BertBert
Member
Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Greenwood, IN
Posts: 125 |
I had a chance this morning to download the 30-day demo from the powerOne web site and test-drive it. Here's my $0.02... For background purposes, I am a college mathematics professor who uses technology on a regular basis (mainly the TI-89/92, although we are switching to Maple 6 next year), and I was also a grader for the AP Calculus test this past year. So let me try to give my views from a prof's perspective as well as from the AP's perspective (if possible). (Although it goes without sayign that I am not an employee of ETS, and my views do not necessarily reflect theirs, etc. etc. etc.)
Overall review: This module is OK for professionals who might need a good scientific calculator with basic graphing capabilities. It will be nice to have a springboard module that does the things it does, as opposed to having to carry around a TI-8* with you. And you have to like the fact that powerOne is actually shipping the module at the same time that they announce it; this is an agreeable departure from the "vaporware" syndrome that has dogged springboard modules in the past.
One thing I liked especially about this program is that it uses the Visor platform quite well in its functionality. For instance, when you have a graph up on the screen and you want to "ZoomBox" to zoom in on a part of it (i.e. you draw a little box around the area you want a close-up of), then you literally *draw* the box with the stylus. Tracing is the same way --- rather than move the cursor to a certain point, you just tap on the screen. I liked being able to put in my entries (especially variable names) using graffiti, too.
However, this module is rather limited in terms of its functionality. There are many things that this program does NOT do which some people -- high school and college mathematics students especially -- will need. Some of the big things missing from this program are:
- Matrix entry and operations
- Anything having to do with Calculus (including numerical derivatives and integrals... this is a real biggie!)
- Certain kinds of regression analysis (e.g. logistic regression, which can be found on the TI-89)
And some key features of the TI-89 and TI-92 that are missing from this module are:
- Symbolic entry and manipulation of functions (You can enter in functions for graphing on the program, but to enter in an equation in the "home" screen you have to first assign a numerical value to all but one of the variables.)
- Symbolic algebra, trig, and calculus features
- Differential equations capabilities
Additionally, it seems that the statistical features of the powerOne program are not anything to write home about. Except for some of the regression methods, most of the statistical features here are things I can do just as easily (and with greater integration with other programs) with Quicksheet.
From an educator's standpoint, another reason I would probably not shelve my TI-92 just yet is because this program really doesn't seem to be intended for educational use. There is no way, for instance, to hook the Visor up to an overhead projection device for classroom demonstrations (that I know of). This is too bad, because in light of the growing number of college initiatives to get a laptop in the hands of each of its students (Rose-Hulman Institute, for example, does this), I think that the Visor would be a great solution -- require a Visor of each student (or provide one for them), that way you could have e-books, spreadsheets, graphing calculators, you name it all on the same portable package, and that package is considerably cheaper than a laptop (important for colleges like ours, where the median family income of freshmen is only about $30K, about $10K of which goes into their kids' tuition!) I think Handspring and springboard developers ought to look further into the educational market, because it seems like this market is essentially untapped.
That said, if all you are looking for is a pretty good graphing program, this module looks good. I don't think anyone expects a springboard module to have all the functionality of a TI-89 -- that's a pretty high-powered machine! -- so perhaps it is a bit unfair to compare this module with one. But for me at least, and I think for all professionals and students, the question boils down to a choice of (1) ditching or forgoing a graphing calculator in favor of a module with less features and (2) carrying around both the Visor and a TI-8*. From my perspective, if it doesn't do matrices and calculus, then I'll stick with my trusty TI-92+. But my perspective is rather advanced; those with more basic needs might want to give the demo program a look.
As for the AP -- don't count on powerOne being allowed on the AP any time soon. My understanding about the ban on TI-92's is that it wasn't because the TI-92's admit text entry (because calculators 10 years ago could do that), but rather that text entry was relatively painless with the QWERTY keyboard. The TI-89 has a text editor, for instance, but you have to hunt-and-peck to get each letter. The Visor is, arguably, even easier to enter text. There is also the whole beaming issue which makes the Visor even less likely to make it into the AP exam, not to mention the fact that the Visor is a computer, unlike the TI-92; you could conceivably download an entire Calculus textbook into SmartDoc or something for use during a test. There are a LOT more ways to cheat with a Visor than with a TI.
Sorry for the long-windedness of this post, but mathematical calculator/computer technology is something very close to my heart.  Thanks for the indulgence...
-bertbert
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BertBert
Mark 12:28-31
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10-16-2000 10:00 PM
They banned the HP calculator that has the IR port. 
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Re: TI calculator features
PowerOne Finance software vs springbnoard module
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