Using a graphics
calculator to learn and do mathematics
Barry Kissane
School of Education Murdoch
University
kissane@murdoch.edu.au
Abstract
The prime purpose of this workshop
is to highlight the ways in which
graphics calculators can be used to
help students learn mathematics and
undertake mathematical activity. A
secondary purpose is to help participants
evaluate the very considerable implications
of personal technology of this kind
for their curriculum and their teaching
practices. While most of the workshop
focus will be on the mathematics curriculum
of the senior secondary school, many
of the ideas and examples will be
relevant to the early undergraduate
years and also to the junior secondary
school. The workshop will make extensive
use of the Casio cfx-9850 graphics
calculator, a powerful modern example
of graphics calculator technology.
No prior experience with this calculator
is expected. There is not time in
a single workshop to focus on all
of the many opportunities provided
by this technology. Instead, attention
will focus on dealing with elementary
ideas in algebra, functions, equations,
trigonometry, elementary calculus
and matrix arithmetic. Although the
capacity of a graphics calculator
to draw graphs is a useful attribute,
attention will not be restricted to
the graphical, since many other aspects
of graphics calculator design have
powerful educational implications.
The workshop will be designed around
practical hands-on activities, for
which all participants will have access
to a Casio cfx-9850 calculator.
Barry Kissane has extensive experience
with this technology, and has been
involved in curriculum development,
professional development and publications
related to graphics calculators
in Australia, the USA, Indonesia
and elsewhere.
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