Courseware Announcement
- To: mathgroup at yoda.physics.unc.edu
- Subject: Courseware Announcement
- From: p.kent at imperial.ac.uk
- Date: Sun, 10 Apr 94 18:17:31 +0100
Mathematica Courseware available for trial
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The backgound
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The Transitional Mathematics Project (TMP) is based in the Mathematics
Department at Imperial College in London. We are a state-funded project
developing computer-based tutorials, covering the high school
mathematics syllabus, for students making the transition from school
to U.K. University courses in science and engineering.
Our tutorials address the growing mis-match which is occurring (in the
U.K. and elsewhere) between the maths skills expected for 1st-year
courses and the actual maths skills of an increasingly-diverse student
cohort.
The TMP modules
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* A DIAGNOSTIC TEST to identify areas of weakness in maths. The
Test is written as a Mathematica program and generates randomised
questions; a results profile is generated automatically. The code
is designed for flexibility of question order and content.
* SELF-STUDY MODULES written as Mathematica Notebooks. They provide
a rapid topping-up of maths skills for 1st-year courses. Each module
has two parts:
-a Text Module on paper contains didactic text and space
to record observations, and is a guide to the...
-...Activity Notebook on the computer, with investigative Activities
using Mathematica, and interactive Exercises (with both randomised
and pre-set questions) to consolidate learning.
What is available
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The following topics are now available for trial:
Complex Numbers; Sequences & Series; Vectors; Trigonometry.
Matrices will be ready soon, and Calculus in the summer.
To use the modules you will need Mathematica, version 2.0 or later,
with a Notebook interface.
Getting the software
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TMP's materials can be obtained freely by:
* World-Wide-Web: http://othello.ma.ic.ac.uk
* Gopher: othello.ma.ic.ac.uk
* Anonymous FTP: othello.ma.ic.ac.uk (155.198.192.26)
* Floppy disk from the address given below.
The materials are draft versions and are offered "as is".
If you have any difficulties, or want to offer feedback, please
contact us.
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Phillip Kent, Phil Ramsden and John Wood
Transitional Mathematics Project
Mathematics Department
Imperial College
London SW7 2BZ.
Tel: 071 225 8601
Fax: 071 225 8361
Email: tranmath-proj at ic.ac.uk