Communicating mathematics through the internet : a qualitative case study /
The purpose evolved naturally to fill a void and sought to
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1997.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=736796641&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | The purpose evolved naturally to fill a void and sought to answer questions left unanswered: to describe the instructor's rationale for using the Internet as a vehicle to deliver and learn mathematics, and to describe how mathematics graduate students reacted to the instruction delivered through the Internet. Stated perceptions of mathematics graduate students concerning the potential of the Internet as a vehicle to deliver instruction were also analyzed. The context for this study was a college classroom. The primary emphasis of the course was the application of computers to facilitate the communication of mathematics. The students and instructor were physically located in the same mathematics computer laboratory and the course content, the syllabus, the class activities, and the homework were delivered to students through the Internet. The following topics were included in the syllabus: UNIX operating system, electronic mail, MapleV, LaTeX, strategies to search information on the Internet, and creation of a personal home-page. The stated role of the instructor was to facilitate the understanding of new concepts and to help students with topics and problems they encountered, such as calculus problems or computer-related problems. Data were collected from observations in the mathematics computer laboratory, from semistructured interviews using electronic-mail, and from semistructured open-ended interviews. These data sources were coded and sorted with a hypertext application to do a content analysis, which permitted searching for categories reconstructed using relationships, interpretations, and inferences. The interpretation of interviews, observations, and documents revealed that face- to-face class meetings in a close physical proximity were considered essential for success by the students. Students concluded that major advantages of being connected to the Internet included the ability to: (a) e-mail the instructor at any time; (b) concentrate on the subject matter instead of taking notes; (c) look back at the work from previous classes and access it at any time from any place; (d)work at one's own pace; (e) participate in classroom interactions; (f) learn by doing; (g)receive individual help from the instructor without holding the whole class back; and (h) immediate access of sites which were related to the assignments. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Curriculum and Instruction". |
| Physical Description: | xii, 119 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references: pages 103-109. |