An Analysis of Calculator Use and Strategy Selection by Prison Inmates Taking the Official GED Practice Test

Autor/in	Stahl, Nathaniel
Titel	An Analysis of Calculator Use and Strategy Selection by Prison Inmates Taking the Official GED Practice Test
Quelle	In: Journal of Correctional Education, 62 (2011) 3, S.194-215 (22 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0740-2708
Schlagwörter	Test Items; Correctional Institutions; Adult Students; Graphing Calculators; Institutionalized Persons; Mathematics Tests; High School Equivalency Programs; Interviews; Learning Strategies; Problem Solving; Teaching Methods; Mathematics Skills; Computation + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Test content; Testaufgabe; Jugendstrafvollzug; Adult; Adults; Student; Students; Erwachsenenalter; Studentin; Schüler; Schülerin; Grafischer Taschenrechner; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Learning methode; Learning techniques; Lernmethode; Lernstrategie; Problemlösen; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz
Abstract	The goal of this study was to determine whether adult students incarcerated at a large correctional facility in New England use the provided scientific calculator appropriately when taking the Official GED Practice Test in mathematics. 13 students were interviewed after taking a practice test and asked for their strategy for solving each problem. The test items were then compared against a typology to determine appropriate calculator use. The students used the calculator very infrequently, and when they did, they preferred to use it on questions for which alternative strategies would be less effective. On problems which could be solved equally well with or without a calculator, these students most often chose the latter. This is likely due to many years of performing calculations mentally, a skill which many have honed to quite sophisticated levels. When using the calculator, these students were much less accurate in their responses; it is possible that fully integrating the calculator into investigative activities may help them make better use of the technology. (Contains 2 figures and 7 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Correctional Education Association. 8182 Lark Brown Road Suite 202, Elkridge, MD 21075. Tel: 800-783-1232; Fax: 443-459-3088; e-mail: ceaoffice@aol.com; Web site: http://www.ceanational.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10