Once they have acquired that understanding and skill, they can use calculators and computers to extend their capacity to explore and discover mathematical concepts and reduce the time needed for purely mechanical operations. Students should be encouraged to connect ideas from number, measurement, geometry, patterning, and problem solving as they are introduced to the different strands of mathematics. As students become aware of relationships among concepts and skills in the different areas, they consolidate their learning and begin to grasp simple, general mathematical principles. The use of everyday examples in problem-solving activities can also help students connect mathematics to their own lives. Students should have instruction in the use of calculators and computers from the time they enter school and should be able to use them to investigate number, search for patterns, and do calculations with numbers during problem-solving activities.
Computer software can enable students to work with both familiar and new concepts.
Once again, it must be emphasized that the use of technology does not do away with the need for students to master the fundamental skills in, and understanding of, mathematical operations. Most students in Grades 4 to 6 need to refer to concrete and physical models in order to understand concepts and explain their reasoning. Interacting with objects helps students both to clarify ideas and to apply their learning to new situations. As students do so, the teacher can observe and reinforce their thinking processes and identify and correct possible misunderstandings. To help students make connections, teachers will often allow ideas from one lesson to flow into another, rather than restricting each lesson to a narrow objective.