Evaluation of CAERUS: A Context Aware Mobile Guide
This paper reports on the results of a user evaluation of CAERUS, which is a complete context aware educational resource system for outdoor tourist sites and educational centres. CAERUS consists of a handheld delivery application and a desktop administration application and provides a visual interface to add new maps, define regions of interest, add theme-based multimedia tours, and deliver this information to visitors through Pocket PC devices with GPS capability. Fourteen participants used CAE
Constructing structure in number sequences
This paper reports on a design experiment in the domain of number sequences conducted in the course of the WebLabs project1. In this study, we designed and tested a set of activities in which 13-14 year old students use the ToonTalk programming environment to construct models of sequences and series, and then use the WebReports web-based collaboration system to share these models and their observations about them. We utilise a design pattern (programming method) called "Streams" which enables st
Analysis of the usage of the Virtuoso system
We present our experiences for recording and analyzing usage of the Learning System Virtuoso at the University of Sofia. The description follows the structure that emerged from the joint work on the Kaleidoscope DPULS Project meetings held on February and April 2005. We also show one possible generalisation and one example pattern for tracking the learning problems described.
Distance training, a key mode to support teachers in the integration of ICT ? Towards collaborative
The integration of ICT into the teaching and learning of school subjects remains still rather weak, even in highschools. Changes in users' practices required by such integration have probably been underestimated: teachers are obliged to question and change their professional practices. It turns out that standard training sessions towards ICT have been found to be unsuited for supporting teachers in overcoming their difficulties with this integration. This document describes a specific distance,
Mastering by the teacher of the instrumental genesis in CAS environments: necessity of instrumental
In this article, we study didactic phenomena identified in integration experiments within our classes, CAS(implemented in calculators). From this study, we show the interest of an instrumental approach to understand the influence of tools on the mathematical approach and on the building of students' knowledge: through a process - instrumental genesis - a calculator becomes a mathematical work tool; this process depends on the tool's constraints and potentialities, on students' knowledge, and on
Design of adaptive feedback in a web educational system
This paper presents our interdisciplinary approach for the design of a technology-based learning environment for orthopaedic surgery. We present how we designed a part of this environment. This part is in relation to the web environment. The key idea is to produce an intelligent feedback in relation to the learner's activity. The didactical analysis of teaching and learning in the workplace gives a framework to build the computational representation of knowledge. This analysis is shown within th
PBL Especially in the Context of Large Classes
This webpage from McMaster University in Canada describes one approach using small groups for using problem-based learning in teaching large classes. The focus of the authors is on teaching medical students but they also describe use of this approach in teaching civil engineering students, geography, etc. The approach described is likely to be of interest to analytical chemistry faculty teaching large classes of undergraduates as well. Links near the end of the document to pdf files contain u
Middle School Portal: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2)
This is one of the best online resources about fractals, and is meant to support a first course in fractal geometry for students without especially strong mathematical preparation. The site is incredibly deep, providing everything from the most basic definitions and non-technical discussions to involved mathematical formulations. Interactive Java applets, downloadable software for the PC and Macintosh, and laboratory activities are also presented. A particularly interesting section of the site e
GoMath
Grade school students will find GoMath.com a valuable online tutor for almost any topic in mathematics. The three most useful sections of the site are Algebra Solutions, Geometry Solutions, and Formula-To-Go. The first two explain many common mathematical properties and offer mini-lessons and worksheets about each topic. Formula-To-Go has equations, tables, and calculus identities that make an excellent quick reference. Another section that is better suited for practice is the questions archive.
