T3 Educational Resources - The Case for CAS

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The Case for CAS

There are many arguments for and against the use of CAS. The Case for CAS sets out to provide an argumentative case for the use of CAS. CAS presents some interesting challenges to the teaching, learning and assessment of mathematics, and indeed is banned in the national examinations in some European countries such as Scotland and Germany. This project was born out of the notion that if teaching and learning with CAS is to be promoted, then it has to be embedded in the 'high stakes' assessment, - by 'high stakes' we mean assessment which is at the end of a course of study and counts for University entrance for example. How can a country be persuaded to release a ban on and adopt CAS? How can assessment be adapted to take into account the challenges of CAS? This book aims to provide persuasive arguments for the former question and provide full and illustrative examples of the latter.

Since the idea first germinated contributions have been submitted from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Scotland and Switzerland. The Case for CAS thus represents the views of a number of teachers in widely differing situations with a wealth of experience of teaching with CAS - a truly international collaborative effort.

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Table of Contents

CAS Authors:

Josef Böhm
Ian Forbes
Guido Herweyers
René Hugelshofer
Gert Schomacker

Josef Böhm was a teacher in a Business Administration College (Handelsakademie) in St. Pölten, Lower Austria for more than 30 years. Here he started very early teaching mathematics supported by technology. During his career as teacher he gave numerous courses on this issue. Since; 1999 he has been T³ coordinator for Austria and is still busy as an active member of the ACDCA (Austrian Center of Didactics of Computer Algebra). In his leisure time he enjoys being grandfather of six grandchildren and likes to play tennis, go for extended hikes and to travel around the world to attend mathematics conferences.

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Ian Forbes is a lecturer in the Department of Curriculum Research and Development at the University of Edinburgh. After more than 20 years of teaching in secondary schools, he now works with primary and secondary teachers in training. Since 1997 Ian has been involved in steering the national approach to teaching with hand-held technology in Scotland and has had extensive involvement with T³. He has particular interests in interactive teaching and the role of computer algebra in school mathematics. If he has any time left he enjoys walking his dog Apache and mountaineering-frequently both together.

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Guido Herweyers is a teacher of mathematics and statistics at the Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge-Oostende (KHBO), with a considerable teaching experience using CAS with engineering students. He is a scientific collaborator at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (K.U.Leuven), co-author of textbooks, he regularly attends international conferences as T³-instructor. Since 1998 he has organized T³-conferences in Belgium. In his leisure time he likes traveling; he enjoys walking and cycling along scenic landscapes.

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René Hugelshofer is a teacher at Kantonsschule Heerbrugg (a Swiss high school). He was one of the first Swiss teachers to introduce CAS-calculators into his classroom in 1996. He has acted as T³-coordinator for Switzerland since 1997 and has managed many teacher trainings for CAS-calculators. When his batteries are low from CAS-activities - it really happens - he recharges them with tennis and golf, or hiking and cycling in the beautiful Swiss mountains. He also enjoys relaxing with music(als) or the theatre.

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Gert Schomacker is a teacher of mathematics and physics at Frederiksborg Gymnasium, Hilleroed, Denmark (upper secondary level). He is co-author of several textbooks in mathematics and integrated science, and member of the Danish National Committee for written mathematics exams. He is also member of the Expert Group for European Baccalaureate in Mathematics and Physics. T³ - coordinator for Denmark. He is interested in the use of computers and computer algebra in school mathematics and written examinations. When some time is left he enjoys his bike, logging and chopping wood for the stove, going to concerts, listening to classical music and opera. He also likes to play some piano, but he is far better at listening than playing himself.