Emerging Researchers National (ERN) Conference

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The Effect of Calculator Use on Students’ Performance and Attitude In Math: A Meta-Analysis

Undergraduate #248
Discipline: Mathematics and Statistics
Subcategory: Mathematics and Statistics

Johnny Gary, III - Mississippi Valley State University

In this study, we investigate the effect of calculators on students’ attitude and performance on mathematics tasks in K12. Of the 168 articles chosen for the study, only 17 met the criteria used for data analysis. The findings of these 17 research studies were integrated through meta-analysis to determine the effects of calculators on student achievement and attitude levels. Effect sizes were generated through Glassian techniques of meta-analysis. Results revealed that students generally performed better on mathematics tasks and had positive attitudes towards mathematics when calculators were used. However, the effect sizes were low. Further research is needed to replicate the empirical studies that were conducted within the last 20 years.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation

Faculty Advisor: Timothy Holston,

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.