Week 3

Learning with calculator and games

This third session has really constructed my understanding on how to use games and calculators in teaching and learning Maths.
Previously, in Malaysia, games are not widely used in classrooms and the textbook serves as the main resource. After experiencing playing several games in this session, I believe in the effectiveness of using games in teaching and learning Maths. I admitted that these games were fun, competitive, enjoyable yet educational as i agreed with Waite- Stupianky (1999) that, when maths is a game, children are eager to participate. For instance, the gameboard, “closer is better” requires learners to apply the use of empty number line in counting their numbers. And the closest one with the target number will win. I also experienced testing my subitising skills through three gameboards; which are the clown, the egg and teddy race. These games need subitising skills with the dots of dice.

I found teddy race was very challenging because I needed to find a good combination to win. I managed to do it even at the first throw, I only got ‘1’ but after that I managed to get ‘6’.

Back in Malaysia, students are only allowed to use calculators at an older age, mostly in secondary schools. In her book, Smith (2001) also mentioned that many parents and school board members believe that access to calculators undermines the mastery of basic facts and procedures. I also believed with this misconception that calculators belong only in upper grades! However, Hembree and Dessart (1992) claimed that over 80 research studies consistently show that using calculators for instruction and testing results in superior math achievement and high levels of student self-confidence.

Yet, this week’s lesson has proven (to me) that calculators are not only used to calculate but used as tools to create a fun lesson. For instance, I experienced learning skip counting by using calculators. By pressing 3, then plus (+) and then equals (=), we can get 3, 6, 9, 12 and so on. Indeed, calculators can illustrate number patterns for young kids (Smith, 2001). Without our realization, repeated adding of the same number shows a form of early multiplication and repeated subtracting of the same number from a large number shows a way of thinking about division.

According to Groves and Stacey (1998), children enjoy the challenge of reaching larger and larger numbers. Calculator also gives them a feel to have the size of large number which is essential for any sensible use of algorithms. Researchers also found that children can perform better before they are learning standard algorithm lesson (Groves & Stacey, 1998).

However, I like a little reminder from Smith (2001) that ‘to use calculator accurately, the student must be able to estimate and/or round-off the approximate answer; because the human brains KNOWS how to find a correct answer, NOT the machine” (p.5).

References

Groves, S. & Stacey, K. (1998). Calculators in primary mathematics. In M. Lorna. & K. Margaret, The teaching and learning of algorithms in school mathematics (pp.120-129). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Hembree, R., & Dessart, D. (1992). Research on calculators in mathematics education. In J. T. Fey (Ed.), 1992 yearbook: Calculators in mathematics education (p.30). Reston, V.A: NCTM

Smith, S. S (2001). Early childhood mathematics. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Waite-Stupiansky, S. (1999). Games that teach. Instructor, 108 (5), 16-17

Pictures

http://www.delta-education.com/productdetail.aspx?Collection=N&prodID=3705&menuID=98