CALCULATORS IN PRIMARY GRADES ?

Hartwig Meissner Westf. Wilhelms-Univ. Muenster, Germany Abstract: Briefly we will reflect issues how to change mathematics education with regard to the existence of calculators and computers. In Germany there was no change at all in arithmetic education in primary schools, though outside from schools calculators are everywhere. Thus our research group developed and administered a project "Use the calculator to ecome independent from it" in eight !rd grade classes. In the "I#$#% wor&shop the participants will practice some of the activities from the project and they will get the same test as the pupils got. By the use of calculators our activities will concentrate on how to train mental arithmetic and how to develop num er sense. 1. Almost Thirty Years A o In 1976 at ICM III in !arlsruhe Hans "reu#enthal $haire# a %anel #is$ussi&n &n 'What May in the "uture C&m%uters an# Cal$ulat&rs Mean in Mathemati$al #u$ati&n(' )&me &f the *uesti&ns were +see ICM III ,r&$ee#ings, %. -91 ff./ What t& #& with $al$ulat&rs t&#ay( H&w will $al$ulat&rs 0 influen$e tea$hing mathemati$s( Must we intr&#u$e 0 $al$ulat&rs in mathemati$al instru$ti&n, an# if s& what 1in#, an# at whi$h age( Is there a #anger that numera$y will suffer if su$h $al$ulat&rs are intr&#u$e#, 0 &r may numera$y 2e im%r&ve# 2y using $al$ulat&rs( Will tea$hers &f s$ien$e $&m%lain even m&re a2&ut the la$1 &f mathemati$al a2ilities &f their %u%ils, &r will they 2e a2le t& %r&fit &f the use &f $al$ulat&rs in mathemati$al instru$ti&n( 3he auth&r &f this %a%er was &ne &f the %anelists an# alrea#y in 1976 I $laime# that $al$ulat&rs 'must 2e intr&#u$e# early, 2e$ause mathemati$al e#u$ati&n rea$hes all %u%ils &nly u% t& the age &f 14. 3he $al$ulat&r must then 2e intr&#u$e# as a tea$hing ai# an# %u%ils must 2e given n&t &nly the ne$essary 1n&wle#ge 2ut the meth&#s t& use the $al$ulat&r %r&%erly. Mental numera$y, the a2ilities &f estimating an# a%%r&5imating will 2e e5tremely im%&rtant, &therwise mista1es will n&t 2e reali6e#, results $ann&t 2e $he$1e#' +%. -97.. 8ievergelt, &ne &f the &ther %anelists, 'agree# 0 that $al$ulat&rs are a great hel% in s$h&&ls' 2ut 'alg&rithms in his &%ini&n #& n&t have a #&minant r&le in mathemati$s 0, f&r many &f &ur rea$ti&ns are s%&ntane&us' +%. -97.. ,&lla1, als& &ne &f the %anelists, $&n$entrate# &n 'What are the %e#ag&gi$al #iffi$ulties in tea$hing an# h&w $an $al$ulat&rs an# $&m%uters hel% with these %r&2lems(' +%. -94. In the late seventies &ur resear$h gr&u% 3IM + Tas$henre$hner Im Mathemati1unterri$ht1. was *uite a$tive in #is$ussing many &f these issues. 3&gether with &ur tea$her stu#ents an# many intereste# s$h&&ls we #esigne#, reali6e#, an# evaluate# a l&t &f tea$hing e5%eriments with $al$ulat&rs, es%e$ially in %rimary s$h&&ls. We e5%l&re# many $ase stu#ies, stu#ie# learning %r&$esses an# &2serve# the $&ns$i&us &r un$&ns$i&us 2ehavi&r &f $hil#ren when w&r1ing with $al$ulat&rs. In 1979 I als& stu#ie# a2&ut :; $al$ulat&r %r&<e$ts &r investigati&ns with $al$ulat&rs in the U)= an# we #evel&%e# re$&mmen#ati&ns h&w t& use $al$ulat&rs in mathemati$s e#u$ati&n in %rimary s$h&&ls.
1

whi$h means 'Cal$ulat&rs In Mathemati$s #u$ati&n'. "&r th&se wh& are es%e$ially intereste#, there still is a list &f 3IM referen$es availa2le fr&m the auth&r. Meissner +CI = M W&r1sh&% -;;4./ Cal$ulat&rs in ,rimary Gra#es( 1

