EXPOSITORY ESSAY

1. Specific Topic : Effects of Scientific Calculator on Student’s Brain

2. Outline :
I. Introduction
A. General Statement
II. Body
A. The main objective of using calculator
B. Effects of using calculator to teenager’s brain.
C. Long-terms effect.
III. Conclusion
A. General Statement

Effects of Scientific Calculator on Student’s Brain

Scientific ​calculator has become a major tool that is used in many schools. It
helps students solve complicated problems quickly and accurately. However, ​relying too
much on them has bad effects on a human’s brain.

According to Carol Robinson, the director of the Mathematics Education Centre

at Loughborough University in England, he said that scientific calculators are useful in
mathematics class if students already have basic skills. The scientific calculator is used in
the class to help students calculate complex formulas and practice more easily.
However, many Thai teachers still do not allow their students to use the scientific
calculators in order to check whether students truly understand the concept or not.
Christina Gordon Miles, a researcher, did her research by letting 120 random students in
grade 9 do the same simple-life-skill- mathematics problems. With the calculators, 87
students were correct, and 33 students were wrong. Without the calculators, 32
students were correct, and the other 88 students were wrong. The research shows that
they are not able to memorize the formula or even the process of problem-solving. ​In
long terms, they will not be able to do a basic mathematical operation in their daily lives
in their heads as quickly as their ages should. This is because of lack of practice
calculation and ​having calculators to do the work for them too much, which ​causes dead
brain cells. Having dead brain cells in the brain has​ 60 percents chance that leads to
Alzheimer’s disease which ​causes memory loss and cognitive decline eventually.
However, using calculator totally hampers human’s calculating capacity which directly
affects the speed of calculation in the brains.
 Scientific calculator has many impacts on humans’ lives. However, it also includes the
negative effects on their brains and skills on mathematics. ​This poor performance relates to the
confidence issues in students.

302 words

R​ussell, M​. (2017). Are Students Too Hooked on Calculators. Retrieved from
https://www.middleweb.com/34196/are-students-too-hooked-on-calculators/

Miles, C. (2008). The Use or Non-Use of Calculators Affects on Student's Ability to

Perform Basic Mathematics Problems. Retrieved from
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/ots_masters_projects/89