Mathematics education could and should benefit from technology in order to improve teaching and learning, particularly in topics where visualizations and connections to other concepts are needed. Handheld technologies such as graphing calculators can provide students with visualization, confirmation and exploration of problems and concepts they are learning. Handheld graphing technologies have been taken place widely in elementary and secondary level mathematics courses and considered to be beneficial in various means in mathematics education. Mathematics teachers have a crucial role in the use of GCs in mathematics classrooms. Therefore, pre-service teachers&rsquo / use of GCs and their views on the use of the tool in mathematics learning are considered to be valuable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difficulties pre-service elementary mathematics teachers face, and the benefits and constraints they emphasize while learning elementary school algebra through using the Casio Classpad after receiving an instruction with graphing calculators. The graphing calculator used in the present study is the Casio Classpad 330, which is an evolved handheld device combining features of graphing calculators, dynamic geometry environment, computer algebra systems and more. The following two research problems guided the study: What are the difficulties do pre-service elementary mathematics teachers face while using Classpad in learning elementary school algebra after receiving an instruction with graphing calculators? What benefits and constraints do pre-service elementary mathematics teachers emphasize while learning elementary school algebra through using Classpad after receiving an instruction with graphing calculators? With the aim of investigating the views of a group of pre-service elementary mathematics teachers, qualitative research strategies were used. The data was collected and analyzed by means of a case study design. Classroom observations, a questionnaire, and focus group interviews were the main data sources of the existing study. The study was carried out with 21 pre-service elementary mathematics teachers. In the classroom studies elementary level algebra was taught to the participants with the use of Classpad as a main tool by giving one tool to each of the participants. Classroom observations ended in five weeks &ndash / 20 courses &ndash / including one week of a training period. After the classroom observations, participants filled out a questionnaire including five open-ended questions about the classroom studies. Finally, data collection procedure was ended with three focus group interviews. The data was analyzed with qualitative means by transcribing and analyzing the observation records, answers of the questionnaire, and records of the three interviews. Results revealed that pre-service teachers&rsquo / view Classpad in three categories / as a personal tool, as an educational tool, and the relationship between CP and motivation. They viewed CP as a personal tool that they were eager to use the tool in every level of mathematics from elementary to mastering degrees. As an educational tool, they preferred to use the tool as a teacher by giving some cautions that teachers and students should be careful with. Lastly, they considered that the tool has a positive effect on motivation when used appropriately. Pre-service elementary mathematics teachers faced some difficulties in the beginning courses of the classroom studies which was their learning period of how to use CP and they overcome most of the difficulties at the end of the classroom studies. As the new elementary school level mathematics curriculum encourages the use of various technologies in teaching and learning of mathematics, the results of this study will have useful implications for mathematics teachers and curriculum developers.

This dissertation consists of four articles and a summary. The main focus of the studies is students' explorations in upper secondary school mathematics. In the first study the central research question was to find out if the students could learn something difficult by using the graphing calculator. The students were working with questions connected to factorisation of quadratic polynomials, and the factor theorem. The results indicate that the students got a better understanding for the factor theorem, and for the connection between graphical and algebraical representations. The second study focused on a the last part of an investigation, the verification of an idea or a conjecture. Students were given three conjectures and asked to decide if they were true or false, and also to explain why the conjectures were true or false. In this study I found that the students wanted to use rather abstract mathematics in order to verify the conjectures. Since the results from the second study disagreed with other research in similar situations, I wanted to see what Swedish teachers had to say of the students' ways to verify the conjectures. The third study is an interview study where some teachers were asked what expectations they had on students who were supposed to verify the three conjectures from the second study. The teachers were also confronted with examples from my second study, and asked to comment on how the students performed. The results indicate that teachers tend to underestimate students' mathematical reasoning. A central focus to all my three studies is explorations in mathematics. My fourth study, a revised version of a pilot study performed 1998, concerns exactly that: how students in upper secondary school explore a mathematical concept. The results indicate that the students are able to perform explorations in mathematics, and that the graphing calculator has a potential as a pedagogical aid, it can be a support for the students' mathematical reasoning.

