At EducationWorld, we’re always keeping tabs on new technology. Some devices stand the test of time, however. The Washington Post Innovations blog reports that the Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus graphing calculator is still the hottest graphing calculator on the market. The ubiquitous device came out in 2004 and has survived many a smartphone upgrade.
"We have to keep evolving on this platform, but it can’t be innovation for the sake of innovation,” said Peter Balyta, president of Texas Instruments’ calculator division to Post writer Matt McFarland. “While it’s tempting for us to build in WiFi, Bluetooth, audio, a camera, a whole bunch of things, we could do, but teachers don’t want us to. And it’s because we want to have a tool that kids can use in a classroom, on their way home, at home when they’re doing homework and also a tool they can bring in during their most important exam.”
One reason the devices have lasted in American classrooms is because they can still be used during tests while smartphones remain relegated to backpacks.
Read the full story.
Do you still require your students to use the TI-84 Plus?
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