A study of the impact graphing calculators have on the achievement in high school pre calculus

Abstract

The use of graphing calculators in high school mathematics has long been debated. The transformation of function, in particular, parabolas, was studied and it was shown that there was no loss of achievement in Pre-Calculus classes with the use of graphing calculators. Assessments examined the impact of the graphing calculator on the conceptual knowledge of the topics by testing the students without the graphing calculator and with the graphing calculators. Five classes of pre calculus students (two classes who used graphing calculators and three who did not) were used in the study. The same students were used in the before and after assessments to more accurately analyze the impact of the graphing calculator on learning. After the second assessment, the students were given a survey using Likert-type items to investigate the attitude towards the graphing calculator as a teaching tool. This survey was divided into two parts; the ability to use a graphing calculator and the effect graphing calculators has on the mathematics experience