The introduction of graphing calculators into senior secondary schools and mandating of their use in high stakes assessment makes student expertise in finding a complete graph of a function essential. This thesis investigated the cognitive, metacognitive, mathematical, and technological processes senior secondary students used in seeking a complete graph of a difficult cubic function. A pretest of function knowledge was administered to two mixed ability classes in their final two years of secondary school. Five pairs of experienced users of TI-83 or 82 graphing calculators from these classes were audio and videotaped solving a problem task. Protocols were constructed and subjected to intensive qualitative macroanalysis and microanalysis using tools developed by the researcher from Schoenfeld’s work. / The findings were: (1)all students demonstrated understanding of the local and global nature of functions and the synthesis of these in determining a complete graph; (2) a range of mathematical and graphing calculator knowledge was applied in seeking a global view of the function with their combined application being more efficient and effective; (3) an understanding of automatic range scaling features facilitated efficient finding of a global view; (4) all pairs demonstrated having a clear mental image of the function sought and the possible positions of the calculator output relative to this; (5) students were able to resolve situations involving unexpected views of the graph to determine a global view; (6) students displayed understanding of local linearity of a function; (7) when working in the graphical representation, students used the algebraic but not the numerical representation to facilitate and support their solution; (8) scale marks were used to produce more elegant solutions and facilitate identification of key function features to produce a sketch but some students misunderstood the effect of altering these; (9) pairs differed in the proportion of cognitive and metacognitive behaviours demonstrated with question asking during evaluation supporting decision making; (10) correct selection of xxi an extensive range of graphing calculator features and use of dedicated features facilitated efficient and accurate identification of coordinates of key function features.

Orientador: Maria Aparecida Viggiani Bicudo / Banca: Marcelo de Carvalho Borba / Banca: Nilson José Machado / Resumo: Este estudo tem por objetivo conhecer o que os professores de Matemática pensam a respeito do uso da calculadora em sala de aula, buscando compreender o que consideram importante para essa prática pedagógica. A metodologia adotada para essa investigação teve inspiração fenomenológica, baseada na estrutura do fenômeno situado. Os sujeitos dessa pesquisa foram professores dos ensinos fundamental e médio, das redes pública e particular de ensino, nas cidades de Ponta Grossa - PR e Rio Claro - SP. Ao todo foram coletados 22 depoimentos, gravados, transcritos e analisados. A princípio, para a análise, foram consideradas as idéias individuais dos depoentes, com as quais foi construída a Matriz ldeográfica, que mostra uma das reduções feitas. Num segundo momento, partindo dessa Matriz, novas reduções foram efetuadas e delas emergiram três categorias abertas que apontam as características essenciais do uso da calculadora nas aulas de Matemática: domínio das operações básicas, a calculadora como recurso didátlco e formação do professor. Essas categorias foram interpretadas tendo em vista os depoimentos dos sujeitos e a literatura estudada. Finalizando o trabalho, apresentou-se a compreensão da pesquisadora sobre o estudo e, dessa interpretação e reflexão, foram levantados pontos relevantes que sugerem outras pesquisas e que indicam ações pedagógicas tendo em vista a calcufadora e a sala de aula. Esses pontos dizem de: conteúdos programáticos, avaliaçã e formação do professor. / Abstract: This study aims at knowing what mathematics teachers think about the use of calculators in the classroom, looking for an understanding of what they consider to be important in this pedagogical practice. The research methodology had a phenomenological inspiration based on the structure of situated phenomena. The subjects of this research were people teaching at primary, secondary and high school levels, at public and private schools in the cities of Ponta Grossa - PR and Rio Claro - SP. Twenty two testimonies were collected, recorded, transcribed and analysed. At first an Ideographical Matrix was assembled from the teachers' individual ideas, representing one of the reductions made. In a second moment, starting