<<Howard asked for an example where it would be inappropriate to use computer
technology in a college mathematics class.
There is one obvious answer, which I think we need to keep focused on:
Any technology would be inappropriate where its use would be inconsistent
with the learning objective that the faculty of the course have identified.>>
Can you think of a specific instance where computer technology was used by an instructor in this manner?
<<[At my own college, this would be rare. One example: We require students
to simplify certain types of radical expressions. The technology employed
-- TI-83/82 -- is not naturally capable of completing this task.]>>
But what about use of a software program which is capable of doing so? And if a computer program is capable of doing so, does that mean that we should not emphasize this task in community college mathematics? What do the AMATYC Standards say about this?
<<If we take Howard's question literally ("COMPUTER technology"), I would
give many more examples.>>
Such as?
<< A large segment of our community college student
body could not afford computers. (If the hand-held computer hits the same price range as a TI-83, then this would be different.)>>
Probably most could not (some of my students cannot afford to buy a calculator, and textbook and software for the same course), but they could still have access to a computer lab.
<<Whether you agree with my view or not, I think it is very important that we be willing to answer this 'technology' question in a honest and thorough
fashion. We will not serve our students well if we use technology throughout our curriculum based solely on external pressures; a basic change in methods must be based on a basic change in philosophy, or the method will not change anything for the better. (This is partly based on the maxim that it is much easier to make something worse than it is to make
it better.)>>
Yes, I agree with the above--the external pressures seem to be great to follow the "modern" teaching formats. The question is how do we know when we are making it better instead of worse.
Howard Wachtel
=================================
From: Jack Rotman Mathematics Faculty
"Algebra and money are essentially levelers; the first intellectually,
the second effectively."
Weil, Simone (1909 - 1943)
Mathematical Skills Dept Lansing Community College
visit our home page: http://www.lansing.cc.mi.us/sas/mathsci
howard.wachtel@BOWIESTATE.EDU on 12/05/97 16:10:29
Please respond to howard.wachtel@BOWIESTATE.EDU
To: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
cc: (bcc: Jack Rotman/Math-Science/Student Academic Support/LCC)
Subject: [MATHEDCC] TECHNOLOGY-APPROPRIATE OR INAPPROPRIATE
Could you give an example of a situation where you feel that it would be
INAPPROPRIATE to use computer technology in a college mathematics class?
Thank you.
Dr. Howard Wachtel
Dept. of Mathematics
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD 20715
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