Integrating the TI-83 Plus calculator into the classroom: a workshop for teachers

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a technology workshop involving the TI-83 Plus graphing calculator on an existing math curriculum and on teaching methodology. The workshop was developed with three goals in mind: 1) to inform teachers of the many functions of the TI-83 Plus, 2) to inform the teachers of how it could be integrated into their classroom, and 3) to promote student-based classrooms instead of teacher-based classrooms. The entire math department was used as a sample for this project. The intern administered surveys both before and after the workshop was implemented to see if these three goals were accomplished. The survey included both open ended questions and a closed-ended section, which used a Likert scale. The before surveys were compared with the after surveys using their averages and T-tests. The intern also conducted a one-on-one interview with each workshop participant after the implementation of the workshops. This allowed the intern to ask further questions about the workshops and about the teachers\u27 perceptions of using the TI-83 Plus in the math classroom. The statistical results showed that there was no significant change in curriculum or teaching style after the implementation of the workshops. However, the teachers were more aware of the functions and uses of the TI-83 Plus in the math classroom

    Similar works