!. Cha" es# a $halle" e %or mathemati$s e&'$atio" Changes in the $urri$ulum #e%en# &n many as%e$ts. 3he frame &f the CI = M 47 su2themes is an &%%&rtunity t& $&m%are the statements given in the seventies with the #evel&%ments we $an &2serve sin$e then. In this %a%er we &nly will $&n$entrate &n/ Is there t&#ay, in $&m%aris&n t& the seventies, a $hange in mental %r&$esses an# a$tivities when a#ults &r $hil#ren t&#ay w&r1 with $al$ulat&rs &r $&m%uters( H&w mu$h #i# the e5isten$e &f $al$ulat&rs influen$e the mathemati$s $urri$ulum in %rimary s$h&&ls( '.(. "hanges in people)s conceptions a out mathematics Is there t&#ay, in $&m%aris&n t& the seventies, a mental $hange when we a%%r&a$h mathemati$s, $al$ulat&rs, &r $&m%uters( >ur answer is ? ). When we stu#y $hil#ren &r a#ults w&r1ing with $&m%uters &r s&%histi$ate# $al$ulat&rs we $an &2serve many trials an# many guess an# test a$tivities. 3he same is true f&r %laying $al$ulat&r games &r $&m%uter games. >r, when y&u as1 a $&m%uter s%e$ialist f&r rules t& s&lve a s%e$ifi$ %r&2lem y&u have, they are *ui$1 in %ressing #iverse se*uen$es &f 2utt&ns, &ften trying again an# again, 2ut after 2e$&ming su$$essful very &ften they $ann&t give a %re$ise ver2al re$&nstru$ti&n &f their #&ing. =n# &ften they $ann&t give ver2al e5%lanati&ns h&w t& s&lve that %r&2lem ne5t time when y&u get it again. 3he #evel&%ment &f a %&werful, fle5i2le, an# effe$tive $&n$e%t image - #e%en#s &n tw& ty%es &f mental a$tivities whi$h 2&th are ne$essary t& 2uil# u% a $&gnitive net, 2ut whi$h &ften als& interfere. We #istinguish '$&mm&n-sense @&rstellungen' an# 'analyti$-l&gi$al @&rstellungen :'. 3ra#iti&nal mathemati$s e#u$ati&n $ertainly %refers analyti$-l&gi$al @&rstellungen. = f&rmal, l&gi$al, #eterministi$, an# analyti$ thin1ing is in the $enter, in$lu#ing refle$ting an# ma1ing $&ns$i&us. In the tra#iti&nal t&% #&wn tea$hing the A$&mm&n-sense @&rstellungenB li1e intuitive i#eas &r s%&ntane&us rea$ti&ns &r guess an# test %r&$e#ures &r un$&ns$i&us trials m&re &r less are 'n&nmathemati$al' an# get ign&re# &r un$&ns$i&usly re<e$te# &r even 'f&r2i##en'. In a t&% #&wn tea$hing the tea$her is #&minant, 2ut using $al$ulat&rs &r $&m%uters the stu#ents may 2e$&me m&re in#e%en#ent an# they $an shift, mainly un$&ns$i&usly, t& a m&re $&mm&n-sense 2ehavi&r, see e5am%les a2&ve. In a l&ng term effe$t the $&nstru$ting &f mathemati$al @&rstellungen with $al$ulat&rs &r $&m%uters may 2e$&me m&re s%&ntane&us, $f. the $&mment fr&m 8ievergelt at ICM III. 3hus we alrea#y n&w $laim f&r a m&re $&mm&n sense 2ehavi&r in mathemati$s e#u$ati&n, we argue f&r all&wing guess an# test, f&r thin1ing al&u#, f&r trying an# verifying. We must su%%&rt $&mm&n sense a$tivities t& #evel&% m&re effe$tive estimating a2ilities an# t& further num2er sense, %r&%&rti&nal reas&ning, fun$ti&n sense, et$. '.'. "hanges in primary schooling Ci# the e5isten$e &f $al$ulat&rs influen$e the mathemati$s $urri$ulum in %rimary s$h&&ls( "&r Germany, &ur answer is 8>. ,ers&nally, I am sa# an# #isa%%&inte#. Cal$ulat&rs are everywhere in #aily life 2ut the arithmeti$ e#u$ati&n in &ur %rimary s$h&&ls <ust ign&res that fa$t. We still tea$h mental arithmeti$ an# %a%er an# %en$il alg&rithms as we #i# thirty years ag&. 3here was n& tea$her in-servi$e an# the results fr&m investigati&ns in the seventies an# eighties with $al$ulat&rs get f&rg&tten ste% 2y ste%. 8ew generati&ns &f tea$hers gr&w u%, 2ut they still will tea$h arithmeti$ li1e their gran#fathers #i#. H&w t& $hange this situati&n(
:

