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Subject: "calculator suitable for high school students ?"     Previous Topic | Next Topic
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albert1950
Member since May-30-08
Jun-16-08, 04:27 PM (EST)
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"calculator suitable for high school students ?"
 
   ALBERT FROM TAIWAN
Hi everybody:
I teach mathematics in a junir high schhool,after each test I
must grade students' paper,a few of them get a very high score,
however most of the students even cannot handle very basic and simple calculation,gradually they will lost interest.
Of course we will not allow kids using calculator to do calculation during test, I believe a lot of them using it to do their homework.
So please consider the following questions:
1. Is caculator suitable for high school students ?
2. Should school teachers and parents forbid young kids using calculating machine before they reach some level ?


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alexbadmin
Charter Member
2235 posts
Jun-17-08, 10:42 AM (EST)
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1. "RE: calculator suitable for high school students ?"
In response to message #0
 
   > So please consider the following questions:

>2. Should school teachers and parents forbid young kids
>using calculating machine before they reach some level ?

I believe so. It is very easy to mistype a key and get a non-sensical result. So, unless the students can manage without a calculator and use it just to speed up problem solving, the calculator may be more of a hindrance than a useful tool.

A calculator does not solve problems. At least not all of them. A student needs to have his/her brains around to use the calculator effectively.

>1. Is caculator suitable for high school students ?

There are too many variables to have an unequivocal answer to that question. I often saw students grab a calculator the moment they read a problem without giving themselves time to think the problem through. So no doubt using a calculator thoughtlessly may help develop poor problem solving strategies. But, e.g., I use a calculator all the time with my 4th grader son. (Altough this is only after making sure he can solve the problem without a calculator.)

I think a single best answer is that this is a matter of pedagogy. If you can make a calculator useful - go ahead and teach them to use it. But mind the time it may take. It may be better to spend the time on the subject matter.


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