Re: [MATHEDCC] Graph paper
Pansy Waycaster (Pansy_Waycaster@sw.cc.va.us)
Thu, 26 Feb 1998 15:05:16 -0500
> I would like to ask a question concerning current instructional
>practices among the individuals contributing to this list. Specifically,
>to what extent and in what ways do you use _graph paper_ in conjunction with
>teaching of graphing?
>
> While some of my colleagues here at NTID believe strongly in having
>students "develop a feel" for plotting points by actually setting up axes
>on a sheet of graph paper and marking down points with given (or determined)
>coefficients, and some still have students carry out the plotting of (say)
>a parabola point by point, I myself have not touched graph paper (nor asked my
>students to) for some years now. The explorations that can be carried out
>with
>a graphing calculator (which we require of all our students), combined
>with the
>experience and insight to be gained from producing an acceptable _sketch_ (on
>plain paper) of what one sees in the calculator window -- a report of what
>_ought_ to be showing if the calculator could produce a perfect graph --
>together allow me to get at all the areas of understanding that I used to
>depend on the use of graph paper to develop in students.
>
> In fact I now find the use of graph paper (or the use of lined
>notebook paper functioning as "half-graph" paper) to be _limiting_. I find it
>much more satisfactory to have students practice setting up approximate (but
>fairly accurate) scales of their own, and estimate positions of points and
>shapes of curves "by eye", rather than having them automatically follow the
>blue lines.
>
> But I've always been the radical in this department! Every department
>needs one, but also needs a degree of control. I've had to retreat in the
>past
>from positions I've taken and experiments I've tried, and in general am happy
>to bow to wisdom from my colleagues. Perhaps I have gone off the deep end
>here
>again. What is your take?
>
>RWW Taylor
>National Technical Institute for the Deaf
>Rochester Institute of Technology
>Rochester NY 14623
>
>>>>> The plural of mongoose begins with p. <<<<
>
>P.S. I have no financial stake in this issue, having long ago sold off
> all my stock in graph-paper-printing comapnies. :-)}
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RWW Taylor,
Glad to hear someone else sharing my philosophy of the use of graph
paper. I too agree that students learn so much more by constructing their
sketches (graphs) without graph paper--estimating, measuring,scaling,
etc.--as well as grasping the meaning of axes, points, graphs of equations,
etc. Perhaps there is a proper place for the use of graph paper--young
children in elementary school. But by the time students arrive at college,
I feel graph paper is not a luxury which makes graphing easier, but a
hindrance which stifles the understanding of the concept of graphing.
Pansy Waycaster
Southwest Virginia CC
Richlands, VA 24641
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