Using a Wireless Calculator Network to Teach Mathematics Lisa M Suarez-Caraballo and Bill Stiggers

Lisa M Suarez- Caraballo Bill Stiggers Cleveland, Ohio Using a Wireless Calculator Network to Teach Middle School Mathematics NCTM 82nd Annual Meeting April 21-24, 2004.

Mathematics with Calculators The More Things Change:

"Students today can't prepare bark to calculate their problems. They depend upon their slates, which are more expensive. What will they do when their slate is dropped and it breaks? They will be unable to write!" Teachers Conference, 1703

"Students today depend upon paper too much. They don't know how to write on slate without chalk dust all over themselves. They can't clean a slate properly. What will they do when they run out of paper? Principal's Association, 1815

"Students today depend too much on ink. They don't know how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil." National Association of Teachers, 1907

"Students today depend too much upon store bought ink. They don't know how to make their own. When they run out of ink, they will be unable to write words or ciphers until their next trip to the settlement. This is a sad commentary on modern education.” The Rural American Teacher, 1929

"Students today depend upon these expensive fountain pens. They can no longer write with a straight pen and nib (not to mention sharpening their own quills). We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world, which is not so extravagant.” PTA Grazette, 1941

"Ball point pens will be the ruin of education in our country. Students use these devices and throw them away. The American virtues of thrift and frugality are being discarded. Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.” Federal Teacher, 1950

"Students today depend too much on hand held calculators." Anonymous, 1985

Can you Predict what tomorrow's argument will be? From Washington Mathematics 34(l), Fall, 1989, p.8 Tom Seidenberg Eisenhower High School, Yakima, WA

Agenda  Introduction to the Navigator and the Graphing Calculator  Introduction to Learning Check APP and taking an assessment  Creating a quiz with Learn Check Creator  Analysis of quiz

 TI-Navigator™ is a wireless classroom network that enhances communication between the teacher’s classroom computer and the TI graphing handhelds used by students. TI-Navigator ™

TI-Navigator Components available for free:  Learning Check App  Learning Check Creator Included in Navigator Purchase  Class Connect  Class Analysis

Learning Check  Make your own electronic assessments students can take on their handhelds  Connect your students’ handhelds to your computer with a graph link cable

TI-83 plus Graphing Calculator “Soft Keys” To go to the MENU from this screen you would press  Important Keys to know:

TI-83 plus Graphing Calculator Arrows Alpha keys Alpha keys Important Keys to know: A Z Space Space

Learning Check  Select the LearnChk APP from the APPS list After logging in select the assessment: Absolute Value and Operations w/ Integers

and press  to go to the next question TAB allows you to move up and down along the answer choices “soft keys” take you through the assessment. From this screen press  to see the menu Navigating Through the Assessment

Learning Check Creator The left hand window lists the questions you have created

Learning Check Creator The middle window shows you each individual question you have created

Learning Check Creator The right hand window lets you select the type of question you would like to create Here you can add directions or an image to your assessment– information your students may need to answer several questions Select “Standard Choices” to create true or false type questions “Custom Choices” allows you to add multiple choice answers to a question that you input “Fill in the Blank” and “Open Response” allow you to add these types of questions. Only “fill in the Blank” type questions can be scored automatically

 Allows you to wirelessly “collect” the assessment from the student’s handhelds  Instantly assesses the quiz  Allows for anonymous feedback and discussion Class Analysis

Thank You!!