Calculator Use
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Running head: EFFECTS OF CALCULATOR
USE
The Effects of Calculator
Use
on Math
Achievement
Svend C.
Waltman
Southeastern Louisiana
University
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Abstract
The purpose of this study is to determine the
effects of calculator usage on the mathematics achievement of seventh grade math
students. The Glencoe Final Examination will be given as the pretest to the
students in two regular education seventh grade math classes. There will be two
semesters between the tests where the experimental group will be allowed to use
calculators for all classroom math activities and tests, and the control group
will not. The calculator issued to
the students in the experimental group will be the TI-30XA. At the end of the
two semesters the Glencoe Final Examination will be given to both the
experimental and control groups as a posttest.
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The Effects of Calculator
Use on Math Achievement
Purpose
The
purpose of this study is to determine the effects of calculator usage on the
mathematics achievement of regular education seventh grade math
students.
Review of Related
Literature
Calculators have become a major part of our
everyday life but have not grown as rapidly in importance in the classroom
curriculum. Schnur and Lang (1976) state many adults become most appreciative of
this pocket-sized device when performing such tasks as completing income tax
forms, balancing the checkbook, determining how much carpeting it will take to
cover the living room, and countless other tasks. Forish-Ferguson (1989)
requested that we acknowledge, accept, and embrace the technological realities
of today and use them to the advantage of our students. Calculators should be
taught in all aspects in the classroom. McAloon and Robinson (1987) add the idea
that the calculator should be integrated into school mathematics, including
classwork, homework, and evaluation.
There is a great deal of concern that the
calculator will hinder students’ learning of their basic algorithms. If the student is not forced to
understand and memorize the basic facts in mathematics, then he/she will not be
successful on future tested material. Leechford and Rice (1982) state a major
disagreement in the related loss of computational skills if students are allowed
to become dependent upon calculators. Rudnick and Krulik (1976) add that
dependence of the machine will not promote forgetting of
facts.
The calculator will relieve the pressure of
algorithmic facts on problems where the skill being taught is only a result of
the facts. In a study of calculator usage by students, grade level 2
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through 6. Wheatley et al.(1978) state that
computational skills has no value in itself: it is important only as it is
useful in problem solving. Schafer, Bell, and Crown (1975) agree with this
thought with the statement that calculators may help in diagnosing
non-computational difficulties in mathematics, in teaching some much needed
skills in estimation, in speeding up classroom activities where computations are
needed; but the teaching of computation skills is not the central issue. This is
not to say that elementary school age students should not develop an
understanding of the basics, but instead the calculator has a place in the
classroom. Wheatley et al. add that
students with a calculator to perform computations can approach concepts and
problems at a higher level. They also report that with a calculator available to
perform the computations, students can focus on choosing the appropriate
operations and determining the reasonableness of their solutions. Leechford and Rice (1982) further state
that calculators do have a positive effect on students’ achievement in problem
solving. The student will have more
time to spend on analyzing the facts given in the problem, allowing for clearer
understanding and interpretation.
If the calculator is used in the classroom
and at home for daily work, then there must be an understanding of using it in
assessment. Long, Reys, and Osterlind (1989) state that the purpose of the
assessment must guide both the development of the test and the choice of tools
used to administer it. If the test is designed to measure students’ ability to
use and apply mathematics in the solution of problems, then maybe the calculator
would be a viable and useful tool. Chambers (1989) adds that educators need to
decrease the amount of testing time allocated to relatively unimportant
mathematics, the mathematics that is made trivial by calculators. He also states
that commercially developed standardized achievement tests and locally developed
tests should be modified to reflect the assumption that students taking the test
will be using calculators.
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In several studies there seems to be a slight
improvement in achievement test scores where calculators are used in the
classroom and at home for daily mathematics work. Rudnick and Krulik (1976) conclude their
findings by stating that the experimental group did not suffer in either their
overall achievement or their ability to perform paper-and-pencil operations and
in fact showed a slight gain in both areas. Schur and Lang (1976) report
calculator usage groups gain significantly more whole number computational
ability. Hembree (1986) found students who use calculators have better attitudes
toward mathematics and better self-concepts in mathematics than students, who do
not use calculators.
Hypothesis
It is hypothesized that seventh grade math
students who use calculators will have statistically significantly higher math
achievement scores than those who do not.
Operational
Definition
For the purpose of this study, the students
involved will be males and females enrolled in a regular education, seventh
grade, math class in public schools. The pretest and posttest administered will
be the Glencoe Final Examination. The calculator used will be the
TI-30XA.
Methodology
Research Design
The independent variable in this
quasi-experimental study will be calculator usage. The nonequivalent control
group design will be used to compare the math achievement of a group that is
allowed to use calculators on all math activities with a control group that is
not allowed to use calculators. The dependent variable is math achievement as
measured by the Glencoe Final Examination. This design does not control for
selection and maturation interaction.
