Primary teacher's attitudes toward the student use of calculators in primary (kindergarten-year 6) mathematics classes

The last fifteen years has seen an increase in the availability of calculators for use by schools and students. Educational authorities in Australia, the United States of America and the United Kingdom have come to recommend the student use of calculators from Kindergarten upwards. This recommendation has attracted continuing controversy, specifically regarding the use of, calculators in primary schools. Such controversy prompts an important question: What views do primary teachers themselves hold on this issue? This report examined the findings of a study into primary teachers' present attitudes toward the student use of calculators in primary mathematics classes. Data were collected from a questionnaire administered during 1990 to a sample of teachers undertaking their fourth year of study for a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at three university campuses in New South Wales, Australia. Those teachers who supported the primary student use of calculators believed that calculators are a technological tool for use in mathematics, that they increase childrens' confidence, they take the focus off computation in doing problems and that children use them outside the classroom. It was found that of these teachers, 55% supported the introduction of calculators before the end of Year 2. A total of 4% did not support their use at all in primary mathematics classes. This study concluded that there was not overall support from primary teachers for the introduction of the calculator into Kindergarten as recommended in the National Statement on the use of Calculators for Mathematics in Australian School