CALCULATOR: a mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic device that performs arithmetic operations automatically.
Since the first hand-held electronic calculator appeared on the market nearly 30 years ago, individuals and special interest groups have voiced extremely strong opinion, both pro and con, regarding the use of calculators in the classroom. And the debate continues today. David Gelernter, professor of computer science at Yale University, believes calculators should be totally eliminated from the classroom. He feels that allowing children to use calculators produces adults who can't do basic arithmetic, doomed to wander through life in a numeric haze. In 1997, California legislation would prohibit the use of calculators in schools prior to the sixth grade. Whereas, the state of Virginia purchased 200,000 graphing calculators to be used by all middle school and high school math students.
Calculators are a great technological asset to students everywhere. Although i do agree that students below high school should not be allowed to use one, it is a necessity for most university level courses. Far gone are the painful days of using inaccurate slide rulers or calculating huge equations by hand only to get the wrong answer. Calculators provide students who know what they are doing a faster way of getting the correct answer. Not just for math, but for physics, chemistry, and other math intensive courses too. It allows students to check themselves. This allows the student to spend less time calculating tedious problems and more time learning.
ReplyDeleteThe calculator can be your best friend in times of need! The calculator has definitely evolved from 30 years ago. Today a scientific calculator can perform mostly all your work for you. I agree with the article in regards to a calculator should be eliminated out of the classrooms. However, I do feel that college age and perhaps even seniors in high school should be allowed to have them for certain tasks. At those levels, the students should know the basics, and is only using the calculator for reassurance and eliminated time! In order to use a calculator efficiently, one must all ready know the procedure in a problem, so a calculator will only aid in the work. If teachers allow for total use of calculators in the classroom, then once again society is allowing technology to control the situation instead of aiding the situation!
ReplyDeleteTexas Instruments has innovated new technology with the calculators. This calculator has been very useful to students. I love this calculators. They help students in many different ways. These calculator has so many different options like graphing, linear equation and many more mathematical concepts. These calculators have made it easy for teachers in classrooms. They are very easy to use. But there are couple of problems regarding this calculators. First, they do everything for you, which is really bad for young kids because they are very depended on the calculator. They can't even do a simple math equation without calculators. Second, there has been some cheating in classrooms with calculators. They shouldn't be allowed in tests. I love this invention. It very useful and makes students, teachers lives easier.
ReplyDeleteBeing a math major i know the value of a calculator. It can be your best friend or your worst enemy. As long as you learn to use it correctly then you will have no problem with almost any math problem. But sometimes if you forget to do one simple step or enter a number wrong then you may never get the right answer. Education is important and I’m glad someone chose to do it as their blog.
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