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Communicating Mathematics : A Problem Solving Approach

Communicating Mathematics : A Problem Solving Approach. Paul Eakin, Carl Eberhart, Ken Kubota, Dan Chaney,. General Program. R&D on effective application of communications technology to the teaching of mathematics software, methodology, materials Associated Dissemination Project

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Communicating Mathematics : A Problem Solving Approach

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  1. Communicating Mathematics:A Problem Solving Approach Paul Eakin, Carl Eberhart, Ken Kubota, Dan Chaney,

  2. General Program • R&D on effective application of communications technology to the teaching of mathematics • software, methodology, materials • Associated Dissemination Project • Course (with text) • Workshops • Support System for teachers • Very much a work in progress

  3. Program Goals • Improved Preparation of Pre Service Math Teachers • Improved communication/collaboration within mathematics community • Effective Application of technology to teaching of mathematics at all levels

  4. Approach to Advancing these Objectives is through the application of Technology To Save Teacher Time

  5. Automation of tedious tasks • Collaboration on materials development • Sharing resources • Facilitating parental/community involvement with students

  6. Concentration is on general tools • For active use by teacher rather than student • Have modest computing resource requirements • Are intended for remote and out-of-class use • No infringement on traditional class time • Require minimal computer skills • Trade off with very solid knowledge of mathematics • Support collaboration across large communities • Not dependent on local school computer systems

  7. The greatest apparent saving lie in the management of homework • Assignment • Checking* • Feedback • Logistics • Collection • Return • Record Keeping

  8. First System: WQS • Used for two years in basic calculus and linear algebra • Handles: • formatted Mathematics • Chat groups • Student-teacher email • Visual rolls • Video lectures • Sharing of problem sets • Has primitive data handling • Multiple choice format • Too much data

  9. CONNECT TO WQS Roll

  10. WQS System: login screen Students select video lectures menu or their class homework menu Group logins and work are encouraged

  11. Typical Section Menu Chapter 1 homework Review for test II

  12. Homework Page: Basic Format System response Student answer Email window System answer Problem and answers

  13. Most students print the problem sets out and record their solutions or solutions from class directly on the printouts

  14. Video Lectures Menu Lecture Slides (html) Video of lecture segment (10-30 min)

  15. How students watch the videos

  16. Data Logs • Every student action is logged with time stamp • All activity credited to each member on group login • Total number of answers submitted (right or wrong) correlates very well with performance on tests

  17. Log Data

  18. Maple Source: WQS Homework Problem Question Tag:( Q_ ) HTML LINK TO VIDEO video “SKIP” Tags Answer Tags: ( A_ ) Code for Figure (section) Correct Answer Tag

  19. Presentation of Previous Problem System response Student answer Email window System answer Problem and answers

  20. Preparing Materials CD burner and blanks food coffee

  21. To create and “post” a simple wqs homework set: • Source document is exported to html from Maple menu • Exported html document is processed by a Perl script to: • create a “data” file which describes the final document to the server • place an entry in a control file which describes the menu • All but Maple function are being automated in new system

  22. Control File is basis for sharing Sharing Materials: Ken made homework set number 8 Paul made homework set number 7 This is Paul’s Control file

  23. LOAD SHARING 1 Student login To B’s class Wqs system 5 1 5 B’s Files 2 2 Student login To A’s class 4 materials wqs homework lecture ma123 B’s Files 3 control 3 wqs ma123 control

  24. Sharing: Laura’s Ma123 Control File and class menu

  25. Sharing: Laura and Jody Do Ma123 Lectures

  26. Sharing: Control File for Joe Mahoney’s Paducah, KY Section of Ma322 Carl Eberhart created the homework for the Ma322 sections

  27. Joe Mahoney and Avinash Sathaye did Videos for MA322

  28. WQS CDs • Originated through necessity (bandwidth, reliability) • Natural corollary of HTML format • easily made at faculty desk, cheap • Students copy in lab on their own blank (15 min, $1) • Strongly favored by upper-level students who tend to live off-campus • Not used much by lower level students who tend to live on campus

  29. Unified Format: Video link LaTeX math formatting

  30. Web homework is part of text in unified format

  31. Student response to Ma123 as reported in the student paper

  32. Experience with WQS:It does work. But … • Works much better with motivated, advanced students • Primary problem is compliance • Strong resistance to videos • Need for improved status feedback was evident • Limited format • Problem with misinformed faculty, advisors • “computer course” label • Perception of “sneaking” more instructional time

  33. WQS Test Review with video solutions:Materials Model for current experiments Problem statement with diagram Link to Brief video solution

  34. Phase II: (MathClass) • Currently under development • Subsumes WQS • Very general format • Promotes sharing/collaboration across net: • development • individual problems • Better data management • “Autonomous” problems/sets • Much higher level of sharing

  35. Simple display of Student’s homework

  36. Maple Source: WQS Homework Problem Question Tag:( Q_ ) HTML LINK TO VIDEO video “SKIP” Tags Answer Tags: ( A_ ) Code for Figure (section) Correct Answer Tag

  37. Now Have Two Years’s Experience With • Technology Development Program • Useful, • Improving • Systematic testing and evaluation program

  38. Must Begin to Address • Dissemination to users • User training • User support • Materials distribution

  39. Software and Service • Software freely distributed (except Maple) • Materials sharing features also provide free source of materials • Problem (apparent) is hosting of service • Need reliable, convenient, efficient, persistent site location • Need full contol • Need after-hours access

  40. Initial Training Focus is on Pre-service Teachers • They have TIME • Learn operation, tools, techniques • Set up and operate personal site • Prepare and implement complete, operational material sets • Form collaborative relationships for continuation • They can provide collegial consultation at their host schools • They will need a complete course

  41. Course Needs to Provide: • Introduction to Maple (including graphics) • Comprehensive overview of how such systems work • Facility with tools • Experience in: • Use of system • Collaborative development of materials (teamwork)

  42. Philosophical Difficulties: • Not a math class as described • Looks at best like an elementary computer skills class • Thin intellectual content? • Fit in a crowded curriculum?

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