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Sample/Subjects
In order
to determine the effectiveness of calculators in the classroom, two regular
education seventh grade classes at Southside Junior High will comprise the
convenience sample for this study. The majority of the students will be of
middle class socioeconomic status and are heterogeneously grouped. One preset
class of 30 students will be allowed to use a calculator and the other preset
class of 30 students will not use a calculator. Each class will be instructed by
the same teacher. This study may be generalized to all seventh grade students at
Southside Junior High.
Instrumentation
For this study, the Glencoe Final
Examination will be given for the pretest and posttest. This test is designed to
measure students’ math achievement in the areas of number theory, fractions,
decimals, percent, measurement, geometry and equations, as developed during the
course of the school year using the Glencoe textbook. This test consist of 50
multiple choice questions to be answered during one 55-minute class period. The authors of the test relied on expert
judgement to ensure content validity. Its measure of stability has been
established to be 0.87. This test is a practical measure of math achievement as
shown through its established reliability and validity.
Procedures
Both of the intact regular education seventh
grade math classes at Southside Junior High
will be administered a pretest. This test
will be scored, and then the one group will be designated the control group and
one will be designated the experimental group. Livingston Parish School Board
has issued the TI-30XA for students to use. The experimental group will be
allowed to use this calculators during all activities, including test. Using the
same lesson plans and activities with
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the exception that calculators will not be
allowed, the control group will be instructed. At the end of a school year, both
groups will be administered the posttest. Once again this test will be the
Glencoe Final Examination. This test will be used to measure the students’ math
achievement.
Data Analysis
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References
Chambers, D. L. (1989). One point of view:
Calculating the influence of tests on instruction. Arithmetic Teacher,
36(9), 10-11.
Forish-Ferguson, L. (1989). Two technological
fables. Arithmetic Teacher, 36(8), 50-51.
Hembree, R. (1986). Research gives
calculators a green light. Arithmetic Teacher, 34(1)
18-21.
Leechford, S. & Rice, D. R. (1982). The
effect of a calculator-based curriculum on sixth grade students’ achievement in
mathematics. School Science and Mathematics, 82,
576-580.
Long, V. M., Reys, B. & Osterlind, S. J.
(1989). Using calcultors on achievement tests. Mathematics Teacher, 82,
318-325.
McAloon, A. & Robinson, G. E. (1987).
Assessing for learning: Using calculators in assessing mathematics achievement.
Arithmetic Teacher, 35(2), 21-23.
Rudnick, J. A. & Krulik, S. (1976). The
minicalculator: Friend or foe? Arithmetic Teacher, 23,
654-656.
Schafer, P., Bell, M. S. & Crown, W. D.
(1975). Calculators in some fifth-grade classrooms: A preliminary look.
Elementary School Journal, 76(1), 27-31.
Schnur, J. O. & Lang, J. W. (1976). Just
pushing buttons or learning? A case for minicalculators. Arithmetic Teacher,
23, 559-562.
Wheatley, G. H., Shumway, R. J., Coburn, T.
G., Reys, R. E., Schoen, H. L., Wheatley C. L., & White, A. L. (1978).
Calculators in elementary school. Arithmetic Teacher, 27(1),
18-21.
Parental
Consent
Introduction. I ,___________________________, agree tp
permit my child,_______________ to participate in a study being conducted by
Svend C. Waltman at Southside Junior High.
I understand that this research is being conducted as part of the
researcher’s professional responsibilities.
Purpose of the Study. The purpose of this study is to determine the
effects of calculator use on math achievement.
Description of Procedures. I understand that this study will be
completed during normal class hours and my child will be part of a group that
may or may not be allowed to use a calculator during math
class.
Risk and Discomforts. There are no known risk from participating in
this study.
Benefits.
I understand that this study is not expected to be of direct benefit to
me, but the knowledge gained may be of
benefit to others.
Contact Person.
For more information about this research, I can contact Svend Waltman at
664-4221.
For information concerning my child’s rights
as a research participant, I may contact the Chair of the Institutional Review
Board at 549-5312.
Confidentiality. I understand that any information obtained as
a result of my child’s participation in this research will be kept as
confidential as legally possible.
In any publications that result from this research, neither my name nor
my child’s name nor any information from which we might be identified will be
published without my consent.
Voluntary Participation.
Participation in this study is voluntary. I understand that my child may
withdraw from this study at any time.
Refusal to participate or withdrawal will involve no penalty or loss of
benefits for my child. I have been given the opportunity to ask questions about
the research and have received answers concerning areas I did not
understand.
I willingly consent for my child to
participation in this project.
________________________________________
__________________
Signature of Participant
Date
_______________________________________
__________________
Signature of Investigator
Date