with this Matrix, new reductions were made and three open categories emerged. These categories point to the essential characteristics of the use of calculators in the Mathematics classroom: domain of basic operations, the calculator as didactic resource and teacher education. These categories were interpreted on the basis of the subjects' testimonies and the study of bibliography. Finally, the researcher comprehension of the study is presented. Based on her interpretation and reflection, relevant points suggesting new research and pedagogical action using the calculators in Mathematics classroom, were raised. These points refer to: subject matter, assessment and teacher education. / Mestre

Doctor of Philosophy / Curriculum and Instruction Programs / Jennifer M. Bay-Williams / Graphing calculators have been used in education since 1986, but there is no consensus as to how, or if, they should be used. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Research Council promote their use, and ample research supports the positive benefits of their use, but not all teachers share this view. Also, rural schools face obstacles that may hinder them from implementing technology. The purpose of this study is to determine how graphing calculators are used in mathematics instruction of high schools in western Kansas, a rural region of the state. In addition to exploring the introduction level of graphing calculators, the frequency of their use, and classes in which they are used, this study also investigated the beliefs of high school mathematics teachers as related to teaching mathematics and the use of graphing calculators. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and observations of classroom teaching. Results indicate that graphing calculators are allowed or required in almost all of the high schools of this region, and almost all teachers have had some experience using them in their classrooms. Student access to graphing calculators depends more on the level of mathematics taken in high school than on the high school attended; graphing calculator calculators are allowed or required more often in higher-level classes than in lower-level classes. Teachers believe that graphing calculators enhance student learning because of the visual representation that the calculators provide, but their teaching styles have not changed much because of graphing calculators. Teachers use graphing calculators as an extension of their existing teaching style. In addition, nearly all of the teachers who were observed and classified as non-rule-based based on their survey utilized primarily rule-based teaching methods.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-02-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:13:17Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 scucuglia_r_me_rcla.pdf: 2169829 bytes, checksum: 4fcea48798ae4ad65d55b601401c6e23 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / A informática vem gerando discussões sobre fundamentos da Matemática e reorganizando dinâmicas em Educação Matemática. Baseado nessa idéia, e em meu engajamento como pesquisador participante do GPIMEM, estruturei uma pesquisa onde discuto como Estudantes-com-Calculadoras-Gráficas investigam o Teorema Fundamental do Cálculo (TFC). Apoiado na perspectiva epistemológica Seres-Humanos-com-Mídias, que evidencia o papel das tecnologias no processo de produção de conhecimento, realizei experimentos de ensino com duplas de estudantes do primeiro ano da graduação em matemática, UNESP, Rio Claro, SP. A partir da análise de vídeos da primeira sessão de Experimentos de Ensino notei que a utilização de programas e comandos da Calculadora Gráfica TI-83 condicionou o pensamento das estudantes na investigação dos conceitos de Soma de Riemann e Integração (conceitos intrinsecamente inerentes ao TFC). Na segunda sessão, explorando exemplos de funções polinomiais com o comando de integração definida da Calculadora Gráfica, os coletivos pensantes formados por Estudantes-com-Calculadoras- Gráficas-Lápis-e-Papel estabeleceram conjecturas sobre o TFC. No processo de demonstração deste Teorema, foram utilizadas noções intuitivas e notações simplificadas, antes que fosse usada a simbologia padronizada pela Matemática Acadêmica. Essa abordagem possibilitou o engajamento gradativo das estudantes em discussões matemáticas dedutivas a partir dos resultados obtidos experimentalmente com as atividades propostas na pesquisa. / Information technology has been generating discussion regarding the foundations of mathematics, and reorganizing dynamics in mathematics education. Based on this