TI-Nspire CX Handheld from Texas Instruments Enables Math and Science Learning Wherever Students Go

DALLAS, Aug. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether they're in the classroom or library, studying at home or doing hands-on data collection in the field, students heading back to school with the new color-display TI-Nspire™ CX handheld can easily bring math and science concepts to life.

Many schools provide calculators for use in the math classroom for a few hours a week. Yet learning real-world math and science concepts can take place anytime, anywhere when students have access to their own interactive learning tools such as the new color-display TI-Nspire CX handheld. Using the TI-Nspire™ Student Software, which is included with a retail purchase of the TI-Nspire CX handheld, students can work either on the handheld or work on exercises on their PC or Mac® computer at home.

Research(1) indicates that students tend do better in math when they use a graphing calculator both in class and at home. Research(2) also indicates that the more students use graphing calculators during instruction, the higher they tend to score on tests.

The TI-Nspire CX handheld is permitted for use SAT*, AP*, PSAT/NSMQT*, IB®, and ACT® college entrance exams, as well as many state standardized tests. Students can even download sample SAT and ACT test questions for practice.

Students can also use their TI-Nspire handheld in science class whether in the classroom, the lab or the field. Using TI-Nspire handheld or Student Software version 3.0, students can collect rich, real-world data using the TI-Nspire Lab Cradle and more than 60 data collection sensors. The TI-Nspire Lab Cradle and data collection sensors are science classroom equipment purchased by schools.

Owning a TI-Nspire CX handheld is an investment that students can use from middle school through high school and college for both math and science courses.

"It's really helpful for me to have a TI-Nspire calculator at home so I can move at my own pace," said Tina Liu, who recently graduated from Fitch High School in Austintown, Ohio. "For example, the teacher will do something in class and perhaps move slower or faster than I go. When I go home with my own calculator and the document we used in class, I can look over stuff I didn't understand before or move faster on parts I understood but other students didn't."

Jon Michael Valantine, who also recently attended Fitch High School, agrees. "It's really nice to be able to take the calculator home. You can get documents off of the class web site or you can share documents with other students. It's great just being able to have the same technology at home while you do your homework or study for the test."

Both Liu and Valantine studied math with TI-Nspire technology throughout their high school careers, and both participated in the first classroom pilot of the TI-Nspire CX handheld.

The new TI-Nspire CX handheld, with its 16-bit, 320 x 240 pixel, high-resolution color display, helps students better visualize formulas and scientific equations; interpret data, charts and graphics; and view full-color images and animations to highlight concepts and deepen understanding. The TI-Nspire CX handheld's ability to show multiple representations of a math activity using color enhances students' connections to key ideas as they view and analyze their work side-by-side as an equation, table, graph or text problem.

For a list of retailers where TI-Nspire products are available for the back-to-school 2011, visit http://education.ti.com/us/purchase. For more information on TI-Nspire CX handhelds and the full line of TI-Nspire technology and resources, visit http://education.ti.com/tinspire.

About Texas Instruments

Education Technology, a business unit of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, helping students and teachers to explore mathematics and science interactively. TI's products and services are tested vigorously against recognized third-party research, which shows that the use of graphing calculators helps improve the mathematical skills of students and their attitudes toward mathematics. For more information, visit education.ti.com.

Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through manufacturing, design and sales operations in more than 30 countries. For more information, visit ti.com.

*SAT and AP are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse these products. PSAT/NSMQT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, neither of which was involved in the production of, nor do they endorse these products. Visit http://www.collegeboard.com/ for more information. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse these products. IB is a registered trademark of the International Baccalaureate Organization, which was not involved in the production of and does not endorse these products. Policies are subject to change.

Mac® is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.

(1) Center for Technology in Learning (2007), "Why is having access to portable handheld devices in a teacher's own math classroom better than going to an ICT suite?" Research Note 11, Menlo Park, CA

(2) Heller, Curtis et a, 2005

SOURCE Texas Instruments