Believe it or not, many students don’t have regular access in school to a computer or mobile device, such as a phone and/or tablet. But, there are still multiple ways that a teacher can incorporate technology use and dynamic math technology into math learning and discovery. Calculators are prevalent, and teachers can incorporate collaboration and exploration by using an emulator of the calculator students have in their hands, or use an online dynamic tool to project and lead collaborative discussions. And, if you have Casio calculators - you can do both at the same time!
As with any math technology tool, be it calculator and/or web-based, knowing when to utilize it is important. It shouldn't be a crutch to find simple answers, rather, it should be a learning tool that might do a calculation to help you get to the more complex content, or allow you to visualize something or show another representation to help you make decisions. This where the Standards of Mathematical Practice #5 - Use Appropriate Tools Strategically - comes into play. Students need to think about what is asked and determine if they need a tool or does it make more sense to not use a tool?
The activity I am sharing in this post has sections that make sense to use a calculator, and other questions where it doesn’t make sense or maybe it makes sense AFTER students have first thought about the solution another way or to verify their solution. That’s part of what you should be teaching when using technology - does it make sense or can I do this more efficiently without a technology tool? Helping students ask that question and make those decisions helps make the technology a learning tool versus a crutch.
I am using the fx-9750GIII hand-held graphing calculator emulator that is available free on Casio’s ClassPad Workspace, a free dynamic math exploration tool that can take you into a limitless space to explore mathematics in multiple ways. The best of both worlds - supporting students using their personal calculator while also providing the opportunity to expand the class discussion into those what-if’s. Having an emulator is a great tool for demonstration and working with students in a virtual environment, and then having the ClassPad dynamic environment to go beyond helps demonstrate how technology can be a tool for learning, not just a ‘giver of answers’.
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