The effect of calculator use on standardized test scores of eighth grade mathematics students

The effects of calculator usage on the scores of students taking the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills math battery were investigated. Two hundred seventy 8th grade students from Ames Middle School were included in the study. All students took the three mathematics subtests, Mathematical Concepts, Mathematical Problem Solving and Mathematical Computations, included in Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Half of the randomly selected class groups were supplied with, and allowed to use, calculators on all three sections of the mathematics tests, the other half of the students were not allowed to use calculators. The results indicated that both groups of students did equally well on the Mathematical Concepts portion of the test. The calculator group scored slightly above the non-calculator group on Mathematical Problem Solving subtest and scored significantly (p\u3c.01) better on the Mathematical Computation portion of the test. The continuous increase in the use of calculators in the mathematics curriculum implies a need for educators to examine the effects of calculator use on standardized test scores in an attempt to seek out alternative methods of evaluation