Learning and Teaching Mathematics with a Graphic Calculator

The past three decades has seen many mathematics departments adopting plans for the appropriate use of instructional technology tools in the learning and teaching of mathematics, and in the assessment of mathematics learning. A device that can be utilized to facilitate learning of mathematics is the graphic calculator, whose technology and levels of sophistication have grown significantly over the last few years. Compared to the United States, Europe, and the Oceania region, the use of hand-held technology in Malaysia is very much in its infancy. The School of Mathematical Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) offers a Special Topic course on the integration of hand-held technology into the teaching and learning of mathematics beginning the 2001/2002 academic year. The course is taught in an inquiry-based format that highlights explorations and applications of mathematics in a data rich modeling environment. In addition, the course addresses issues related to the effective integration of such technologies into the mathematics and science curriculum. This paper discusses pedagogical and assessment strategies that have been implemented in the course and summarizes student reactions to the innovative learning mode