Re: A better calculator, for what?

To: CALC-TI@LISTS.PPP.TI.COM
Subject: Re: A better calculator, for what?
From: "Daniel J. Curtin" <curtin@NKU.EDU>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1998 13:51:45 -0400
Organization: OneNet Communications News Hub
References: <361071A3.7D8832B3@mindless.com> <36111741.482DD680@math.unc.edu>
Reply-To: curtin@xxxx.nku.edu
Xref: paladin.american.edu bit.listserv.calc-ti:25286

Dear Ladnor,

        Hi. I was a student in your algebra class my 1st year of grad school
(1973). I still fondly remember days spent pondering cogebras!

        As I think you indicate, the appropriate calcuator for students depends
heavily on the situation in the actual class and school they are in

        CAS systems on PCs provide a number of advantages. For calculus
teaching, the larger screen and ease of printing are big plusses.
Nevertheless, we at Northern Kentucky University haved moved from
Mathematica to the TI-92 in the Calculus sequence. The reason is
practical. Most of our students are commuters, for whom access to the
computer labs is a problem, and only about half have computers that
could run a CAS at home. Also our setup does not allow for student use
of the computers during exams. With the '92s the students have a CAS
with them for homework and projects, in class, on tests, etc.

        Thus the use of the TI-92 (and probably the TI-89) is a compromise. I
suspect further developments in computers and CAS systems will soon
overtake us again!

        Of course there are many issues unresolved about the best way to use
any of this gear in teaching.

Cheers,

Dan

Daniel J. Curtin
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Associate Professor, Mathematics
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41099
USA

(606) 572 -6938 or (606) 572-6348

curtin@nku.edu,  http://www.nku.edu/~curtin/,  KF4AV

Ladnor Geissinger wrote:

.....
> What more is it that
> you want that the 82 or 83 doesn't provide, and why?  And why wouldn't
> this "more" be better provided by a CAS on a PC?
>
> --
> Ladnor Geissinger, Prof of Mathematics
> Mathematics Dept, CB 3250  Phillips Hall
> Univ of North Carolina, Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA

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