'@&rstellung' in German 3his #i$h&t&my alrea#y was #is$usse# 2y @yg&t61i, Druner, Gins2urg, )trauss, an# &thers. =ls& the term '%r&$e%t' is a s%e$ial amalgam &f these tw& ty%es &f '@&rstellungen'. "&r m&re #etails see Meissner +-;;:.. Meissner +CI = M W&r1sh&% -;;4./ Cal$ulat&rs in ,rimary Gra#es( -

(. A $al$'lator )ro*e$t i" )rimary s$hools In &ur tea$her %re-servi$e seminars the tea$her stu#ents als& 2e$&me a$*uainte# with 2&&1s whi$h %u%ils an# tea$hers use in the $lass r&&m. In n&ne &f the %rimary s$h&&l 2&&1s there were a$tivities with $al$ulat&rs. 3his was the starting event f&r a new %r&<e$t. 3he &l# 3IM re%&rts g&t new rea#ers. =#vantages an# #isa#vantages were #is$usse# if &r h&w t& use $al$ulat&rs in %rimary s$h&&ls. =ll agree# that mental arithmeti$ still will remain im%&rtant an# that in &ur tra#iti&nal mathemati$s e#u$ati&n we alm&st #& n&t #evel&% a $&mm&n sense feeling if a result is $&rre$t &r n&t. We &ften f&r$e the %u%ils t& ma1e a guess 2ef&re #&ing the $al$ulati&ns &r we f&r$e them t& 'verify' their result after having #&ne the $al$ulati&ns. Dut 2&th a$tivities are %erf&rme# 'analyti$ally' &r 'l&gi$ally' an# there is n& intuitive feeling in %arallel if the $al$ulati&n &r the result might 2e $&rre$t. >ur tea$her stu#ents agree# that $al$ulat&rs sh&ul# 2e intr&#u$e# in %rimary s$h&&ls, 2ut they als& $laime#, that the %u%ils must 2e$&me a2le t& #evel&% 'aut&mati$ alarm 2ells' t& #ete$t in#e%en#ently fr&m the $al$ulat&r use if the $al$ulat&r result is a reas&na2le result. 3he g&al &f the %r&<e$t 2e$ame summari6e# int& the sl&gan 'Use the $al$ulat&r t& 2e$&me in#e%en#ent fr&m it'. In a %re-servi$e seminar the stu#ents #evel&%e# a tea$hing unit with 9 less&ns using sim%le $al$ulat&rs with a $&nstant fa$ility. 3here were tw& main g&als, the training &f mental arithmeti$ &n a stimulus res%&nse level an# %laying a #iversity &f $al$ulat&r games whi$h all nee# guess an# test t& get the result. We went int& s$h&&ls t& fin# intereste# tea$hers t& all&w &ur stu#ents t& tea$h these less&ns an# t& evaluate the &ut%ut. 3he investigati&n with %retest an# %&sttest was $arrie# &ut %arallel in time in eight %rimary s$h&&ls with a2&ut 19; %u%ils +:r# gra#ers.. =fter intr&#u$ing the $al$ulat&rs in the first less&n we starte# alm&st every &ther less&n with a sh&rt $&m%etiti&n 'Mental =rithmeti$' $&ntra 'Cal$ulat&r Gr&u%'. =t the 2eginning s&me stu#ents were 'all&we#' t& 2e the $al$ulat&r gr&u% &r the tea$her f&rme# a gr&u% &r 'the girls' &r 'the 2&ys' 2e$ame the $al$ulat&r gr&u%. 3he tea$her then $alle# the %r&2lem, i.e. 'h&w mu$h is 7 5 6 (', an# the gr&u% sh&uting the $&rre$t result first g&t a s$&re +1; %r&2lems f&r ea$h $&m%etiti&n, - &r : $&m%etiti&ns ea$h less&n.. =t the 2eginning ea$h %u%il $rie# t& 2e$&me a mem2er &f the $al$ulat&r gr&u%, 2ut after s&me less&ns they $rie# "ot t& 2e$&me a mem2er &f that gr&u%. 'I am *ui$1er in hea#' &r ',ressing the 1eys ta1es t&& mu$h time' &r 'I 1n&w the ta2le' were the arguments. *it the Target was &ne &f &ur fav&rite games/ = num2er an# an interval are given. "in# +2y guess an# test. a se$&n# num2er s& that the %r&#u$t &f the tw& num2ers is within the interval. 3he game trains %r&%&rti&nal feeling/ 3he tw& fa$t&rs an# the result intuitively gr&w t&gether t& &ne entity. Def&re starting the %r&<e$t the tea$hers an# %arents were very relu$tant an# we ha# t& intr&#u$e &ur a$tivities first t& these a#ults. 3here were n& #iffi$ulties at all with the %u%ils, they en<&ye# the use &f the $al$ulat&r, they l&ve# the games, an# &2vi&usly they als& re%&rte# at h&me very intensively. =fter the $&urse we g&t %&sitive re%lies fr&m all s$h&&ls, es%e$ially when they re$eive# their su$$essful test results +see 2&5%l&t &n the right..
TIM
1,0 ,9 ,8 ,7 ,6 ,5 ,4 ,3 ,2 ,1 0,0 N= 172 172 Vortest Nachtest

