Using Graphic Calculator in Teaching and Learning Mathematics: Efeects on Students’ Achievement and Meta-cognitive Skills

There has been a steady increase in interest in using hand-held technologies, in particular graphics calculators, by mathematics educators, curriculum developers and teachers. The choice of graphic calculators is motivated mainly by the potential for them to be available to essentially all students all the time (Kissane, 2 000). To date, there is a substantial body of research into the use of graphics calculators (Burill et al., 2002; Dunham, 2000; Dunham, 1994; Kastberg & Leatheam 2005; Penglase & Arnold, 1996; Ruthven, 1996). Although handheld graphing technology has been available for nearly two decades, research on the use of the technology is not robust (Burill et al., 2002). Its use in secondary classrooms is not well understood, universally accepted, nor well-documented. In Malaysia, research on the usage of graphics calculators is still in its infancy and therefore its use has yet to be explored. Thus, there is a need to further research in this area especially in the context of teaching mathematics at the Malaysian secondary school level. This study employs a quasi-experimental design using two intact groups of form four secondary school students. The main objective of the study is to investigate the effects of using graphics calculator on form four secondary school students’ mathematics achievement and meta-cognitive skills in the learning area of relation and function. Students’ views about their experiences using graphic calculators in the learning of mathematics, the benefits of using graphic calculators in the learning of mathematics and the difficulties caused by using graphics calculators in practice were also sought. Preliminary findings of the study have provided pedagogical impact of the use of graphics calculator technology as a tool in teaching and learning of mathematics in Malaysia.