CAS -- A Journey Has Begun In Aotearoa.

This paper explores a journey through hand-held technology changes in mathematics teaching and learning and raises questions, we as mathematics educators should be considering in the shorter and longer term. New Zealand is embarking on a Computer Algebraic Systems (CAS) Pilot Programme in secondary school mathematics. The Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority have appointed secondary schools to be part of a pilot programme in the use of CAS technology in mathematics classes. The aim of the pilot programme is to improve teaching and learning of mathematics through the use of this technology. Six schools in 2005 will be using CAS technology with Year 9 students. A further 16 schools joined the original six in 2006. The pilot is planned to continue, with an enlarged group of schools, in subsequent years. By the time students in the pilot schools reach Years 11, 12 and 13, alternative external assessments using the CAS technology will be available. Professional development support, and assistance in obtaining and using the technology, will be provided to the pilot schools. The emphasis in 2005 is on the Geometry and Algebra strands being taught using CAS. Statistics and probability has been added to the project in 2006. By 2010 the first cohort of pilot programme students will have been through their secondary mathematics education via a CAS environment. New Zealand teachers have only a finite time to get into CAS technology and integrate it into their teaching practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]