alle Schulen

Meissner +CI = M W&r1sh&% -;;4./ Cal$ulat&rs in ,rimary Gra#es(

+. The CIEAEM ,or-sho) In the w&r1sh&% the %arti$i%ants will %ra$ti$e s&me &f the a$tivities fr&m the %r&<e$t. 3hey will get the w&r1sheets fr&m the %u%ils an# w&r1 with the sim%le $al$ulat&rs we use# in the %r&<e$t +7 2asi$ &%erati&ns, $&nstant fa$ility, mem&ry, E-1ey.. 3& #em&nstrate 1ey str&1e se*uen$es &n the 2la$1 2&ar# we will use styr&f&am %lates. "inally the %arti$i%ants &f the w&r1sh&% als& will w&r1 &n the same test as the %u%ils #i#. We first will learn t& A%r&gramB these little ma$hines t& 2e$&me a 7 -&%erat&r &r a 3.831 -ma$hine. We then will %lay #ifferent $al$ulat&r games A+ind the ,peratorB. Dasi$ i#ea/ >ne A%u%ilB hi#es an &%erat&r an# the %artner then must fin# the hi##en &%erat&r 2y trial an# err&r. 3w& s%e$ial games &f this ty%e are A*it the TargetB +see a2&ve. an# the $al$ulat&r game ABIG ,-#B. In the latter a #ivisi&n &%erat&r is hi##en an# the %artner must fin# that in%ut whi$h gives the &ut%ut A1B +DIG >8 . in the #is%lay. - )&me &ther w&r1 sheets e5%lain themselves/ 114 160 40 320 Which operator, circle the mistake:
(1) (2)

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46 57 96 103

92 103 142 159

10 6 20 31

80 48 160 240

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%he calc lator is "roken, only the &ollo!in' keys are !orkin': 5 3 = ! 3ry t& get the f&ll&wing num2ers int& the #is%lay +try t& get all num2ers till -;. 15: 18: "inally in the w&r1sh&% we will #is$uss &n the 2ase &f these a$tivities/ What #& we mean 2y Anum2er senseB( H&w $an we further the #evel&%ment &f 'aut&mati$ alarm 2ells' t& #ete$t mista1es( Whi$h shall 2e the future &f %a%er-an#-%en$il alg&rithms in the s$h&&l $urri$ulum( Re%ere"$e Meissner, H. +-;;:./ C&nstru$ting Mathemati$al C&n$e%ts with Cal$ulat&rs &r C&m%uters. In/ ,r&$ee#ings &f C FM :, Dellaria Italy