Middle and high school math teachers' narration of Ti-Navigator use as a formative assessment tool.

Abstract

The present study was designed to examine how middle and high school math teachers narrate their uses of TI-Navigator and describe sources of external school support for using this technology. A three-part, written survey was sent to 35 math teachers in three school districts across two counties in Western New York. Fourteen usable surveys were returned (i.e., 40% response rate) that indicated that: (a) graphic calculators were more accessible and used more often than TI-Navigator, (b) there was a reported under-utilization of the technology and specific program features, and (c) professional development and support appeared to be equally minimal. Those teachers who did use TI-Navigator regularly noted some additional time demands from its use but that pupils responded favorably to the technology. Implications for future research and practice are described.