DDR)

Discusses how applications from microbiology and sociology can be used to involve students. Presents a physical context for critical concepts in a first-semester calculus course. (Author/ASK)

Technology offers tools and information that students need to explore real-world mathematical connections and investigate questions reflecting their own interests. This article illustrates how students can use technology to gather and interpret information, perform descriptive and graphical analysis, make statistical predictions, and create and…

Illustrates how graphing calculators can be used to address the knowledge and skills promoted by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and other educational organizations. Focuses on plotting capability and facilitating various types of data and information analysis. (CMK)

Presents a program in the United Kingdom that trains every serving teacher and trainee teacher how to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to teach their subjects more effectively. Discusses mathematics education related to this part of the program. (ASK)

A study compared the performance of rural and urban Western Australian students on the college-entrance mathematics examination following introduction of graphics calculators. Although urban students scored higher than rural students in the 3 years studied, the gap remained relatively consistent, indicating that rural students were not further…

Least squares regression is the most common method of fitting a straight line to a set of bivariate data. Another less known method that is available on Texas Instruments graphing calculators is median-median regression. This method is proposed as a simple method that may be used with middle and high school students to motivate the idea of fitting…

Students, parents, and sometimes even teachers often believe that complex mathematics is too difficult for certain learners. But the programs described in this article demonstrate that anyone can learn, understand, and use complex math. Lesa M. Covington-Clarkson boosted the confidence of black 6th graders by teaching them to use graphing…

1:1 laptop programs, in which every student is provided with a personal computer to use during the school year, permit increased and routine use of powerful, user-friendly computer-based tools. Growing numbers of 1:1 programs are reshaping the roles of teachers and learners in science classrooms. At the Denver School of Science and Technology, a…

This article focuses on three key factors that a survey of literature indicated impact the teaching and learning of mathematics with graphing calculators: access to graphing calculators, the place of graphing calculators in the mathematics curriculum, and the connection between graphing calculators and pedagogical practice. Access to graphing…

Equivalence of algebraic expressions is at the heart of transformational work in algebra. However, we know very little about students' understanding of equivalence. This study is part of a larger project that explores the use of CAS as a didactical tool for promoting both technical and conceptual growth in high school algebra with tasks specially…