Has technology revolutionised the mathematics classroom, or is it still a device waiting to be exploited for the benefit of the learner? There are applets that will enable the user to solve complex equations at the push of a button. So, does this jeopardise other methods, make other methods redundant, or even diminish other methods in the mind of…

In this culture of instantaneous technology, students are familiar with immediate feedback. To maintain student engagement, it is vital for teachers to create similarly interactive experiences. Student-centered instruction is important in connecting students to key mathematical concepts. If the connection is not obvious, they may be unaware of…

Before the advent of microcomputer-based labware (MBL), "time-of-flight" measurements for the speed of a transverse pulse on a string required elegant apparatus. This paper describes how to use an off-the-shelf MBL force sensor and a computer to perform the measurement. The data shown in this paper were collected using Vernier Software's wireless…

A common activity--having students collect data to measure the radius and circumference of circular objects--can be given a new twist. These data can be viewed virtually using technology. A dynamic geometry environment coupled with the powerful capabilities of a spreadsheet can greatly enhance student learning. The activity in this article…

Students need to learn how to use technology in a meaningful way to become literate. Teachers should take advantage of technology and what it has to offer. Technology can motivate students and can help them visualize mathematics problems. It can enable them to work on more complex tasks that often involve real-life applications of mathematics. It…

Evolving technology has played an important part in a common quadratic-function lesson. Having been mentioned repeatedly in numerous reform documents, a recurring lesson has involved changing the parameters in f(x) = ax[superscript 2] + bx + c and studying the effects on the graph. In both NCTM Yearbooks and NCTM Standards documents, technology is…

Much like a physical prism, which displays the frequency components of a light wave, Fourier analysis can be thought of as a mathematical prism that can tell us what harmonics or frequency components are contained in a recording of a sound wave. We wrote the MacScope II program so that the user could not only see a plot of the harmonic amplitudes…

This article outlines a linear regression activity that engages learners, uses technology, and fosters cooperation. Students generated least-squares linear regression equations using TI-83 Plus[TM] graphing calculators, Microsoft[C] Excel, and paper-and-pencil calculations using derived normal equations to predict the 2004 presidential election.…

How does your calculator quickly produce values of trigonometric functions? You might be surprised to learn that it does not use series or polynomial approximations, but rather the so-called CORDIC method. This paper will focus on the geometry of the CORDIC method, as originally developed by Volder in 1959. This algorithm is a wonderful…

This collection of activities is designed to show how TI-Interactive[TM] and Calculator-based Laboratories (CBL) can be used to explore topics in high school science. The activities address such topics as specific heat, Boyle's Law, Newton's Law of Cooling, and Antarctic Ozone Levels. Teaching notes and calculator instructions are included as are…

Uses the zooming technology of graphing calculators and certain graphing software to help middle school students extend their understanding of slope to curved graphs. (ASK)

1:1 laptop programs, in which every student is provided with a personal computer to use during the school year, permit increased and routine use of powerful, user-friendly computer-based tools. Growing numbers of 1:1 programs are reshaping the roles of teachers and learners in science classrooms. At the Denver School of Science and Technology, a…

The increasing availability of computer algebra systems (CAS) for the high school classroom is expected to have a significant effect on how algebra is taught, when it is taught, and the expected learning types. This paper reports on a computer algebra approach to the teaching of algebra to 13-16 year old students in a high school in Melbourne,…

Describes two activities that involve thinking of slope as rate of change. Uses a calculator-based laboratory, graphing calculator, appropriate probes, and web sites to make the concepts of slope and y-intercept come alive for middle grade students. (ASK)

In his recent article in this journal, John Gough (2004) concludes that the practical results of the considerable academic research undertaken at the University of Melbourne into the uses and impacts of graphics calculators and CAS (computer algebra systems) should be made more widely available in journals for teachers. This short article is…