Ideas for Using Technology In Core Mathematics Courses Lawrence E. Levine

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 Teaching with computers Locating Web resources Mathematical slide shows Computer homework assignments and projects 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 – – tech.edu/llevine/ma205/ma_205.htmlhttp://golem.math.stevens- tech.edu/llevine/ma205/ma_205.html

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

Web Sites for Calculus us/index.htmlhttp://archives.math.utk.edu/visual.calcul us/index.html g.htmlhttp:// g.html tech.edu/ma115/ tech.edu/ma115/ tech.edu/ma116/ tech.edu/ma116/

More Web Sites for Calculus lc/secantapplet.htmlhttp:// lc/secantapplet.html tech.edu/llevine/ma205/lessons/lesson_21. raphttp://golem.math.stevens- tech.edu/llevine/ma205/lessons/lesson_21. rap

Finding Web Sites Search Engines – – –Any other search engine

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

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 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