I team-taught Beginning Algebra over the interned last semester with Tim
Chappell from Penn Valley. In general, it was disaster. We put a great
deal of work into it, the schools let us run it with low enrollement, and
we had just a few students make it through the class. Here is a summary of
what we did and what I think did work and what were some of the problems.
We used the Lail and Miller text book because interactive tutorials were to
be available. They were not in time for the class, so that was a real
problem. If I did this again, I would either teach a problem-solving class
relying heavily on searching the net and intepreting data, or have a CD
project for the students.
We put the class on a listserve and posed discussion questions for the
students to answer. This was moderately successful for a while. We gave a
participation grade to encourage activity on the listserve. In the future,
I would ask specific questions to specific students and not loosely define
"participation." One student at first annoyed the rest of the class with 3
or 4 postings a day with statements like "Good job, Kelly. I also had
trouble with that." (Only the messages were lengthier.) Posting the
questions, and responding to student's questions on the listserve was quite
time-consuming, however it was helpful for students. In the future, I
would create questions and explanations ahead of time and have them ready
to post.
Students learned the original computer symbols for mathematical symbolism:
(x - 3) / (2x - 4), for example and the ^ for exponents. That had some
advantages because students have to understand something about order of
operations to use the same-line notation.
Over half of the students who enrolled in the class told us that they
enrolled in an internet class because they did not have time to take a
class. One student who enrolled in the class did not know what the
internet was and thought that "ARR" (our abrievation for arranged) as a
time slot meant that she could show up for class at any time and a class
would be in session that she could attend. In the future, I would work
more with the counselors and advisors in advising the students and I would
begin calling students as soon as they are enrolled to make sure they know
what they are signing up for.
For grading, we gave some online tests as well as a monitored mid-term and
final exam; we required homework, participation in class discussion, and
completion of a project (web-based). We put a lot of weight on the
mid-term and final exams. We also required that to make a C or higher, the
student must average 68% or higher on the midterm and final exam. After
that competency was met, other scores would be averaged into the total
grade.
For the on-line tests, we posted the test on the class Web site. The
student could mail, drop-off, or FAX us their test. We tried a "Form" for
the first on-line test but that did not work well. The spacing varies
from computer to computer and students typing math symbols was difficult.
Ironically, I found that teaching over the internet set me back 5 to 10
years in that I fell back to traditional emphasis on rote skills because I
could not deviate far from the student's most complete and accessible
source--a traditional text book. If I do this again some time, maybe I
will figure how to bring teaching over the internet into 21st century
mathematics.
Martha
p. s.
If anyone is interested in the questions we asked over the listserve, the
class discussion, and explanations that we posted to the listserve, I will
be glad to send them. They are stored in WORD 97, so if you have that
system, I could send them as an attachment, or if you think your system
will read the attachment in a particular form that I could save it to.
Otherwise send me your snail-mail address. The documents I have are
un-edited student discussion. (On second thought, I may not have kept all
of the lengthy, "Have a good day" type of messages.)
----------
> From: Dorrit O'Hallaron <DOHALLARON@CHUCK.STCHAS.EDU>
> To: mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu
> Subject: [MATHEDCC] online math
> Date: Wednesday, June 17, 1998 4:53 PM
>
>
> Help! I am taking a course "How to teach on line". This course
> involves choosing and adapting a course for online delivery, and
> producing a limited webliography.
>
> If you are teaching a course on line and can help me with any of
> these questions I would be grateful. I think that the course I will
> choose will be College Algebra. I am interested in how math symbols
> and especially graphs are handeled. My current College Algebra
> classes anr heavily dependent on the graphing calculator.
>
> If you have and good web-sites let me know, and especially if you
> have any insights into this method of delivery let me know.
>
> Dorrit O'Hallaron
> St. Charles county Comm. College
> St. Peters Mo.
>
> email: dohallaron@chuck.stchas.edu
>
****************************************************************************
> * To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
> * To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu
*
> * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc
*
> * Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
> * Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/
*
>
****************************************************************************
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************