Using Technology as a Teaching/Learning Tool Lawrence E. Levine Stevens Institute of Technology US Military Academy,West Point

Levine’s Technology Theorem Everything works either at home or in my office, and nothing works when I present it.

My Background Trained as an applied mathematician At Stevens since 1968 Research interests –Fluid dynamics –Differential equations –Perturbation methods Department Head for 5 years I am not a computer scientist

Achieved Some Fame Mathematician trading cards – Larry Levine –

Words of Caution Lecture/teaching model still good Technology will not put us out of business Use technology only where appropriate Can add new dimensions to the classroom Can add new dimensions to student learning Limitations of Technology Do not force its use

Some Uses of Technology as a Learning/Teaching Tool Course Web Sites Scientific Notebook Teaching with computers Teaching in a laptop classroom Mathematical slide shows Discovering things using technology

Course Web Sites All the important information about the course –Syllabus –Office Hours –Homework assignments –Lecture notes –Old Exams with solutions –Grades –

Web Site Cautions Time considerations in creating a web site Time considerations in maintaining a web site Good support a must –Undergraduates or graduates –Clever, deal with technical aspects

Scientific Notebook Word processing package with Maple kernel Very user friendly front end Type no code Clicks Interfaces with Web

Teaching with Computers Present subject matter easily Incorporate demonstrations in the lectures Show students how to use software Cautions –Must be easy to use –Requires a great deal of good support

The Case for Laptops I Faculty must have laptops –PCs in classrooms not adequate –Prepare everything before on laptop –Should be able to come in, plug in laptop and teach –Ideally just a little more difficult than using chalk and a board

Case for Laptops II Computer labs expensive Students bring lab to classroom Incoming student has state of the art equipment Really use technology while teaching Opportunity for interaction with and engagement of students

Teaching Linear Algebra in a Laptop Classroom I Linear algebra with computers Students with networked laptops Two classrooms in one –Laptop covers down – ordinary classroom –Laptop covers up – computer lab No written work accepted Download SNB notes Present some material – laptops down!

Teaching Linear Algebra in a Laptop Classroom II At appropriate points have students do exercises using SNB These were homework problems to be turned in Discuss problem under consideration Project screens of students Use this alternating format – lecture/computer

Caveats About Teaching in a Laptop Classroom Can do this only with small classes –25 to 30 students –Perhaps 45 with an Assistant Technology questions not simple –Faculty involved in design of classrooms –Requires great deal of support Expect a good deal of frustration at the beginning Ideally should be able to walk in, plug in laptop, turn on projector and teach

Teaching Linear Algebra in a Laptop Classroom III Teach mathematics behind the methods Not just a course in clicking Reducing matrices to echelon form Exams –Two parts – written and computer –Upload computer part Many technical issues!!!

Mathematical Slide Shows I These use stream technology How created Power Point good for creating slides Then can easily add narration Real media add-on to convert to real format Power Point not good for writing math

Mathematical Slide Shows II SNB is good for writing math Power Point does not read tex files Solution –Prepare math using SNB –Capture portions of file as graphics files –Important these graphics files into Power Point –Add narration, convert to real format

Discovering Things Using Technology Teaching the Method of Series Solution Polynomial solutions of DEs Which equations have a polynomial solution? Perturbing the DE Using SNB to investigate this

Conclusions The world is changing Technology will become more prevalent Students must be fluent with technology Technology opens new horizons Many approaches Some good, some not so good Try new approaches, identify good ones, develop them No small challenge