Building Bridges with Scientific Notebook: Enhancing the Teaching of Engineering Mathematics
Malcolm Anderson, Lyn Bloom, Ute Mueller, Pender Pedler
malcolm.anderson@cowan.edu.au
School of Computer, Information and Mathematical Sciences
Edith Cowan University
Australia
Abstract
Scientific Notebook is a combined word-processing and computer-algebra package that offers undergraduate mathematics students a user-friendly introduction to Maple. It can be used both in the classroom and in the computer laboratory to graph functions and to perform routine mathematical calculations. For example, it is possible in a very short space of time to write down a set of equations, step through the construction of a solution, and plot the results. This saving of time frees both the lecturer and students to concentrate more on the interpretation of the solution and to promote links between the topic being studied and related mathematical topics.
In this talk we describe how the use of Scientific Notebook has been integrated into the teaching of second-year engineering students at Edith Cowan University. Examples will be taken from the areas of differential equations and vector calculus.
© Asian Technology Conference in Mathematics, 1998. |
