Autonomy and exploration

Teachers will always have the most important role to play when it comes to planning and leading lessons, introducing students to key topics and helping them prepare for exams.

One of the main advantages of a scientific calculator at GCSE level is that it
complements this teacher-led learning with the opportunity for self-driven,
autonomous exploration on the student’s part.

When they have instant, easy access to a powerful learning tool in the palm of their
hands, GCSE maths students can ask their own questions, analyse the answers and pursue any lines of inquiry that capture their interest. This contributes to deeper
understanding, enthusiasm for the subject and an appreciation of the fact that, in
mathematics, everything is connected.

This can be particularly evident for students operating at greater depth at GCSE,
who are experimenting with graphic calculator functionality in preparation for
moving up to A-level.

In the words of maths expert Simon May: “There’s nothing wrong with students
putting something into their calculator and asking, ‘what does it look like as a graph,
and why does it look like that?’ That opens up a world of possibilities that they can
discuss.”

Speed and efficiency in GCSE maths exams

As well as hammering home the fundamentals of the syllabus and steadily building learners’ understanding and confidence, a big responsibility for Key Stage 4 teachers is preparing students to sit their GCSE maths exams.

We’ve spoken to many educators about the methods they have found useful, including regularly running through past papers and showing their classes different exam question formats.

But when the time comes for students to sit their exams, they must be able to work under pressure, manage their time efficiently and make the best possible use of the tools available to them.

This is where all the time they have spent working with their calculator and learning how to use it quickly really pays off. Students who are completely comfortable with their calculator – to the point that they can access key functions and execute calculations almost without even thinking about it – will be well set to thrive in their exams.

Casio’s ClassWiz scientific calculator range has been redesigned with simplicity, accessibility and ease of use in mind. Improvements including the addition of a menu structure make calculators like the fx-991 CW clearer and more intuitive to navigate. The time and efficiency gains enabled by changes like this can prove just as
beneficial for teachers leading classes as for students sitting GCSE maths exams.

Find out more about Casio’s range of scientific and graphic calculators.