Math Department Receives $12,000 from Motorola Foundation to Provide Graphing Calculators to Buffalo School Students
Buffalo State Colleges Mathematics Department has received $12,000 from the Motorola Foundation to provide 100 graphing calculators and 10 overhead graphing calculator teaching units for use by Academic Intervention Services (AIS) teachers and their students in the Buffalo Public Schools.
Academic Intervention Services teachers work with students who have not met a required math standard, such as the New York State Regents Math A exam, in relatively small student groups. One class set of 30 calculators went to Lafayette High School, two class sets of 30 went to Bennett High School and one class set of 10 went to South Park High School. Each class set will probably be used by as many as five classes each day, according to Sue McMillen, associate professor of mathematics at Buffalo State.
One overhead teaching graphing calculator unit was distributed to the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, Buffalo Traditional High School, Bennett High School, Burgard Vocational High School, Grover Cleveland High School, Lafayette High School, McKinley High School, Riverside High School, Seneca Vocational High School and South Park High School.
Graphing calculators allow students to easily access multiple representations of data and to build deeper mathematical knowledge, giving them a strong advantage when taking the Math A exam. Many Buffalo Public School students use limited calculators that require them to change the mathematical notation and order when they enter an expression, according to McMillen. Graphing calculators allow them to enter a math problem exactly as it is written, and guarantee the correct answer, she added.
The graphing calculators that were given to the schools contain upgradeable FLASH technology, and their operating systems can be updated, McMillen said.
Buffalos AIS teachers who received the overhead units attended Buffalo States intensive 40-hour week-long summer institute training session on integrating graphing calculators into their classes. Ten hours of additional training will be provided during the first half of the school year, as will ongoing support from Buffalo States mathematics faculty through classroom visits, student teachers, pre-service teacher tutors and a special project Web site.
Academic Intervention Services teachers work with students who have not met a required math standard, such as the New York State Regents Math A exam, in relatively small student groups. One class set of 30 calculators went to Lafayette High School, two class sets of 30 went to Bennett High School and one class set of 10 went to South Park High School. Each class set will probably be used by as many as five classes each day, according to Sue McMillen, associate professor of mathematics at Buffalo State.
One overhead teaching graphing calculator unit was distributed to the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, Buffalo Traditional High School, Bennett High School, Burgard Vocational High School, Grover Cleveland High School, Lafayette High School, McKinley High School, Riverside High School, Seneca Vocational High School and South Park High School.
Graphing calculators allow students to easily access multiple representations of data and to build deeper mathematical knowledge, giving them a strong advantage when taking the Math A exam. Many Buffalo Public School students use limited calculators that require them to change the mathematical notation and order when they enter an expression, according to McMillen. Graphing calculators allow them to enter a math problem exactly as it is written, and guarantee the correct answer, she added.
The graphing calculators that were given to the schools contain upgradeable FLASH technology, and their operating systems can be updated, McMillen said.
Buffalos AIS teachers who received the overhead units attended Buffalo States intensive 40-hour week-long summer institute training session on integrating graphing calculators into their classes. Ten hours of additional training will be provided during the first half of the school year, as will ongoing support from Buffalo States mathematics faculty through classroom visits, student teachers, pre-service teacher tutors and a special project Web site.
Media Contact:
Nanette Tramont, Director of News Services | 7168784325 | newsservices@bscmail.buffalostate.edu