A summary about the experiences how to integrate personal computers and hand computers (TI-89/92) in Mathematical Education in Austria

摘要

The use of computers in mathematical education in schools depends on some very important conditions. The use of the computer has to be required in the curriculum, sufficient hardware and good software has to be bought and the computer is to be admitted in oral and written exams, inclusive the final examinations. All these conditions have been fulfilled to a great extent for grammar schools, business academies, secondary technical and trade schools in Austria in the last ten years. Therefore it depends primarily on the mathematics teacher, in which way and how intensively the computer is used in mathematical education. Up to 1990 the minimum equipment in grammar schools, business academies, secondary technical and trade schools in Austria was two computer labs, one of which always met the requirement of even large classes, where very often two students were working per computer. But they suffered from a lack of really useful software. At that stage teachers used computers only together with other media like overhead projectors, film projectors, television etc.. Some teachers in Mathematics motivated students to solve mathematical problems with the help of computers in optional afternoon classes or at home. In the mathematics lessons these students explained the methods for solving the problems which they had worked out with the computer to their classmates.