I agree that it is important that students understand how and when to use calculators, but I think it is also very important that students are taught mathematical concepts first. For students to benefit from the use of a calculator, they should first be required to learn how to do the math on their own (mentally or with pencil and paper) and from there should be taught how to implement calculators to ease the tedious work of math and to help further understand the concept (not just how to do the problem). In elementary school, students are learning the fundamentals of math. If we don't force our students to learn how to do basic math they will lack the basic skills needed in everyday life--like adding or subtracting together simple numbers.The use of calculators can be of very little benefit to students if it is not used in appropriate ways and at appropriate times during the learning process. Knowing when to implement the use of a calculator is at the teacher's discretion and is, therefore, their responsibility to use in a way conductive to the students' learning. It is also important to know what type of calculator (standard, scientific, or graphing) to introduce to students and how use that to calculator to help their learning process. This same idea can be applied to the use of computer programs for math and using age appropriate games, software, etc. The most important part of this all, though, is that the calculator, computer, games, etc. should be used to enhance classroom learning, not to take place of learning the material and how to solve problems without the assistance of technology.
Don't get me wrong, learning to use modern technology is very, very important, it is just important that teachers are careful in using it to benefit their students' learning instead of taking away from their learning. Technology must be implemented and learned about at an early age to build that knowledge up for skills in high grades, future jobs, etc. but technology skills are not the only skills that are necessary and that must be recognized when teaching kids. Technology will be implemented in reading, writing, math and other subjects, but those subjects cannot always be incorporated into technology in a way that is the most beneficial to learning the necessary material.
For more articles discussing the pros and cons of calculator usage in classroom, visit the following websites:
Image source: iCLIPART for Schools
Don't get me wrong, learning to use modern technology is very, very important, it is just important that teachers are careful in using it to benefit their students' learning instead of taking away from their learning. Technology must be implemented and learned about at an early age to build that knowledge up for skills in high grades, future jobs, etc. but technology skills are not the only skills that are necessary and that must be recognized when teaching kids. Technology will be implemented in reading, writing, math and other subjects, but those subjects cannot always be incorporated into technology in a way that is the most beneficial to learning the necessary material.
For more articles discussing the pros and cons of calculator usage in classroom, visit the following websites:
- Calculators and Computers
- Calculators in the Classroom
- SEDL - Quick Takes: Calculators in the Classroom
Image source: iCLIPART for Schools
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