The Turtle Deserves a Star
The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics recently published “The lmpact of Computing Technology on School Mathematics: Report of an NCTM Conference” (NCTM 1985). This report addresses the need for mathematics curricula and instructional methods to respond to the influence of computing technology. This report states that “the major influence of technology on mathematics education is its potential to shift the focus of instruction from an emphasis on manipulative skills to an emphasis on developing concepts, relationships, structures, and problem-solving skills.” The use of the computer language Logo offers an excellent opportunity to use technology to help develop the problem-solving skills advocated in mathematics. This article gives examples not only of how Logo might be used to teach some mathematical concepts but also of how it can be used as a problem-solving tool.