Re: Mathematica-assisted learning was .. Re: Speak errors
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg130638] Re: Mathematica-assisted learning was .. Re: Speak errors
- From: Helen Read <readhpr at gmail.com>
- Date: Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:59:39 -0400 (EDT)
- Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@mail-archive0.wolfram.com
- Delivered-to: l-mathgroup@wolfram.com
- Delivered-to: mathgroup-outx@smc.vnet.net
- Delivered-to: mathgroup-newsendx@smc.vnet.net
- References: <17744967.14121.1366277874273.JavaMail.root@m06> <kl0arj$l43$1@smc.vnet.net> <20130422071048.E1C5A6AF5@smc.vnet.net> <kl8bed$no7$1@smc.vnet.net> <20130425065103.A637D6A12@smc.vnet.net> <2E7A3077-D754-4293-AEA6-168242B12BFE@math.umass.edu> <klddjp$d0o$1@smc.vnet.net>
On 4/26/2013 4:24 AM, Richard Fateman wrote: > > > I note that the MIT regular calculus, 18.01 > http://math.mit.edu/classes/18.01/Spring2013/ > apparently uses a computer algebra system, but not Mathematica. > I do not see how it is used or how it could be used on the exams. I teach calculus in a classroom (we have two such rooms) equipped with a computer for each student. We use Mathematica routinely throughout the semester, in and out of class, and most of the students like having it and using it. We have a site license that allows the students to install Mathematica on their own laptops so they can use it outside of class. I try to present things with the "rule of three" when possible, looking at things from the numerical, graphical, and analytic points of view. Obviously Mathematica is a big help for the numerical and graphical approaches. One of my favorite examples is introducing series, where give the students some examples and have them make tables and plots of partial sums and try to guess whether or not the series converges (of course I give them some examples where it's difficult to tell), and after a bit of this they practically beg to be taught analytic tests of convergence. We continue with the numerical/graphical/analytic approach throughout the chapter, using analytic tests to prove that a series converges and then using numerical methods (with the help of Mathematica) to approximate the limit of partial sums. I find that overall they seem to end up with a better understanding of series than my students did years ago when all we did was paper-and-pencil convergence (which the students found to be terribly abstract). My students do use Mathematica on exams, but not for everything. I make up exams in two parts. Part 1 is paper and pencil only, and I keep the computers "locked" (using monitoring software installed on all the student computers). When a student finishes Part 1, s/he hands it in and I unlock that particular computer (which I can do remotely from the instructor's desk), and the student has full use of Mathematica for Part 2. I can monitor what the students are doing on their computers from the instructor's station (and of course I get up and walk around and answer questions if they get stuck on something like a missing comma). We have a printer in the room so that the students can print their work and staple it to their test paper when they hand it in. I've been teaching this way since the late 1990s, and wouldn't dream of going back to doing it without technology. Helen Read University of Vermont
- References:
- Re: Speak errors (was Re: audio)
- From: Richard Fateman <fateman@cs.berkeley.edu>
- Mathematica-assisted learning was .. Re: Speak errors (was Re:
- From: Richard Fateman <fateman@cs.berkeley.edu>
- Re: Speak errors (was Re: audio)