Graphing Calculator Article

I wrote a literature review last semester about the effect of calculators in the math classroom. One of the articles that I used was: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=144961131&Fmt=3&clientId=12354&RQT=309&VName=PQD
This article focuses on graphing calculators. (I don't think the link is working. I got the article through Sage's Library and I can't figure out how to get the link to go through. Sorry.)

Summary: The researchers, Thompson and Senk worked with students using two different curricula to teach the same mathematics course. One of the curricula was a traditional algebra curriculum and the other was a new reformed algebra curriculum. The new reformed curriculum involved the use of graphing calculators and the traditional curriculum did not use graphing calculators. The study used four math classes and matched them so that two of the classes received the new curriculum and two did not. All four classes were taught for one school year and given a test at the end of the year. The results of the exam were compared with the type of curriculum that was used. The outcome of the tests showed that the students in the new curriculum that used calculators performed better than those who were exposed to the traditional curriculum that did not use calculators. The differences between the scores of the students in the two curricula were found to be statistically significant

Review: Although the article suggests that using graphing calculators allowed students to perform better on their final exam, there are many problems with the study that should be used to lightly interpret the results. The biggest problem that I found was that there were different teachers for the classes. This means that there was no control over how the teachers taught the students, and that graphing calculators might not be the only reason the students perfomed better. What I conclude then, is that a curriculum that involves graphing calculators (among other things) helps students perform better.

Statistics

For a student that is having trouble seeing the use in statistics I would first ask them what they are interested in. (Usual response will probably be movies, sports, etc.). I would then find statistics that can be found in their interest. Statistics are everywhere so it would be easy to find a connection between the student's interest and statistics. Our powerpoint assignment would be another way to show a student how applicable statistics is. I think the main goal should be to show a student that statistics is really used many places and does have meaning. Once that is accomplished, the student should be able to understand the lessons in class and begin to do well. Obviously, a teacher may be caught off guard when they get the "how am I ever going to use this?" question. At that point I may not have an exact answer at the moment, but will definitely come to the next class with a response. Students need to see that the mathematics topics they are learning do have an impact and relavance in their lives.