Many of us have been short-changed during transactions. The occurrence is nothing new, however, some people believe this is an increasing trend and cite low scores in basic math proficiency as proof to their argument. Nancy Flanagan recounts her experience with this problem on her blog. She declares, “These kids today, however, never learn basic math; they're too busy punching buttons on their calculators to actually think about whether the answer makes sense”. In her defense, she is actually addressing the problem of poor customer service skills; she is not blaming calculators for poor math skills. Yet there are many attributing the use of calculators in school to the decline of basic math skills.
The debate on calculator use is nothing new. Since the emergence of pocket calculators in the 70s, it has been a subject of discussion. In the beginning, the issue was moot, as the technology itself kept them from wide use. These barriers included: battery life, fragility, and cost. By the 80s, advancement in calculator technology removed these barriers and the debate gained more urgency. The debate emerged as an “either/or” issue ending in more schools accepting the use of calculators, even at the elementary level. The prevailing argument was the use of calculators allowed students to concentrate on the principles instead of wasting time on the computations.
This debate has recently been re-hashed. Some legislators have asked for the banning of calculators in schools, sending the issue into debate again. Virginia delegate Ray Canterbury asserts that calculators are merely a crutch and cause students to fail learning basic math skills. I have a hard time with the relation he presents. It is illogical to blame a tool for the cause of something, when in reality it is the implementation of that tool. Robert Pondiscio illustrates when he argues, “This is a bit like noticing that people can’t swim and banning life jackets”. The point this quote makes is while a life jacket may give the ability for one to float in water, it is not the cause for one’s inability to swim. The same thing can be said for the calculator, it is not the cause for kid’s lack of math skills.
What causes this short-change problem?
Arguments made on both sides have valid points. If kids always turn to calculators, they do not train their mind to mentally do computations. On the flipside, if they are not allowed to get comfortable with this tool, they will be behind the curve when it is necessary to use one. For this reason it is useless to look at this subject as ban or allow. Discussion needs to remain concentrated on better implementation of calculators in school. A balance needs to be found and how and when to use a calculator in classrooms. Finding this balance is important because whether you like calculators or not, they are a required tool in our society and they are not going away.