You are probably not up because school has once again started. But I was just curious as so why calculators are so widly used now? The math hasn't changed. My mom never used them, my bf who is 30 never used them until he started doing algebra in highschool, and I started using them in grade 7. Now kids are asked to have one for grade 5. Is the school system trying to make kids stupid? Most people my age (23) and younger have trouble doing basic math including myself and I partly blame calculators and other things like large class loads for teachers. It seems schools are asking for them every year for younger grades and I would like to know the reasoning behind the decision.
2006-09-06 22:28:29 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Standards & Testing
man, it's just a bunch of assholes with what they think is the next big idea. in a few years, another asshole will come along suggesting getting rid of the calculators and a bunch of assholes will praise the asshole's revolutionary "new" idea.
2006-09-06 22:32:59 · answer #1 · answered by aaupthemeggs 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
According to The Edinburgh Centre for mathematical Education , new technology is constantly changing the mathematical demands made by society. This has wide-ranging implications for the school curriculum.Research suggests that calculators have potential as a tool to enhance learners' understanding of mathematics
In a project on calculators in mathematics education:
The project involved teachers of 5 to 14 -year-olds in the Edinburgh area in an investigation of the role of the calculator in teaching and learning mathematics. Participants were able to develop a wide variety of resources, which make use of calculators, and try them out in their own classrooms. Findings highlight the potential value of hand-held technology in increasing motivation, investigating pattern, improving mental skills, developing number sense and estimation skills, building number concepts (particularly place value) and tackling 'real life' mathematics.
Graphic Calculators 10-14
While most teachers appreciate the usefulness of graphics calculators in upper secondary, the time required for learning to operate them means they may not be fully exploited. An investigation of the possibilities of introducing graphics calculators much earlier in the system therefore seemed appropriate. They have been able to collect, adapt or develop activities involving a natural use of graphics calculators for P6-S2. The calculators have been found to be of value for the 10-14 age group. Used with care, the technology can allow exploratory learning leading to deeper understanding of the mathematics involved.
One teacher's comment can perhaps sum up the project:
"It is not the calculators, but how they are used that is important."
2006-09-08 21:13:48 · answer #2 · answered by VelvetRose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
After 7 years of teaching, I think that I now know why calculators are being used so often. There are two "main" areas that are tested in mathematics. The first area is computation. This is where a child is given a math problem and told to find the answer. The second area is concepts/applications. These include the traditional "word" problem and items that are mathematical but cannot be assessed by performing operations (e.g. find a pattern, logical reasoning, measurement of objects, et. al.). By giving a child a calculator to use on the concepts/applications section of a test, you can test the child's ability to reason mathematically WITHOUT testing his ability to compute. To test a child without a calculator, you really don't know if the breakdown was in the ability to select and apply problem solving strategies or in his/her ability to compute calculations on the traditional "word problem" portion of the test.
So, technically, by giving the calculator you can assess where the breakdown is. Incidentally, I NEVER gave my students calculators until required to do so on standardized test. I told my students the calculator should be used to check their work, not to do the work for them.
2006-09-07 07:11:52 · answer #3 · answered by qceteacher609 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't really know the reason to why kids are now required to use calculators earlier but I do know that kids nowadays have trouble doing very simple calculations without their calculators. I'm a teacher myself and as much as possible I don't allow students to use their calculators if the operations can be done by hand. I have noticed that if students learn to compute with just pen and paper, they actually become more analytical and develop sharper minds.
I'm sorry I didn't really answer your question. I'm just sharing my thoughts.
2006-09-06 22:45:03 · answer #4 · answered by amberle 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not a case of stupidity. It's a case of laziness.
It takes less effort doing the calculations with a calculator, so, like everything in nature, they go towards the activity that demands less energy.
They're not stupid. they can use the calculator and know how to do the calculations.
Someone is stupid when they don't even know how to use the calculator.
2006-09-07 04:30:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-11-06 19:29:08 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my wife a teacher ,and she said that the math now is involed that it would take all class for one problem,and there putting more and more on young children
2006-09-07 00:26:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