The goal of this course is to explore the power of TI's graphing calculators (TI-82 Stats, TI-83, TI-83 Plus and TI-84 Plus) for teaching Mathematics. It's meant for Math teachers from the middle grades and high school, although it can be usefull as well for Physics and Chemistry teachers.

It can be organized in two different models:

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

The contents of both models 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 grade 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:

• An introduction to the graphinc calculator; scientific notation, significant figures, rounding and calculus precision.
• Function graphing and tables; determining maxima, minima and roots; zoom functions, graphs of derivatives of functions.
• Graphs of families of functions; polar and parametric graphs; graphs of sequences, either defined by a general expression or by reccurrence; sequence convergence.
• Lists and statistics; entering data into lists, math operations on lists, statistical calculations with 1 or 2 variables and regressions; correlation coeficient.
• Operating system upgrade, Flash applications; memory management; communications link (to another calculator or to the computer).
• Workshop only: development and presentation of the participant's 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.