Computers in Mathematics Education

TitleComputers in Mathematics Education
Faculty/College/UnitScience
StatusCompleted
Duration1 Year
Initiation04/01/2000
Completion03/31/2001
Project Summary

Objectives:

  • To expand upon the computer calculus course, and the associated software, that a team in the Mathematics department has been developing over the last few years.
  • To export the interactive teaching technology used in developing the computer calculus to most other courses in mathematics (a long-range objective).
  • To develop an on-line data base of examples and exercises for calculus students.

The computer calculus course that started out as two experimental sections of the first-year regular calculus stream has now evolved into two new courses: Mathematics 102/103, “Calculus for Life Sciences”, offered for the first time this year (seven sections). The current project is the next step in this evolution. All members of the project team will be involved will all aspects of the proposal. The main duties of the student assistants and technicians will be to assist in the day to day running of the undergraduate computer labs, especially at the beginning of every term. As the term progresses their duties will also include aiding in the design of more demonstrations and labs and helping out with the creation of other course material (for example, exercises). We will also have the more senior assistants training the junior ones so that there is some continuity from year to year.

Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2000/2001
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorDenis Sjerve
Year 1: Funded Amount20,000
Year 1: Team Members

Denis Sjerve, Professor, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Bill Casselman, Professor, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Leah Keshet, Professor, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Michael Doebeli, Assistant Professor, Mathematics / Zoology, Faculty of Science
Yue-Xian Li, Assistant Professor, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
The Ha, Systems Administrator, Mathematics / Statistics, Faculty of Science