A Study of the Impact of Graphing Calculator Use in Algebra I

This study examined the use of graphing calculators over a one year time frame with students enrolled in Algebra I courses. Researchers sought to answer questions regarding the relationships among the use of graphing calculators on standardized assessments and student achievement, levels of access, and classroom use of graphing calculators. The researchers recruited participation in the study by high schools in two states. Students took two tests without using a graphing calculator then took a third test using a graphing calculator. Researchers examined data with a Repeated Measures General Linear Model (GLM), Multiple Regression, and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to investigate differences and relationships between mathematics achievement, graphing calculators, and student and teacher variables. Researchers found that students demonstrated higher levels of math performance when a graphing calculator was used. There was a positive correlation between the residual gain scores and students using a classroom set of graphing calculators. Using HLM, researchers constructed a model where 12 % of math achievement variability was statistically explained by: (1) student use of a graphing calculator; (2) student ownership of a graphing calculator; (3) student access and use of a classroom set of graphing calculator; (4) student familiarity in graphing more that one function; (5) teacher familiarity in writing a program using the graphing calculator; and (6) connecting graphing calculators to motion detectors, computers, or other graphing calculators