http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15702
That is a free download. It was something I searched for last year in EDTC 600.
The software use to cost around $20 several years ago and was bundled with MS Student. For a free software it does a lot. It allows you to graph in 2D and 3D and this helps some students who cannot afford a graphing calculator to have one at home or even on a tablet (the tablet has to be the full version of Windows, not its RT cousin).
What I like about it is the easy to use interface and the customization options (though it's kinda limited...it is free after all).
It does not eat up much system resources and ran pretty smoothly on my old computer which had 2GB of RAM (much more than what is required). It does also have a handwriting recognition tool, but it's not up to par with some other hand recognition software out there.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Monday, March 3, 2014
Calculators in math
For a while I was always told when I was younger that calculators have become the unbecoming of math.
Students typically, SpEd of GenEd students, use a calculator for even simple computations like double digit division or single digit integer operations. While I am fully aware that some students, like SpEd and 504 kids, require the use of a calculator I do not believe that some of these students are very capable of performing quick computations in their head without a calculator. However, they've been relying on calculators for much of their academic life and in a way are told that "I can't do this without a calculator". How much are we hurting the kids by giving them a calc?
I played basketball when I was younger and I was told that to be a better player I had to get the basics down first so that they become natural. Stuff like blocking the passing lanes or boxing out your man for a rebound. To be a better math person the foundations need to be set. These basic calculations are pretty much with you beyond your academic life. Spending time on these mundane calculations misses the points on the concepts.
However, calculators are not all bad. Without calculators it is impossible to go to the moon or build a smartphone. Calculators help us with the tedious calculations so we focus on the concepts that precede them.
Students typically, SpEd of GenEd students, use a calculator for even simple computations like double digit division or single digit integer operations. While I am fully aware that some students, like SpEd and 504 kids, require the use of a calculator I do not believe that some of these students are very capable of performing quick computations in their head without a calculator. However, they've been relying on calculators for much of their academic life and in a way are told that "I can't do this without a calculator". How much are we hurting the kids by giving them a calc?
I played basketball when I was younger and I was told that to be a better player I had to get the basics down first so that they become natural. Stuff like blocking the passing lanes or boxing out your man for a rebound. To be a better math person the foundations need to be set. These basic calculations are pretty much with you beyond your academic life. Spending time on these mundane calculations misses the points on the concepts.
However, calculators are not all bad. Without calculators it is impossible to go to the moon or build a smartphone. Calculators help us with the tedious calculations so we focus on the concepts that precede them.
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