Re: Computer Mediated Algebra -Reply -Reply

Mike Mallen (MALLEN@GATE1.SBCC.CC.CA.US)
Tue, 16 Apr 1996 11:44:58 -0800

We looked at it recently. One department member raised a very insightful
objection to this program (and all attempts we have seen to put algebra
courses on computers, such as Academic Systems). These programs
spend a lot of time using cute animations to teach students things which
they usually have no trouble learning, and learning faster, without the
computer. Our students all commmute, most have jobs and many are
returning adults with kids in daycare or school and they do not have time
to sit in a lab and watch some programmer's admittedly cute tricks to
teach them something they can learn in half the time or less.

Another objection is that the information age has not resulted in all of our
students having computers - or if they do, having computers that can
handle the memory and storage gobbling graphics.

When you evaluate such programs, picture the student mom, who finally
got the kids to bed at 10pm, sitting down to watch such stuff on the
computer - or worse yet, not having a computer and having to schedule
lab time during a busy day.

For developmental courses, there are a few good alternative texts which
exploit the much more accessible, portable and cheaper graphing
calculators.

Summit does have some nice programming and seems to be making more
of an attempt to implement the STANDARDS. Only two chapters were
available for our perusal. It is still on a Mac platform and needs a
powerful microprocessor.

Mike Mallen
Santa Barbara City College