In countless schools, pocket calculators have become as famliar as blackboards. Millions of students automatically whip out their calculators when number-crunching is needed. The study's findings indicated that students who don't use calculators daily tend to do better on standardized math tests.
Many teachers believe calculators spark students' interest in math.
Still, the Brookings study raises anew the question of whether learning math facts and gaining some ability to do mental math aren't worthwhile exercises in themselves. Kids who learn to think with numbers have an advantage on tests. But it indicates youngsters may be better off if they bring to class some mental math skills along with the machines. The Christian Science Publishing Society. All rights reserved.