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Conclusion: Students with access to the TI-Nspire graphing calculator learned with understanding and appeared to be better able to draw inferences that connected inert knowledge with observed and grounded phenomena. The effect was largest for low achievers.
University of Washington
In a small-scale controlled experiment with random assignment, researchers found:
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| • | All participants showed a positive gain in knowledge, both in procedural and, more importantly, in conceptually connected knowledge. |
| • | Participants who had access to the TI-Nspire graphing calculator learned with understanding and appeared to be better able to draw inferences that connected inert knowledge with observed and grounded phenomena. |
| • | Low-achieving participants who had access to TI-Nspire graphing calculators seemed to show the highest gains. |
| • | Researchers also observed that students easily and quickly learned to use TI-Nspire in data modeling, and showed evidence of high engagement and collaborative learning. |
 Reference: (O’Mahony, Baer et al. 2008)
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Conclusion: In pre-service teacher education, use of TI-Nspire can stimulate pedagogical reflection and willingness to learn among new teachers.
Florida State University
A case study introducing TI-Nspire to 35 pre-service math teachers in 2 cohorts found that:
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| • | The new technology served as a tool or stimulator in fostering pedagogical reflection among the participants. |
| • | The new technology stimulated among the participants a willingness to learn on their own and with their students. |
| • | Participants’ beliefs and prior experience played an important role in their justification of their proposed ways of teaching and assessment. |
| • | Participants experienced tension between traditional curricular materials (e.g., the textbook) and the need to recreate their instructional tasks. |
| • | The new technology can at times lead to conflicts between participants’ traditional view of mathematics teaching and their awareness of innovative alternatives. |
| Reference: (Spector, Jakubowski et al. 2008)
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Conclusion: In a Title I setting, positive effects on achievement were observed when students used TI-Nspire with appropriate teaching techniques.
City University of New York
A case study of a year-long intervention with 5 NY integrated algebra teachers in a New York City Title I school (with a low-income student population) found that:
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| • | In the experimental group using TI-Nspire, while the changes in the lower level classes were insignificant, the achievement changes in the upper level classes were significant. These results could be attributed to the effect of integrating TI-Nspire into the integrated algebra classes, and are more remarkable because pre- and post-test were only separated by 2 months. |
| • | Fall vs. Spring semester grades significantly decreased in both groups, however, the decrease in grades was much more dramatic in control group. |
| • | When teachers create their own materials, they felt more comfortable in the classroom teaching it to the students |
| • | Students most often used the calculator application and showed highest proficiency level in this application. |
| • | Students’ proficiency with TI-Nspire technology is independent from students’ demographics, and did not vary across classes. |
| • | Except for the fact that experimental group performed better than control group, there was no clear relationship between students’ performance in mathematics and their attitudes towards TI-Nspire or proficiency in using TI-Nspire. |
| Reference: (Lyublinskaya 2008)
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Conclusion: Use of TI-Nspire CAS may help student understanding of key algebraic concepts such as equations, parentheses, and equivalence
George Mason University
In an action research study by one teacher, using TI-Nspire CAS had a positive effect on her students understanding of solving equations, using parentheses, and understanding equivalent operations
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| Reference (Gantz 2008)
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Conclusion: Appropriate use of TI-Nspire technology can facilitate use of shared resources for collaborative learning, high student engagement, and a novel, integrated format for instructional units. Beliefs that the calculator is an aid to learning mathematics (not just an efficiency device).
Research Institute on Mathematical Education (IREM), National Institute on Education Research (INRP)
University of Lyon
A qualitative case study in France of six 10th second grade classes using TI-NspireTM handhelds with Computer Algebra System (CAS) found that: |
| • | Teachers in the project developed an effective model for pedagogical resource in the TI-Nspire environment, including a .TNS file in combination with a unit-based pupil worksheet, a teacher sheet and a scenario for use, explaining the possible use of ICT. |
| • | The document structure served as a local temporary record of the activities being performed in class, thus supporting teaching, assessment and research |
| • | Collaboration was essential to develop learning progressions and learning activities, by adapting the shared resources. |
| • | Collaboration is supported by an online shared workspace for teachers. |
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| Using one such learning activity in geometry:
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| • | Pupils were observed to become engaged in the assignment and remained engaged for the full two hours of the session |
| • | Cognitive complexity of the same learning activity had been underestimated by its designers |
| • | Pupils did not spontaneously examine different approaches to the problem, but required the teacher to highlight relationships |
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| Student opinion surveys showed:
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| • | Over 96% of students had a computer at home, and 75% used it daily, and amongst the small part of pupils knowing dynamical geometry, most had experience with cabri. But they still cited as advantageous the extreme portability and dynamic applications of TI-Nspire. |
| • | Regular in-class use of TI-Nspire facilitated ease in mastering the tool, and difficulties of use were rapidly overcome. |
| • | As the year progressed, the calculator was seen more as a tool available in the class |
| • | As the year progressed, student emphasis was far more on the possibilities for symbolic calculation and new potentials for problem solving, rather than the features of the device. |
Reference: (Aldon, Artigue et al. 2008)
Reference: Educamath
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Conclusion: In pre-service teacher training, which included training on attitudes regarding the use of advanced digital technologies in their teaching modeling of exemplary practice in the field placement could have a crucial -perhaps decisive - effect on the candidate.
Brooklyn College-CUNY
A pilot project using a case study methodology introducing TI-Nspire technology to 20 pre-service candidate teachers at 3 universities found: |
| • | Candidates whose field placement was in a school where technology was used extensively developed a positive attitude to technology. |
| • | Candidates with positive technology-oriented experiences in the field express stronger desires to incorporate technology into their own teaching. |
| • | Pre-service experiences in the classroom primed candidates for the possibilities of technology, but it takes the experiencing of exemplary practice to convince them of the benefits of working to incorporate technology in their own teaching. |
| • | Lesson plans using TI-Nspire technology written by those candidates with field placements in technology-rich environments showed more sophistication, not just in the use of technology, but in terms of implementing inquiry-based and open-ended instructional approaches. |
| Reference: (Meagher, Ozgun-Koca et al. 2008)
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