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Special talk: Distributed Multimedia Instructional Methods

• To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
• Subject: Special talk: Distributed Multimedia Instructional Methods
• From: xinwei at otter.stanford.edu (Sha Xin Wei)
• Date: Wed, 25 May 94 10:52:11 -0700

The Department of Mathematics & Center for Teaching and Learning 

present a lecture demonstration on

	Distributed Multimedia Instructional Methods

	Professor C.T.J. Dodson
	Department of Mathematics
	University of Toronto

	Thursday May 26, 12:00 noon - 1:00
	Presentation Palace, Sweet Hall 026
	Stanford University

Abstract:

At the University of Toronto we are developing multimedia materials  
for broadcasting over the internal campus networks and externally  
to high schools via our EDnet initiative.  One of the central  
topics is mathematics, and in particular Calculus. Several layers  
of materials have been prepared for interactive use by students in  
UNIX labs. 


Supporting introductory information on the UNIX operating system,  
network usage, email and file management is prepared on video for  
on-demand viewing by incoming students. Other video modules cover  
the use of packages like Maple and Mathematica, LaTeX for  
scientific docuent preparation, inclusion of tables,  bibliography,  
cross-references, graphics and mathematical formulae.

For Calculus, interactive Mathematica Notebooks, and parallel Maple  
Worksheets are provided for self-study and tutorial use; these are  
freely available to any interested schools (eg  
SelfTutorCalculus1.ma  on MathSource) and the accompanying books  
include a successful translation  into Japanese. 


Preliminary results suggest that the computer support provides  
students  with an enhanced learning environment and they appear to  
achieve  better in exams. This talk outlines our approach and  
illustrates  some of the methods.

About the speaker:

Prof. Dodson holds the NSERC/Abitibi-Price Senior Industrial  
Research Chair, in the Departments of Chemical Engineering and  
Mathematics at the University of Toronto.  His reseach concerns  
statistical and global differential geometry and topology and their  
applications, and formal mathematical theories alternative to  
topology for spaces of relations.   Recent books include Self-Tutor  
for Computer Calculus using Mathematica (with D.C.M. Burbulla),  
Tensor Geometry  (with T. Poston) , and Differential Geometry of  
Frame Bundles (with L A Cordero and M deLeon).

Contact:	Sha Xin Wei, 415-725-3152,  
xinwei at jessica.Stanford.EDU