Describes a project involving a short car trip in which students experience an early opportunity to work in teams, think about mathematics, gather and analyze speed and distance data, and produce a report on their findings. Provides a typical-authored solution. (Author/ASK)

Presents an experiment to design a precalculus topic that would help prepare students for limits in differential calculus. Emphasizes the topic to enhance the interpretation of graphs and to be applicable in both technology-based and traditional precalculus courses. Uses graphing calculators to help students observe the results of their…

Describes an experimental study in which two sections of calculus were taught using the same materials, except one section was enhanced with the computer algebra system Mathematica. Results indicated that the students in the technology group had advantages to understanding certain key topics in calculus such as limits, derivatives, and curve…

Presents activities that engage students and promote discussion emphasizing the history of mathematics, diversity, and multiculturalism. Six activities included are Crossword Puzzle, Date of Event, Quotes Matching, Famous Mathematical Expressions, Calendar Scramble, and Map Puzzle. Also lists related World Wide Web sites. Contains 15 references.…

Argues that although differential equations are billed as applied mathematics, there is rarely any hands-on experience incorporated into the course. Presents a laboratory project that requires students to obtain data from a physics lab and use that data to compute the coefficients of the second order differential equation, which mathematically…

Discusses the properties of the equation y"+ay=0, a basic equation in differential equations classes which is well known to have periodic solutions. Explores similar but more complicated equations using a graphing calculator to ask questions about the nature of the solutions and to generate conjectures from examples. Lists some equations and…

Presents the findings of a study on the learning experiences of undergraduates enrolled in a writing-intensive algebra course. The study revealed that writing activities are successful in terms of facilitating student comprehension of mathematical content. The use of words allows student writers to gain ownership of the algebraic content. (DDR)

Refutes the assumption that large classes must be impersonal, characterized by lecture style, and presented in a theorem-proof-example format. Discusses successful strategies for space use, classroom management, and collecting student feedback. (DDR)

Describes a way to teach mathematics majors as guest instructors in their classroom to utilize resources with a wealth of experience, ideas, and enthusiasm. (Author/KHR)

Raises issues and questions concerning the judicious choice of a textbook to teach the history of mathematics. (Author/KHR)

Investigates the effects of instructional environment on students' conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge of calculus. Uses multiple achievement measures to determine the degree to which students from different instructional environments had mastered the concepts and procedures inherent to first semester calculus. Indicates no…

Outlines a pair of projects used in introductory calculus that are inspired by techniques archaeologists use in the analysis of pottery. These real-world application problems appeal to students who are not necessarily interested in the standard application of calculus. (Author/DDR)

Demonstrates how to incorporate collaborative learning into the mathematics curriculum. The method is based on the Academic Mastery Program (AMP) at Occidental College, a program that promotes achievement in mathematics by helping students to organize their lives around their academic interests. Describes in detail the format of the weekly two-…

Shares the perspectives of two instructors of elementary statistics at the college level. Describes a course developed to increase statistics learning and student motivation to learn statistics by introducing writing into the course content. (DDR)

Presents an alternative to using a single-class-period test to assess a college student's knowledge in the mathematics area. Evaluation of student mathematical knowledge and understanding of concepts is improved when students are given opportunities to design problems and solutions, applying classroom-acquired knowledge to new situations. Such…