I agree with this. I also think curricula designed with the assumption that a calculator is available can be much more challenging. After all, the student is gi

I agree with this. I also think curricula designed with the assumption that a calculator is available can be much more challenging. After all, the student is given a more powerful tool. The goal is definitely to avoid turning people into calculators. I found that for myself and my peer group, having a calculator was the best panacea to doing that. It meant that we'd use those extra free moments wondering why things worked and what it meant instead of "carrying the ones".