[MATHEDCC] technology

jodi (jodi@PRIMENET.COM)
Tue, 23 Sep 1997 08:17:15 -0700 (MST)

I think that I have almost recovered from a statemenet said to me
yesterday, after a student turned in a College Algebra test. He said "I
can't solve those equations with the fractions because YOU will not let me
use my graphing calculator that does fractions."

I am 100% for the correct use of technology in the math classroom. I
struggle every semester with letting students use a graphing caculator in
my college algebra class. If I had a different book, I would like to
require everyone to purchase a graphing caclulator and then teach this
course in a different way. So, with the book I am forced to teach with, I
choose to not allow graphing calculators on tests. I am also a grad
student, with little time to think of ways to get around a "bad" book. I
had been thinking yesterday about allowing them, and then I get this
remark.

This student is 100% dependent on his GRAPHING calculator. If he wasn't, he
would know that a $10 calculator would "do" fractions for him also.

Any suggestions?

Jodi Cotten
Graduate Student (25 weeks left..not that I am counting :)
Northern Arizona Unversity

Jodi
Galations 5:22

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