After using graphing applications on the TI 83/84, Desmos, and Geogebra, I’ve learned that there are so many more functions available than I thought. I was impressed with the functions, such as intersection, roots, and shading because they are more complicated things to find algebraically, and it is very convenient to be able to use it on all of these devices. And even though I have used some of these devices before, I’m also more comfortable using them than I was before because I was able to practice on them in the exercises.
I am not teaching any specific grade yet because I am not TAing anywhere yet, but I would like to teach either 10th or 11th grade. More complex math subjects, like Algebra 2 and Calculus, are more interesting and fun to me because there are so many different topics to learn in it and so many different and creative ways to apply them to the real world. I would like the opportunity to make those subjects the same way for the students since most of the time they are not presented this way in schools, which makes students more reluctant to participate in learning.
These graphing technologies would be very useful teaching these grades, and specifically these subjects, because you graph quite a bit in them. For example, in Algebra 2 when you are talking about polynomials and graphing them, it would come in handy to use any of these devices to help the students find the extremities of the graph. In Calculus, these devices could be used in lessons involving trigonometry. Since trigonometry is relatively new to most students in Calculus 1, graphing them and setting boundaries on any of these devices can give the students a good idea of what the graph typically looks like and how they can transform it.
Emily's Journey with Mathematics Through Technology 