Electronic Proceedings of the 12^th Asian Technology Conference in Mathematics

Abstract for 12887

The Effect of the Use of a Computer Algebra System on Junior College

Students'' Achievement in Mathematics

Authors: Wee Leng Ng

Affiliations: National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological

University

Keywords:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the use

of the Voyage 200 graphing calculator, a portable computer algebra

system (CAS), on the achievement of junior college students in

mathematics. Positive results were obtained though the gain was not

statistically significant.

Using the CAS Attitude Scale (CASAS), which comprises four

sub-scales, developed by the researcher, students'' attitudes

towards CAS were also examined and statistically significant results

were found. The reliability index, Cronbach’s alpha, for each of the

four subscales of the CASAS was found to be high and the reliability

for total scale was 0.96. The four sub-scales of the CASAS were also

found to be highly correlated with each other and with the total

scale.