Abstracts of Research Papers:

Research Papers

Pre-Service Teachers’ Mathematical Engagement with the TI-92
Monde Mbekwa & Cyril Julie
Faculty of Education, School of Science and Mathematics Education, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7530, South Africa.

This paper describes the results of an investigation into how pre-service teachers with low level school mathematics qualifications do mathematics when they use a handheld and sophisticated mathematics technology as a tool. The students were allowed to do a series of school-level mathematical exercises with the aid of the TI-92 and then were required to interpret their results by looking at their paper-and –pencil computations and then compare these with the technological outputs. The purpose was to observe how the technology affected their engagement with the mathematics.

The results of the investigation show that (i) students were able to master the technical aspects of the TI-92 (ii) students were able to ask relevant mathematical questions and engage in mathematical discussion and (iii) students were able to make mathematical conjectures based on their calculations and pattern observations.

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Transforming an Introductory Linear Algebra Course
With a TI-92 Hand-Held Computer
Antonio R. Quesada
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-4402. USA.
aquesada@uakron.edu

The introduction of the TI-92, via the scaffolding method and the use of scripts, helped to transform a traditional first semester of college linear algebra into a matrix-oriented course that emphasised conceptual understanding, relevant applications, and numerical issues, while including additional topics. There was an increase in the students' overall performance in course grades. A survey on students' perceptions seems to indicate that they find the calculator very useful to solve problems, to investigate, to cover the material in more depth, and to facilitate the study of different applications. They seem to believe that the calculator helped them to better understand the course content and to feel more confident doing linear algebra.

Ideas for Teaching and Learning

Analysing The Limitation Of Technology In Teacher Preparation Courses
Yuriko Yamamoto Baldin, Department of Mathematics, Universidade Federal de São Carlos,13565-905, São Carlos, SP, BRAZIL
yuriko@dm.ufscar.br

Many examples of technology-based classrooms and activities found in the recent literature can contribute to the education of a new generation of mathematics teachers, and put into practice the recommendations concerning modern teacher standards. In order to implement classroom practices efficiently, a careful treatment of the mathematics content of undergraduate instruction is required in teacher training courses. A modern course should prepare teachers with skills to analyse the existing material as well as create their own activities, using appropriate computational tools. The aim of this paper is to discuss this theme centered on two key questions: “Are the mathematics teachers being prepared to realise the limitations of technology in teaching activities, and to analyse the possible causes?” and “Are the mathematics teachers being prepared to recognise any conceptual troubles in technology-based activities, and to propose solutions?” The discussion is illustrated with examples from CAS, DGS and graphic calculators.

Key words: technology in mathematical education, teacher education courses, mathematics of technology-based activities.

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Teaching Numerical Analysis With Mathcad
De Ting Wu, Department of Mathematics, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA 30314, USA dtwu@morehouse.edu

In this paper an example of a course that uses PCs and the mathematical software, Mathcad 2001, to enhance the teaching of Numerical Analysis is described. We discuss how the teaching approach has changed during the last three years and reflect on some of the positive and negative consequences of these changes. The course continues to evolve.