• The Mathematical Education
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.185-212
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to analyze whether spreadsheet-used instruction can improve statistical thinking ability and attitude and also to identify what characteristics of statistical thinking is constructed. For this study, a subject of 2 classes were randomly selected among the 12 classes of the 11th grader in D high school and designated one class as the experimental group and the other class as the control group. Eight hours of the spread sheet-used instruction and the traditional textbook-oriented instruction had been carried out in each class. The research findings are as follows. First, the spread sheet-used instruction is shown to be more effective in enhancing statistical thinking than the traditional textbook-oriented instruction. Second, the spread sheet-used instruction is shown to be more effective in improving statistical attitude than the traditional textbook-oriented instruction. Third, students have shown the various characteristics of statistical thinking in the data descriptive process, data arrange-summary process, data representing process, and data analying process through the spread sheet-used instructions. Hence, the spread sheet-used instruction is recommended in teaching statistics.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.9 no.3 s.23
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• pp.187-201
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• 2005

The spreadsheet Microsoft Excel is the most widely used mathematical tool in today's workplace. Moreover, it is also an outstanding means for developing a surprisingly wide range of creative and innovative educational uses within such areas as mathematical modeling, visualization, and instruction. The spreadsheet's format provides us with a tool that closely parallels the way in which we naturally carry out problem solving, while the spreadsheet creation process itself illuminates the underlying mathematical concepts. In addition, the spreadsheet's visual layout allows us to introduce a broad variety of challenging and interesting topics, and to design creative demonstrations through eye-catching animated graphics. The material presented comes from actual classroom mathematics teaching experience in both industrially advanced and developing nations. A series of highly visual interactive illustrations from mathematics, the natural and social sciences, computing, engineering, and the arts provide a number of usable examples. The material discussed is applicable at diverse levels, ranging from schools and universities through adult education and in-service teacher development programs.

• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.10 no.1 s.25
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• pp.33-47
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• 2006

Finding good ways to support the further development of mathematically gifted students is a challenge for all mathematics educators. Simply moving able students on more rapidly to the next level of traditional mathematical instruction seems to be a limited approach, while providing supplementary enrichment material or specialized mathematical software requires us to ensure that doing so is truly worthwhile for the students. This paper presents an approach that the author has used with students of diverse capabilities in both technologically advanced and developing nations investigating mathematical ideas using a spreadsheet.