Monday, September 16, 2013
Web Source Review 1: TI-nspire CAS
TI-nspire CAS is an app that mirrors the functionality of the new TI-nspire calculators. It is available at in the iTunes store for a hefty $29.99, though your school can negotiate a license so the app is free of charge to students and faculty. (Tough luck, Android crowd; but as Apple has cornered the education tech market at the moment...)
The nspire app lets you do calculations on a 'scratchpad' screen, much like you would on a traditional TI-89 calculator. It's capable of detailed color graphs for functions, making spreadsheets and lists for statistical analysis, and constructing interactive geometric figures. It uses a file structure similar to that of a computer, so one can create a file with section 1 problems in it, and then a separate document for each problem that contains a calculation scratchpad, function graphs, statistical analysis, etc. to encompass all the various representations of that problem. These files can be saved, so navigating between problems doesn't mean you have to lose all your work.
The app is, honestly, notoriously difficult to use at first, but with practice, it has incredible utility for fluidly navigating different representations of problems, which is something I know my students need to see and practice more often. As well, the TI website has interactive lessons and simulations that you can download. Students can do things like drag to alter a function and see how it changes the equation in real time.
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This sounds like a great resource to use in our kinds of mathematics classroom. I love bringing up the T1-84 on the board to use with my students so they can see what they need to punch into their own calculator instead of me trying to individually help 32 students with their own pace at punching in numbers. This is inexpensive, and I feel as if the TI-nspire can be more helpful at showing graphs and statistical data than the traditional 84 software. However, I hate that only Mac users can get this. At my school, we have Dells in our classroom. Thus, I don't think it is any help to those teachers who do not have a Mac. I feel as if any technology is hard to get acclimated to, and it will all take some time to get comfortable with the software. This is a great find Lauren, and I think it can be very useful! I would love for you to post some links of examples of the software or what some images of the graphs and computations look like. Great find!!
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