Mathematics
NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
CONSULTATION
Autumn 2004
Graphing calculator questionnaire for teacher in charge of Mathematics department
An electronic version of this questionnaire is available on the NQ Mathematics subject-specific page
of SQA’s website (www.sqa.org.uk).
Your name:
Position held:
Centre:
Questions refer to your Centre for Session 2003/2004 and Examination Diet 2004.
Your comments are invited on the following. In most cases it has been made possible for you to
respond by inserting a number in a box, or ticking the appropriate box. Space has also been provided
should you wish to make more extensive responses.
Please select:
i)
the number of staff who taught Mathematics in your department (include those who only taught
part-time in the department)
ii) the number who made use of a graphing calculator in teaching Mathematics at any level of the
Course
not at all
occasionally
frequently
Further comments:
Section A: 2004 Higher Mathematics examination
i)
How many candidates were entered for the Higher Mathematics Examination in 2004?
ii) How many candidates had access to a graphing calculator during Paper 2 of the Higher
Mathematics exam?
iii) How many candidates do you estimate made effective use of the graphing feature of the
calculator in the examination?
Further comments:
Section B: Teaching and Learning at Higher level
i)
How many pupils used their own graphing calculator during Mathematics lessons?
ii) How many graphing calculators do you have available for use in your Mathematics
department?
iii) On what basis do you loan graphing calculators to pupils, for example long term, ie issued to
pupils for an extended length of time, or class room use only? Please tick.
long-term use
classroom only
Further comments:
Section C: Communications from SQA
Following the NQ Review of Mathematics, and in the light of the ACME report, SQA has begun to
issue a series of documents providing guidance on acceptable graphing calculator solutions to Higher
Mathematics examination questions and incorporated alternative graphing calculator solutions into
Marking Instructions for examinations where appropriate.
Have you made use of this support to alter the advice given to pupils on answering examination
questions? Please tick.
Yes
No
Please comment further:
Section D: Learning Teaching Scotland (LTS)
LTS has provided support for graphing calculator activities in the form of National Seminars, Support
Packs and the CD-ROM Pack ‘Using Graphing Calculators: Practical Help and Resources’.
i)
Have you made use of the Support Packs:
— Statistics with a Graphing Calculator (Casio fx-9750 or TI 83)? Please tick.
Yes
No
— Using a Graphics Calculator (Casio fx – 9750 or TI 83 or Sharp EL – 9600)? Please tick.
Yes
No
ii) Have you made use of the CD-ROM Pack? Please tick.
Yes
No
iii) Did any of the members of your department attend the National Seminar/Training Workshop
(held in Edinburgh) in June 2001? Please tick.
Yes
No
Cont’d overleaf
Please comment further (please mention any other useful resources you have used):
Section E: In-Service/Training
Please indicate below the nature and extent of any training in the use of graphing calculators in
learning and teaching undertaken by any members of your department since the ACME report was
published in 1999.
Section F: Mathematics department views on the use of graphing calculators, CAS calculators
and programmable hardware in SQA exams
In future, the structure of the Higher Mathematics examination may have to alter to ensure
that certain mathematical knowledge and skills can be assessed without the aid of
technology, while at the same time allowing the full power of the technology to be utilised.
Any new structure could take a number of forms. Four such options are outlined below.
Please indicate which of the four options listed below is your departments preferred option?
Please tick.
1. optional questions within the examination
2. an optional paper for candidates with access to advanced technology
3. a requirement for all candidates to have access to appropriate technology for one paper
4. the development of a free standing Unit for assessing the use of graphing (and CAS)
calculators
Please provide below the view(s) of members of your department on these options, or any other
alternatives. Please indicate any of the options that you feel may be inappropriate.
Section G: Please use the box below to provide any other additional comments you may wish to
make.
Please return this form, no later than 17.12.2004.
By post to:
Duncan Cox
Scottish Qualifications Authority
Hanover House
24 Douglas Street
Glasgow
G2 7NQ
By email to: calculator@sqa.org.uk
An electronic version of this questionnaire is available on the NQ Mathematics subject-specific page
of SQA’s website (www.sqa.org.uk).
Thank you for taking the time to complete the questionnaire and providing us with your comments.