1A THEORETICAL MODEL FOR STUDENT PERCEPTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL AUTHORITY: IMPLEMENTING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CLASSROOM

In light of recent technological advancements, the mathematics classroom is being asked to undergo tremendous changes (NCTM, 1989). The role of various parts of the traditional curriculum (e.g. graphing by hand and pencil-and-paper symbol manipulation) is being examined with great care. To what extent should students be expected to expand algebraic expressions? How do the concepts of the Calculus complement the capabilities of current graphing technology? However, tied to these issues is a question that must be addressed before meaningful discussion can proceed. How do students view the role of technology in their construction of mathematical understanding and how does the machine's authority interact with the student's autonomy in the problem-solving process? There is some evidence to support the view that in using technology, students will lose some autonomy in the problem solving process (Reys, Bestgen, Rybolt, & Wyatt, 1980; Nachmias & Linn, 1987; Tall, 1989). Reys et al. report the use of calculators which were programmed to give incorrect answers. In this study, 36 percent of the subjects proceeded through a 7 question exercise without verbalizing any concern with regard to the accuracy of the calculator