Use of Intelligent Technologies As Teaching And Learning Tools In Collegiate Mathematics

1. Use of Intelligent Technologies As Teaching And Learning Tools In Collegiate Mathematics Om P. Ahuja Kent State University ahuja@geauga.kent.edu University Teaching Conference Award Recipients Display and Presentation Session Friday October 24, 2003

2. Objective • The purpose of this talk is to describe the use of certain intelligent technologies which can enhance students’ learning in mathematics.

3. Intelligent Technologies • Any technology that can undertake significant cognitive processing either on behalf of the user or in conjunction with the user is called an intelligent technology. In other words, such technologies can provide different ways to add in intelligent functionality in teaching and learning mathematics.

4. Intelligent Technologies for Teaching Mathematics • Graphical calculators • Math software, such as Derive 5 • L.C.D. and PowerPoint Presentations • Smart Board • Web-based interactive quizzes, tests and exams • Internet technologies supporting online instruction, including email • MathType • PHP 4 (server side scripting language) • mySQL (database) • Macromedia Director (Media Enhanced Module)

5. Special Features of Activities • The study addresses the development, implementation, and effects of the following web-based activities in the college algebra course: • Web-based diagnostic exam to assess students’ mathematical background • Take-home web-based diagnostic assignments to help weaker students improve their preparation for the course content • Web-based animated and dynamic PowerPoint slides to increase the number of modalities in the classroom • Use of Smart Board in combination with PowerPoint slide show to facilitate maximum interactions

6. Special Features of Activities (continued) • Open-ended problem situations on web-based modules • Interactive web-based quizzes for assessing students’ learning /self-assessment. • Integration of audio and animation in web-based animated and dynamic PowerPoint slides (A trial module in Macromedia Director consisting of a shockwave which is embedded in a web page). • Innovative non-printable web-based lectures. • Web-based printable modules using MathType to display equations. • Comprehensive and interactive website.

7. The Power of the Internet • Interactive website can be helpful in enhancing students’ learning, downloading handouts, and checking their progress from time to time http://www.mcs.kent.edu/~oahuja • http://bca.bcaeast.com

8. Media Enhanced Module Pros • Media enhancement allows students to get a virtual classroom learning feeling. • Shockwave only requires a plugin to run. This can be obtained for free from the Macromedia website. Cons • This technology is relatively new and therefore requires larger bandwidth and higher end computer systems. • Preparation of such a module takes a lot of time. This is, however, worth it because the end result can be used numerous times.

9. Dynamic Website • The dynamic website has been created with a mySQL database. The scripting language that is interacting with this is PHP. The combination of the two can help produce powerful functionality for websites. • Data is stored in the database and retrieved each time the website is accessed. • Example • One of the functions created is a web-based quiz set. The results of these quizzes are stored in the database. This data can then be used to grade the quiz and then display the score.

10. Power of Derive • Use Derive and sketch the graphs of the following functions. Observe changes in graphs as you draw. How do these graphs differ? In what ways are they similar? • y= x(x-2)(x-3) and y= x²(x-2)(x-3) • y= x(x-2)(x-3) and y= x(x-2)²(x-3) • y= x(x-2)(x-3) and y= x²(x-2)²(x-3)²

11. THANK YOU