Abstract

Interactive mathematics with math-kit - distance learning versus face-to-face learning

This is a report on experiences in teaching mathematics to undergraduate students with highly interactive teaching material. In particular, we discuss problems that arise in connection with the design and use of multipurpose multimedia elements for web based training both in face-to-face and distance learning and teaching.

The teaching material under consideration is being developed and evaluated within the project math-kit at the universities of Bayreuth, Hagen, Hamburg and Paderborn. The research and development is part of the program Zukunftsinvestitionsprogramm (Future Investment) sponsored by the German ministry of education and science to introduce new media into university teaching.

math-kit is a web based construction kit which provides professors and students with multimedia support for central topics in undergraduate mathematics. It contains elements for motivation, exploration, applications, visualization as well as drills and exercises. These elements may be combined in several ways in order to support different learning objectives. Using elements from math-kit, professors can compose their individual teaching units.

math-kit comprises Java applets, makes use of the dynamic mathematics software GEONExT and is supported by the computer algebra system MuPAD through the web. For further details on the concepts of math-kit and its technical features we refer to http://www.math-kit.de, [BBM], [PS] and [UOM].

Since the academic year 2001/2002, elements of math-kit are used and evaluated in face-to-face lectures of mathematics for engineering students at the university of Paderborn as well as in basic courses for mathematics students at the distance university of Hagen.

We give examples for different use of multimedia elements both in face-to-face and distance education. Moreover, including first results of the evaluation we compare different forms of how to learn and teach with web based material in face-to-face and in distance learning. We address topics like (the necessity of) additional external feedback and controll of learning progress.

References

[BBM]

Bungenstock, M., Baudry, A., Mertsching, B. The construction Kit Metaphor for a Software Engineering Design of an E-Learning System In Proc. ED-MEDIA 2002 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Denver, Colorado, USA, 2002.

[PS]

Padberg, K.; Schiller, S. Web-based drills in maths using a computer algebra system In Proc. ED-MEDIA 2002 World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications, Denver, Colorado, USA, 2002.

[UOM]

Unger, L., Oevel, G., Mertsching B. Web-based Training and Learning with math-kit In Proc. 2nd International Conference on the Teaching of Mathematics, Crete, 2002.