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A calculator for school – isn't that old

2022-06-20T07:41:48.282Z


Some classes have long been taught with the help of iPads, but the students still have to get a pocket calculator. And that can get expensive. Why do schools keep doing this?


Nothing works in German schools without a pocket calculator

Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

The school year is about to start, and parents often know what that means: they are given a list of things they need to get for their children.

Even if the school provides teaching materials such as books, the students need pens, notebooks, protractors - and often a pocket calculator.

In many cases, the purchase is no small matter: while younger children often get by with a copy for between 15 and 25 euros, in secondary schools around a hundred euros or even more than 140 euros are due.

But why do children still need a digital device when there is often a smartphone in the satchel on which pocket calculator apps can be loaded – which are also cheaper?

A key reason is consistency.

For one thing, teachers shouldn’t be forced to deal with dozens of different devices and apps.

On the other hand, it should be ensured that everyone has the same requirements for class tests.

"It's not enough for schools to provide the same calculators for exams," says Ferdinand Horbat, who teaches physics, chemistry and computer science at a Berlin high school, "the students also have to be able to use them."

And last but not least: As soon as the smartphones are on the table, the students may use them for other things - for example for a quick chat via WhatsApp.

Cheating would be so easy.

"When students use their mobile phones in class, I as a teacher can no longer distinguish whether the performance actually came from the student himself," says Horbat.

Mandatory here, forbidden there

Which device it should be, however, not only differs from state to state, the different types of school also have different specifications.

Sometimes a computer with graphics capability is required, which can record functions and determine zero points and extreme points in no time at all, sometimes it is even forbidden.

The highest class of school calculators - so-called computer algebra systems (CAS) - can even independently solve equations and create derivations.

The school itself decides which model has to be purchased. Who has to buy the devices, however, depends on the school authority.

In some cases, these rules lead to seemingly absurd double expenditures.

“Our son is in the seventh grade.

In addition to an iPad, we also had to get him a school calculator,” says Christian Beckmann, Deputy Chairman of the State Parents' Conference of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Since the parents themselves have to pay for the school iPads, which cost more than 400 euros, the additional purchase causes confusion.

The iPad as a calculator replacement?

While all that is needed at this grade level is a simple and cheap scientific calculator, by grade 11 things could get expensive.

Because the country still requires a graphical calculator for the upper secondary school.

Cost: around a hundred euros.

According to Beckmann, there is no longer any reason not to use the iPads in exams.

In other school districts, for example, it has been possible to put the iPads into a special exam mode, which significantly limits the possibilities of the device and thus prevents cheating.

The reason for such double expenditure is equal opportunities and federalism: in the central high school, students from iPad classes have to solve the same tasks as students who could only dream of such classes up to now.

In addition, the state ministers of education are trying to make school leaving qualifications more comparable nationwide than has been the case up to now.

That means: the pocket calculator will remain on the purchase lists until further notice.

But the school bureaucracy is moving, albeit slowly.

Thanks to an agreement among the federal states to adjust the Abitur exams, the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Education has issued parents with high school students with the obligation to buy a graphing calculator.

However, this only applies to the students who will enter the upper school in 2023.

It will not be until 2026 that there will no longer be any Abitur tasks that require expensive calculators.

The parents can then save – provided the school does not decide otherwise.

Be careful with bulk orders

However, since the calculator models only change very seldom, you may be able to buy a pocket calculator from school leavers at a reasonable price – or get some of the money back later when your child leaves school.

However, you can only save a small part of the money on second-hand exchanges such as Ebay.

Because thanks to the stable demand, the most widespread specimens are fairly stable in price.

You also have to be careful that you buy exactly the right model that the school specifies.

If necessary, one would have to ask the math teacher whether an older model is also acceptable.

Bulk orders are a popular way to keep costs down.

There are several vendors who will take care of everything from parent letter to postage and will give a discount if a full class set is purchased.

The parents then receive an ID from their school, which they can use to log in to the mail order company.

However, you should be prepared for the fact that the dealers try to talk you into one or the other extra: from paid instructions to protective covers and engraving.

The latter not only costs extra, but also invalidates the right of return.

The retailers are not squeamish about this: sometimes parents even have to explicitly cancel accessories so that they don't end up in the shopping cart.

Otherwise it will quickly become more expensive than previously calculated.

The Federal Association of Consumers therefore advises that all precautionary measures against so-called dark patterns be observed when ordering such school products.

This means that you should not click on buttons too quickly, read each pop-up carefully and finally check the shopping cart for unwanted extras.

In addition, consumers should not put themselves under time pressure or allow themselves to be talked into having a bad conscience.

In this way, expensive surprises can usually be avoided.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2022-06-20

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