Middle School Portal: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2)
Using this online activity, students explore the meaning of probability using the pigeonhole principle. The initial question asks students to determine the probability that someone who is not paying attention to what she is doing can put checks into the correct envelopes. The activity is one of 80 mathematical challenges featured on the Figure This! web site, where real-world uses of mathematics are emphasized. The solution hint suggests experimenting with the possible outcomes with checks a, b,
Middle School Portal: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2)
In this activity, students use hits and at-bat data to determine which of two baseball players has a better batting average. The activity is one of 80 mathematical challenges featured on the Figure This! web site, where real-world uses of mathematics are emphasized. The activity contains a solution hint, a complete explanation of the answer that reveals the surprising answer, and additional problems related to finding averages. Information about baseball averages and fractions is included. Copyr
Studies in robust estimation and control
Effective monitoring and tight control of chemical, petrochemical and biochemical processes are often hindered by the absence of frequent measurements of important process variables that are related to product quality, the presence of process-model mismatch, unmeasureable disturbances, measurement noise, and highly nonlinear process dynamics. This dissertation presents new methods of nonlinear estimation and control in the presence of such practical problems. Simulation and real-time implementat
Resources used by high school students in preparing independent study projects: a bibliometric appro
This study provides a description of the use of libraries and library resources by academic high school students preparing papers for independent study projects. For purposes of this analysis independent study projects were defined as those in which students prepared papers, projects or reports on individual topics, using sources other than class texts and, further, that there was a written record by students of sources used. References in such written reports reflect not just the assignment, bu
Math Teaser
Every month we will give you a math/statistics brain teaser that lets you test your knowledge with a fun problem.Many of the ideas in these Teasers come from thoughts formed by some of the great mathematical/statistical geniuses in history.
Supporting a Learner Community with Software Agents
This paper describes a multi- agent approach that aims at supporting learners involved in a collective activity. We consider pedagogical situations where students have to explicitly define the articulation of their collective work and then achieve the different tasks they have defined. Our objective is to support these students by taking some of these tasks in charge whilst making them work out such organisation features. For this purpose, we propose to consider that the group of students forms
The Development and Use of Representations in Teaching and Learning about Problem Solving: Exploring
Tim Boerst has explored instructional approaches that foster the development of representational skill and routine use of multiple representations in problem solving. In particular he has used the 'Rule of 3' (a structure employed in calculus reform materials that highlights the use of numerical, algebraic, and/or graphic representations in mathematical learning) to see whether an emphasis on multiple representations would deepen mathematical learning opportunities for a wide variety of students
A primer in MathML
This course, as the name suggest, is intended to help authors who want to publish mathematical content on web. The emphasis here is to enable learners to quickly adapt to the extensive mathML markup language and begin writing codes even without a specialized editor, available commercially. The course is presented in the form of a tutorial, which essentially saves on unnecessary details. This tutorial is not intended currently (may be supplemented later with the help coming from others) to be a c
Mathematics for Computer Science
A basic introduction to Calculus and Linear Algebra. The goal is to make students mathematically literate in preparation for studying a scientific/engineering discipline. The first week covers differential calculus: graphing functions, limits, derivatives, and applying differentiation to real-world problems, such as maximization and rates of change. The second week covers integral calculus: sums, integration, areas under curves and computing volumes. This is not meant to be a comprehensive calcu
Patrons d'exercices pour Aplusix Une étape du développement de l'EIAH occasion d'un travail entre
Au cours du développement de l'EIAH APLUSIX, il y a eu de nombreuses occasions d'un travail partagé entre informaticiens et didacticiens. Quelques-unes sont décrites succinctement. Lors de la mise en place de patrons d'exercices et d'une carte de tests, une coopération plus approfondie a eu lieu, en respectant les disciplines de chacun. Cette mise en place de patrons d'exercices est décrite plus longuement.,Preprint
Empirical Research Methods
Regression analysis is an enormously popular and powerful tool, used ubiquitously in the social and behavioral sciences. Most courses on the subject immediately dive into the mathematical aspects of the subject and illustrate the technique on problems that are already highly structured. As a result, most students come away with little idea of the wide range of problems to which regression analysis can be applied and how to represent those problems in a way that cleverly utilizes readily availabl
