From CAS/DGS Integration to Algorithms in Educational Math Software

The standard triumvirate of  "New Media" in the mathematics curriculum – CAS, DGS and spreadsheet – is establishing its secured position in teaching. This article illustrates, using the evolution of the software Cinderella as a guiding example, how a further integration of these products will allow for new teaching approaches. These will support the formation of important mathematical competencies, such as the ability to find and rate mathematical models for real world problems. A central observation is the algorithmic nature of userdefined functions and that it is crucial for the learning process to be able to execute algorithms step by step.