ERIC Number: EJ1105220
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2148-9955
EISSN: N/A
The Effect of Calculator Use on College Students' Mathematical Performance
Boyle, Robert W.; Farreras, Ingrid G.
International Journal of Research in Education and Science, v1 n2 p95-100 Sum 2015
This experiment tested the effect that calculator use had on 200 randomly assigned college students' mathematical performance. The purposes of the current experiment were twofold: to measure the level of mathematical preparation of current college students, and to test whether calculators improve mathematical performance in such students as it does in precollege students. There was a significant difference in math performance between the two groups, with the calculator group outperforming the no-calculator group. The dozen demographic variables measured did not significantly predict performance. The improved mathematical improvement may not be due to calculators being easy but rather to the effect of learning experiences. Classroom policies concerning the use of calculators need to be evaluated and possibly changed.
Descriptors: Calculators, Technology Uses in Education, Educational Technology, Mathematics Achievement, College Readiness, Comparative Analysis, Predictor Variables, Student Characteristics, Randomized Controlled Trials, Undergraduate Students, Mathematics Skills, Arithmetic, Likert Scales, Conventional Instruction, Error Patterns, Word Problems (Mathematics), Questionnaires, Multivariate Analysis, Statistical Analysis
International Journal of Research in Education and Science. Necmettin Erbakan University, Ahmet Kelesoglu Education Faculty, Meram, Konya 42090 Turkey. e-mail: ijresoffice@gmail.com; Web site: http://www.ijres.net
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A