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Teaching Mathematics with TI-Nspire

TI-Nspire is the new generation of graphing technology by Texas Instruments. It's a true revolution in terms of interface and operation, opening new and exciting oportunities, unimaginable just a while ago. At the same time, and as paradoxal as it may seem, it's much easier to use than previous generations of graphing calculators, alloowing teachers and students to focus on the mathematical aspects of the activities they develop and not on the procedures that one needs to follow in order to achieve the desider results.

Having this in mind this training course was planned as an introduction to the TI-Nspire technology, mainly aimed at Mathematics teachers from the Middle Grades and High School. No previous experience with graphing calculators is required.

It can be organized in three different models:

  • 3 hour demonstration
  • 15 hour training course (5 sessions of 3 hours each)
  • 25 hour workshop (6 sessions of 3h and 2 sessions of 3h30)

The 4 hour demonstration covers the following topics:

  • Introduction to TI-Nspire and the document system: problems, pages and applications.
  • Differences and similarities beetwen the handheld and the computer software.
  • Overview of the Calculator application.
  • Overview of Gaphics & Geometry.
  • Overview of Lists & Spreadsheet.
  • Overview of Data & Statistics.
  • Overview of Notes.
  • How to create documents and activities; examples.

The contents of both the 15 hour course and the 25 hour workshop are the same. However, on the workshop the final hour of each session (except the last one) will be devoted to solving exercises which will be used to evaluate the participants' performance. Also in the last session the participants will present a project they will develop using the tools presented during the course.

Contents (15 hour course and 25 hour workshop):

  • Introduction to TI-Nspire; document system; problems, pages and applications; the Calculator app: calculus precision, mathematical templates, textbook notation.
  • Graphics & Geometry I: function graphing and manipulation; determining maxima, minima and roots.
  • Graphis & Geometry II: dynamic geometry and analytic geometry; geometrical tools.
  • Lists & Spreadsheet and Data & Statistics: entering data, performing statistical calculations and regressions, graphical representation of data.
  • The Notes application; creating documents and activities; communications link beetwen units and with the computer; file transfer and system upgrade.
  • Workshop only: Development and presentation of participants' projects.

How to attend?

Usually I perform training courses only in Portugal. If, however, you'd like to have this course at your school, even in a foreign country, have your school contact me to see if it can be arranged.