CAS applied in a functional perspective college algebra curriculum

Act in Algebra (ACT) is a functional perspective curriculum for college algebra that focuses on the use of realistic applications to motivate the acquisition of mathematical concepts through active student explorations. A computer algebra system (CAS) is used as an open-ended tool in the exploration of mathematics and the modeling of data. The goal of ACT is to improve student cognition, metacognition, and affect with respect to college algebra. A series of studies was conducted from the spring of 1994 to the spring of 1999 to determine the effects of the CAS in a functional perspective curriculum. This article provides an overview of the findings of those studies and discusses the implications of these findings for the teaching and learning of algebra.