The increasing use of computer technology in schools has brought with it concerns about equity of access to this new resource. Research has documented gender, social class, and racial inequalities in access to computers, and has linked computer access and experience to success in computer-related courses. This study examined the effects of home computer access and computer course enrollment on mathematically weak high school students' success in applying computers as a learning resource in a pre-algebra course. The course featured regular use of teacher-designed spreadsheet activities that engaged students in mathematical investigation and problem solving. Enrollment in a computer course was a significant predictor of success during students' early experiences in applying computers for mathematical problem solving. Home computer access was related to initial success for females, and the advantage of enrollment in a computer course was greater for females who had access to home computers than for those who did not. These initial advantages diminished with continued use of computers in the curricular context.

No abstract

This article describes the design, implementation, and testing of a microcomputer package intended to improve students' understanding and skills in interpreting graphs of physical phenomena. In this package students interpret graphs in order to reproduce the events described by the graphs. Students may also construct events and challenge others to reproduce the events from the graphs they generate. Some previous work is described briefly to provide context for the activities. The package was used with students in grades nine through twelve. Students taking the college preparatory mathematics classes differed from those taking general mathematics in their choices of activities and in the strategies they used. There was evidence that students' strategies changed as they gained more experience.

No abstract

No abstract