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