idea, and on my engagement as a researcher participating in GPIMEM, I designed a study in which I discuss how students-with-graphing-calculators investigate the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC). Based on the epistemological perspective of humans-with-media, which emphasizes the role of technology in the process of knowledge production, I conducted teaching experiments with pairs of students enrolled in the first year of the mathematics program at the State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Rio Claro campus. Based on analysis of video-tapes of the first teaching experiments session, I noted that the use of programs and commands of the TI-83 graphing calculator conditioned the students thinking in the inquiry into the concepts Riemann Sums and Integration (concepts intrinsically inherent to the FTC). In the second session, exploring examples of polynomial functions with the definite integration command by the graphing calculator, the thinking collectives composed of students-withgraphing- calculators-paper-and-pencil established conjectures regarding the FTC. In the process of demonstrating this theorem, intuitive notions and simplified notations were used before using the standardized symbology of academic mathematics. This approach made it possible for the students to become gradually engaged in deductive mathematical discussions based on the results obtained experimentally through the activities proposed in the study.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 1997-12-08Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:27:25Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 mocrosky_lf_me_rcla.pdf: 17148221 bytes, checksum: b1f18d25688a3c8b09cd5974921da660 (MD5) / Este estudo tem por objetivo conhecer o que os professores de Matemática pensam a respeito do uso da calculadora em sala de aula, buscando compreender o que consideram importante para essa prática pedagógica. A metodologia adotada para essa investigação teve inspiração fenomenológica, baseada na estrutura do fenômeno situado. Os sujeitos dessa pesquisa foram professores dos ensinos fundamental e médio, das redes pública e particular de ensino, nas cidades de Ponta Grossa - PR e Rio Claro - SP. Ao todo foram coletados 22 depoimentos, gravados, transcritos e analisados. A princípio, para a análise, foram consideradas as idéias individuais dos depoentes, com as quais foi construída a Matriz ldeográfica, que mostra uma das reduções feitas. Num segundo momento, partindo dessa Matriz, novas reduções foram efetuadas e delas emergiram três categorias abertas que apontam as características essenciais do uso da calculadora nas aulas de Matemática: domínio das operações básicas, a calculadora como recurso didátlco e formação do professor. Essas categorias foram interpretadas tendo em vista os depoimentos dos sujeitos e a literatura estudada. Finalizando o trabalho, apresentou-se a compreensão da pesquisadora sobre o estudo e, dessa interpretação e reflexão, foram levantados pontos relevantes que sugerem outras pesquisas e que indicam ações pedagógicas tendo em vista a calcufadora e a sala de aula. Esses pontos dizem de: conteúdos programáticos, avaliaçã e formação do professor. / This study aims at knowing what mathematics teachers think about the use of calculators in the classroom, looking for an understanding of what they consider to be important in this pedagogical practice. The research methodology had a phenomenological inspiration based on the structure of situated phenomena. The subjects of this research were people teaching at primary, secondary and high school levels, at public and private schools in the cities of Ponta Grossa - PR and Rio Claro - SP. Twenty two testimonies were collected, recorded, transcribed and analysed. At first an Ideographical Matrix was assembled from the teachers' individual ideas, representing one of the reductions made. In a second moment, starting with this Matrix, new reductions were made and three open categories emerged. These categories point to the essential characteristics of the use of calculators in the Mathematics classroom: domain of basic operations, the calculator as didactic resource and teacher education. These categories were interpreted on the basis of the subjects' testimonies and the study of bibliography. Finally, the researcher comprehension of the study is presented. Based on her interpretation and reflection, relevant points suggesting new research and pedagogical action using the calculators in Mathematics classroom, were raised. These points refer to: subject matter, assessment and teacher education.

