| Technology is essential in teaching and
learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances
students' learning. |
Calculators and computers are reshaping the
mathematical landscape, and school mathematics should reflect those changes.
Students can learn more mathematics more deeply with the appropriate and
responsible use of technology. They can make and test conjectures. They can work
at higher levels of generalization or abstraction. In the mathematics classrooms
envisioned in Principles and Standards, every student has access to
technology to facilitate his or her mathematics learning.
Technology also offers options for students with
special needs. Some students may benefit from the more constrained and engaging
task situations possible with computers. Students with physical challenges can
become much more engaged in mathematics using special technologies.
Technology cannot replace the mathematics
teacher, nor can it be used as a replacement for basic understandings and
intuitions. The teacher must make prudent decisions about when and how to use
technology and should ensure that the technology is enhancing students'
mathematical thinking.