Surprising Results Using Calculators for Derivatives

1995 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-33
Author(s):  
Albert Goetz ◽  
Jeremy Kahan

“When is the numerical derivative obtained on the calculator greater than the actual derivative and when is it smaller?” A group of college professors and high school mathematics teachers attending a workshop seemed not to know the answer. The question was posed by Deborah Hughes-Hallett, then of Harvard University, who is currently at the University of Arizona, at the first Technology Intensive Calculus for Advanced Placement (TICAP) institute at Clemson University in spring 1992.

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (9) ◽  
pp. 798
Author(s):  
Peggy Kasten

The Delaware 6–12 Exemplary Mathematics Curriculum Implementation (DEMCI) project seeks to substantially scale up from existing pilot projects to implement research-based, standardsdriven mathematics curricula in middle school and high school programs throughout Delaware. This National Science Foundation (NSF)–funded project is a partnership of fourteen Delaware school districts, the University of Delaware, and the Delaware Department of Education. Over the 38-month life of the project, 300 middle school and high school mathematics teachers—nearly two-thirds of all secondary mathematics teachers in Delaware— will engage in a substantial program of professional development that exceeds 150 hours for all teachers and may approach 200 hours for many.


1952 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-93
Author(s):  
Kenneth B. Henderson ◽  
Kern Dickman

There are several reasons why some students enter a college of engineering lacking adequate preparation in mathematics. One is that the mathematical needs of such students have not been clearly defined. It seems to be an auspicious hypothesis to assume that, if these needs are identified in some specificity and high school mathematics teachers apprized of them, students can be better prepared for collegiate work. Acting on this hypothesis, a study was conducted to discover the minimum mathematical needs of students who expect to enter the College of Engineering of the University of Illinois. Since the curricula and course content of most colleges of engineering tend to be similar, it is assumed that, in the absence of other data, these needs will serve very well to indicate “what it takes” in most colleges of engineering.


10.31355/12 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 063-071
Author(s):  
Agyei Fosu

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................. The main aim of the study is to identify some of the barriers to the integration of technology into the teaching of mathematics in high schools. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................. Writing on chalkboards as a method of transferring knowledge is a key feature of traditional approach to teaching may have been successful in the past, but the minds of the current generation vary from those of the previous generation. Today’s students are immersed in technology. They are much more up-to-date on the latest technology and gadgets. Technology has certainly changed how students access and integrate information, so it plausible that technology has also changed the way students thinks. Growing up with cutting-edge technologies has left them thinking differently than students of past generations. This call for new innovative approaches to teaching that will cater to the students of today. Of course it is not wise to discard the traditional way of teaching that the past teachers have painstakingly created because of its past and some current success. This is why it is recommended to use this approach as a base for the new ones. Thus, if there is a way to transfer the advantages of this approach of teaching to new innovative approach then teachers should do everything in their power to merge the past and the present into one innovative teaching approach. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................. Purposeful sampling was used to survey a total of 116 high school mathematics teachers in the former Transkei Homelands. But only 97 questionnaires were deemed usable because of the way they have answered the questions. Microsoft excel was used in the descriptive statistics Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................. To identify some barriers that need to be addressed by stakeholders, policy makers in high school education so that high school mathematics teachers will be able to integrate technology into their classroom teaching to meet today students’ learning needs. Findings...................................................................................................................................................................................................... The results indicated that the participating teachers need to be trained and supported in the use of the new technologies applicable to teaching mathematics. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................................... The Eastern Cape department of education needs to consider the lacked of technology training as a barrier to the integration of technology into the teaching of mathematics and take necessary steps to address it. Recommendation for Researchers........................................................................................................................................................... There is the need to explore in depth whether the factors of gender and age also act as barriers. Impact on Society....................................................................................................................................................................................... The research will assist stakeholders, policy makers of high school education to identify the needs of mathematics teachers. That is to say, the skill sets, experience and expertise, as well as teaching equipment and classroom design and environment required by mathematics teachers. Future Research........................................................................................................................................................................................... More work needs to be done to check whether gender, age of the teachers have some effects on their attitude towards technology integration as well as evaluate the role played by choice of teaching methodology and teaching objectives.


Author(s):  
Isaac Bengre Taley ◽  
Matilda Sarpong Adusei

Helping junior high school students to use calculators and computers for problem solving and investigating real-life situations is an objective of the junior high school mathematics curriculum in Ghana. Ironically, there is a technological drought in junior high school mathematics instruction in Ghana, with a suspicion that mathematics teachers’ competency in the use of calculators for teaching may be the source of this lack of use. This study sought to establish a correlation between junior high school mathematics teachers’ competence and the motivation supporting the use of calculators in teaching.  A descriptive survey comprising of a test and questionnaire was used to collect data from junior high school mathematics teachers in an educational district in Ghana. Teacher characteristics such as educational attainment, age, and gender in relation to teachers’ competency in the use of calculators were discussed in the study. The results showed that about 70% of the teachers exhibited a low level of calculator competence. Besides, novice teachers outperformed expert teachers in the calculator competency-based test. Additionally, mathematics teachers’ enthusiasm for using calculators in teaching was directly associated with the teachers’ level of competency. The findings may send a signal to stakeholders in their efforts to revising the Ghana JHS curriculum in order to actualize the curriculum desire for the integration of technology in the teaching and learning of JHS mathematics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 93-120
Author(s):  
Gilsimar Francisco de Souza ◽  
Paulo Tadeu Campos Lopes

Background: The curricular structure of Brazilian basic education has changed in recent years. With the promulgation of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) for elementary and high school education, there is a need to change the curricula of state and municipal networks, which takes place precisely with the actual implementation in schools. Objective: To understand the view of mathematics teachers on capacity and knowledge they must have for the effective application of the BNCC in the classroom considering all the requirements, especially the skills and competencies that contemplate the curricular base. Design: Applied work, with quantitative bias, as the work presents statistical analyses. Setting and participants: Twenty-four high school mathematics teachers of the state network of the municipality of Itumbiara-GO. Data collection and analysis: Questionnaire applied to mathematics teachers, with percentage and inferential analyses such as Cronbach’s Alpha and correlation test. Results: The teachers believe that they know well the specific competencies and skills required in mathematics and its technologies, but they do not know well other areas of the BNCC and feel very insecure about applying these concepts in class. Conclusions: We noticed that the teachers play a fundamental role in implementing the BNCC in schools successfully, requiring pedagogical support such as formative courses and teaching materials to help correct the knowledge gaps they have for that task.


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