Computer Classroom for Liberal Arts Mathematics Curriculum

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Students at Pitzer, a liberal arts college, are studying mathematics presented in a manner that relates to real-world situations that interest them. Three non-traditional mathematics courses are being designed to be attractive to students who may have limited previous exposure to college- level mathematics. Major portions of these courses involve students interacting with computer workstations which are allowing them to directly control the elements of mathematical phenomena and immediately visualize the result. Through these interactions, students are gaining an understanding of mathematics and how it relates to the world around them. The computer hardware and software are providing a learning laboratory at a college where mathematical studies are often something many students have learned to avoid and where computers are frequently only associated with word processing. The immediate goal is to revitalize the relationship students feel with mathematical studies. The ultimate goal is to alter some of the misconceptions that may exist about what is an appropriate mathematical education for liberal arts college students.