Valorie Zonnefeld, Dordt College
Have you ever thought about the reaction to the first slide rule in the 1620s? Do you think some people pulled up their noses, questioning whether students would forget their “calculations”? Did others dive in whole-heartedly, touting the advantages of teaching with their fancy new “slipsticks”? Regardless of the initial reaction, the slide rule has left its mark on the story line of mathematics. There is no question that technological developments continue to change how mathematics and statistics are taught. [pullquote]The ability to use technology to simulate random phenonema has made statistics more approachable to many students. [/pullquote]