> <snip>
> I am concerned about the mis-use of technology having the effect of "dumbing
> down" the curriculum. I am hearing some of begin to say it is a mistake to
> allow technology in the classroom, as they see the results of students who
> have been taught as those mentioned above. I am convinced that the mis-use of
> technology will have that exact effect.
>
> My question is, does anyone else have the same concerns? If so, what can we
> do about it?
I try to make it clear to students that the calculator will only do what it's
told - and that what it thinks it's told is often not what you think you're
telling it, and that, ultimately, it is the student's responsibility to see to
it that the ideas are well understood (by the student) and properly interpreted
(by the the student, possibly with the help of the calculator.)
A case in point: College Algebra. We've spent several chapters reviewing
linear forms and there's a problem on a test asking for the graph of the linear
function f(x) = -5/3x+3/2. Entering this literally on the TI-85 reveals a bug
in the interpreter - with out a times sign, the calculator interprets it as
-5/(3x)+3/2 - yet many students faithfully reproduce the hyperbola and get no
credit - though, to their credit, none dared whine about it. "Chalk it up to
experience and learn from your mistakes," I tell them.
In calculus, I (wickedly) asked for the domain and range of tan(1/sqrt(1-x^2)).
A few students tried to get the domain from the TI's graph with xMin=-2 and
xMax=2. Some even tried to get the range from this mangled display of tortured
pixels. Fortunately, this occured before the test.....
Geoff Hagopian
Palm Desert, CA
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