Then
Will the laptop have benefits beyond the narrow confines of math class?
What are the approximate net present values of those uses?
In particular, in a job interview, when I ask, "Do you have experience with
Windows NT?", and the candidate answers, "No, I used a TI-89" what do you
think my response should be?
Finally, do a cost/benefit comparison of a graphics calculator with a
laptop.
----------
> From: Edward Laughbaum <elaughba@math.ohio-state.edu>
> To: RayM <raypublk@san.rr.com>
> Cc: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
> Subject: Re: [MATHEDCC] factoring
> Date: Friday, April 09, 1999 05:36
>
> At 06:24 PM 4/8/99 -0700, RayM wrote:
> [snip]
>
> >As for graphics calculators, I rarely see them. When I walk through LAX
or
> >Dulles, I do see a lot of laptops. I'm part owner of a $12M/yr dollar
> >company and every engineer there strongly prefers his Pentium with 21"
>
> >monitor over any calculator. Most of the machinists use either 4
banger
> >or cheap scientifics. I asked a scientist at SAIC (~$1B/yr) if anyone
used
> >graphics calculators there. The response was, "What's that?" NO ONE
that
> >I know uses graphics calculators. Most employees have a computer on
their
> >desk and everyone has access to at least one computer. I work with a
> >second company of about the same size and I have seen a graphics
calculator
> >there once: a technician was taking a course at a CC and he had to learn
> >how to use the stupid thing. Now that the course is over he is
irritated
> >at the waste of money. Laptops are now selling in the $700 range.
Given
> >that laptops can support email, spell checkers, web browsing, GUI
> >interfaces, CDROM drives, and a very long list of related things that
will
> >be useful in Literature, History, English, Chemistry courses, and life
> >after graduation, my advice would be to use the money that might go into
a
> >graphics calculator to buy the best laptop you can or to upgrade one
that
> >you already own. There may be a few isolated companies where the
graphics
> >calculator culture is strong and I would advise CC instructors to survey
> >industry in their area before devoting much time to using these devices.
> >
> >Ray M
> >raypublk@san.rr.com
> __________________________________________
>
> Ray,
>
> You missed a few very important points about graphing calculators. You
seem
> to have the impression that their only function is to do mathematics. The
> main function of the graphing calculator is that it is a teaching tool.
The
> problem is that many teachers don't yet know how to use it in this way,
so
> it becomes a math tool to them - to do things like checking pencil and
> paper work, a use of lessor importance. Perhaps this was the experience
of
> your technician. Also, if the technician was in a class where the
> instructor was using a traditional text with a graphing calculator, this
> may have caused the irritation because these materials were just not
> designed for the calculator, and are many times inappropriate. Another
> point is that the number of CC students who can afford a notebook at $700
> will fit in a thimble (OK, maybe a room or building). So, a notebook
isn't
> feasible. Finally, calculators now come with FLASK ROM, thus we can now
buy
> educational "software" for our calculators. This will soon include
software
> (applets) in all disciplines. Please note ephasis on the word
"educational
> software." The graphing calculator is a teaching tool that happens to do
math.
>
> I understand your position on the calculator in industry, but I think you
> mis-judged its function in teaching. There is no need to survey local
> industry for their use as a math tool. It is a teaching tool.
>
> Ed
>
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************