Orientador: Marcelo de Carvalho Borba / Banca: Mônica E. Villarreal / Banca: Telma de S. Gracias / Resumo: A informática vem gerando discussões sobre fundamentos da Matemática e reorganizando dinâmicas em Educação Matemática. Baseado nessa idéia, e em meu engajamento como pesquisador participante do GPIMEM, estruturei uma pesquisa onde discuto como Estudantes-com-Calculadoras-Gráficas investigam o Teorema Fundamental do Cálculo (TFC). Apoiado na perspectiva epistemológica Seres-Humanos-com-Mídias, que evidencia o papel das tecnologias no processo de produção de conhecimento, realizei experimentos de ensino com duplas de estudantes do primeiro ano da graduação em matemática, UNESP, Rio Claro, SP. A partir da análise de vídeos da primeira sessão de Experimentos de Ensino notei que a utilização de programas e comandos da Calculadora Gráfica TI-83 condicionou o pensamento das estudantes na investigação dos conceitos de Soma de Riemann e Integração (conceitos intrinsecamente inerentes ao TFC). Na segunda sessão, explorando exemplos de funções polinomiais com o comando de integração definida da Calculadora Gráfica, os coletivos pensantes formados por Estudantes-com-Calculadoras- Gráficas-Lápis-e-Papel estabeleceram conjecturas sobre o TFC. No processo de demonstração deste Teorema, foram utilizadas noções intuitivas e notações simplificadas, antes que fosse usada a simbologia padronizada pela Matemática Acadêmica. Essa abordagem possibilitou o engajamento gradativo das estudantes em “discussões matemáticas dedutivas” a partir dos resultados obtidos “experimentalmente” com as atividades propostas na pesquisa. / Abstract: Information technology has been generating discussion regarding the foundations of mathematics, and reorganizing dynamics in mathematics education. Based on this idea, and on my engagement as a researcher participating in GPIMEM, I designed a study in which I discuss how students-with-graphing-calculators investigate the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC). Based on the epistemological perspective of humans-with-media, which emphasizes the role of technology in the process of knowledge production, I conducted teaching experiments with pairs of students enrolled in the first year of the mathematics program at the State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Rio Claro campus. Based on analysis of video-tapes of the first teaching experiments session, I noted that the use of programs and commands of the TI-83 graphing calculator conditioned the students’ thinking in the inquiry into the concepts Riemann Sums and Integration (concepts intrinsically inherent to the FTC). In the second session, exploring examples of polynomial functions with the definite integration command by the graphing calculator, the thinking collectives composed of students-withgraphing- calculators-paper-and-pencil established conjectures regarding the FTC. In the process of demonstrating this theorem, intuitive notions and simplified notations were used before using the standardized symbology of academic mathematics. This approach made it possible for the students to become gradually engaged in “deductive mathematical discussions” based on the results obtained “experimentally” through the activities proposed in the study. / Mestre

This study was motivated by the latest revision of the mathematics syllabuses of the Cape Education Department. The most important changes to content in the Senior Secondary Mathematics Syllabus (July 1984) are the introduction of calculus and linear programming, the substitution of a section on analytical geometry for vector algebra and the recall of the remainder and factor theorems. The way in which these changes were introduced left the task of integrating them into the teaching process in the hands of individual teachers. This is a task of extreme importance. If one's classroom practice is to simply plough one's way through the syllabus, one loses many opportunities to make the study of mathematics meaningful and worthwhile. Accepting the view of the spiral nature of the curriculum where one returns to concepts and procedures at increasing levels of sophistication, one needs to identify the position of topics in this spiral and to trace their conceptual foundations. Analytical geometry is in particular need of this treatment. Similarly there are many opportunities for preparing for the introduction of calculus. If the teaching of calculus is left until the last moments of the Standard 10 year without proper groundwork, the pupil will be left with little time to develop an understanding of the concepts involved. It is the advent of calculators which presents the greatest challenge to mathematics education. We ignore this challenge to the detriment of our teaching. Taken seriously calculators have the potential to exert a radical influence on the content of curricula and examinations. They bring into question the time we spend on teaching arithmetic algorithms and the priority given to algebraic manipulation. Numercial methods gain new prominence. Calculators can even breathe new life into the existing curriculum. Their computing power can be harnessed not only to carry out specific calculations but also to introduce new topics and for concept reinforcement. The purpose of this study has been to bring about a proper integration of the new sections into the existing syllabus and to give some instances of how the calculator can become an integral part of the teaching/learning process

The complete solution of real/life problems starts with the specification of the problem, its expression using mathematical concepts, solving it using a mathematical apparatus and interpreting its results using the terminology of the original problem area. In this four-stage process, graphic calculators can be efficiently used for speeding up its third (“purely mathematical”) stage. The application of ICT will free the teachers’ hands and allow them to concentrate on the pre-solution and post-solution relationships between the problem and its mathematical classification, representation, and meaning. During our 60-minute hands-on workshop, this principle will be demonstrated on examples from financial mathematics and other real-life problems using CASIO ClassPad. The workshop participants can play the role of learners. They are also invited to discuss and express their opinions on even more effective exploitation of this flexible tool. No previous experience with CASIO ClassPad is needed.