Calculator on hand at math exam?

By Kim Tae-jong

Should calculators be on hand during math exams? This question has long split teachers and bureaucrats. The education ministry, which has considered allowing students to use calculators during math exams was supposed to disclose a clearer stance on the issue on Thursday when it announced a set of steps to reform math education.

But it fell short of giving the go-ahead for the use of calculators, saying it needs more time to review related issues more thoroughly.

It was initially proposed last February as part of a plan to reform math education in secondary schools. Educators argue that math education for middle and high school students should focus more on creative and logical thinking rather than simple arithmetic procedures, memorization or calculation.

“Math exams in high school aim to test students’ ability to solve problems in a logical and creative way. It’s not to test their simple arithmetic capability,” said Park Kyung-mee, professor of department of mathematics education at Hongik University. “Students can use a calculator for simple arithmetic, which is not a core part of math education, and by allowing them to do so, teachers can help them develop more sophisticated logical ability.”

She also pointed out that current math tests fail to give students complicated numbers because they only make arithmetic equations too difficult.

Making math more appealing

“In the real world, out of class, there are problems involving more complicated numbers, and we use calculators to solve them. But in math education, without calculators, we only use simplified numbers to make questions suitable for students, which makes them feel the subject has nothing to do with their life,” she said.

Many other countries now allow students to use a calculator in class and during exams including the U.S., Singapore and the U.K., while Korea, Japan and China disallow the practice.

Many math teachers here remain cautious about the use of calculators, especially during exams.

“Basically, I agree with the use of calculators in math classes,” said Lee Dong-heun, head of the Korean Society of Teachers of Mathematics. “But I think we should be more careful before making a decision, because how well students can use calculators to solve problems is not a criterion which we want to test in math exams about.”

The math teacher at Hana High School in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, also pointed out there are a range of different calculators with advanced functions, which students can use to cheat during exams, as one of many negative aspects in their use.

As Lee said, the countries which allow students to use calculators during exams have a guideline to specify permitted models.

They only permit those without an external device or programming functions.

As the use of calculators in class and during exams draws mixed responses, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology took a step back from its initial position, saying there are many things to consider before officially permitting it.

“Basically, what we’re trying to do is to make math more appealing and interesting to students,” said Goo Bon-ok, an official from the education ministry. “The use of calculators is just small part of it, but requires us to consider a lot of things.”

Related issues they need to review include the selection of permitted models, textbook revision to facilitate the use of calculators and new educational policies, which cannot be easily addressed, he said.

수학시험 계산기 허용 고민

수학 시험 중에 계산기를 사용할 수 있어야 할까? 이 질문에 대해, 오래 동안 교육자들과 교사들의 의견이 분분하다.

교과부는 수학 시험 중에 계산기를 사용할 수 있도록 허용하려고 했지만, 그에 대한 명확한 결정을 내리지 못했다. 예정대로라면, 목요일에 있었던 수학교육 개선안에 포함될 사항이었었다.

하지만 교과부는 허용을 위해서는 좀 더 신중하게 검토할 필요가 있다는 입장이다.

계산기 사용은 중고등학교 수학 교육 선진화 방안의 일부로 지난 2월에 처음 제안되었다. 교육학자들은 중고등학교의 수학 교육이 단순 계산이나 암기에 치우칠 것이 아니라 좀 더 창의적이고 논리적인 사고력 증진에 초점을 맞추어야 한다고 주장한다.

현재 많은 다른 나라에서도 계산기 사용을 허용하고 있으며, 미국, 싱가폴, 영국이 이에 해당하지만, 한국, 일본, 중국은 계산기 사용을 불허하고 있다.

일선 수학 교사들은 계산기 사용에 대해 조심스러운 입장을 취하고 있다. 특히 시험에서의 계산기 사용에 관해서는 더욱 그러하다.

수업이나 시험 중에 계산기 사용에 대해 여러 가지 상반된 의견이 나오자, 교과부는 현재 한발 뒤로 물러선 입장을 취하고 있다. 허용할 계산기 모델, 계산기 활용을 위한 교과 과정 개편, 새로운 교육 정책 등을 좀 더 신중히 고려해야 한다는 입장이다.