Although most calculus students are comfortable with the Cartesian equations of curves and surfaces, they struggle with the concept of parameters. A multivariable calculus course is really the time to nail this concept down, once and for all, since it provides an easy way to represent many beautiful and useful surfaces, and graph them using a…

Most people who are attracted to STEM-related fields are drawn not by a desire to take mathematics tests but to create things. The opportunity to create an algebra drawing gives students a sense of ownership and adventure that taps into the same sort of energy that leads a young person to get lost in reading a good book, building with Legos®,…

As part of their undergraduate mathematics curriculum, students at Brock University learn to create and use computer-based tools with dynamic, visual interfaces, called Exploratory Objects, developed for the purpose of conducting pure or applied mathematical investigations. A student's Development Process Model of creating and using an Exploratory…

Paper introduces a new communication medium with which young children create and explore powerful computing tools, including free-hand and programmed graphics, animation, and music synthesis. (Author)

Designed to assist those teachers without a technical background, CAI TOOLKIT was developed to help with computer-assisted language instruction programs. By giving commands in English, the system, consisting of six tools, has been greatly simplified for learning. In addition, the graphic capabilities of the system have been found to work well with…

Describes ways in which computers are used to help undergraduates learn through designing, i.e., various creative activities. Highlights include projects sponsored by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and the FIPSE Technology Study Group (FTSG), the importance of design in curriculum, and problems with teaching and…