The Interplay of Mathematical Understandings, Facility with a Computer Algebra Program, and the Learning of Mathematics in a Technologically Rich Mathematics Classroom

MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. Case Studies; *Cognitive Structures; *Computer Uses in Education; *Demonstration Programs; Educational Technology; *Functions (Mathematics); Mathematics Education; *Mathematics Teachers; Secondary Education; Teaching Methods As teachers begin to implement mathematics curricula that capitalize fully on computing technology and that are focused on concepts and applications instead of on execution of by-hand symbolic manipulation routines, their well-established routines of thinking about mathematics and its teaching no longer apply in seamless fashion. This case study, a part of which is reported here, examines the ways that an experienced teacher who participated in Computer-Intensive Mathematics Education (CIME), a 4-week program on the Leaching and learning of mathematics in technology-intensive environments, confronted some of the mathematical issues inherent in technology-intensive mathematics. This report gives some insight into one teacher's understanding of functions, independent variables, and parameters, and the ways that this understanding interacts orith her use of the new computing tools. (Author) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. The Interplay of Mathematical Understandings, Facility with a Computer Algebra Program, and the Learning of Mathematics in a Technologically Rich Mathematics Classroom