Interactive Applied Math Laboratory

通过这个项目，数学、统计和计算机科学系提供了一个基于图形的、交互式的应用数学实验室，通过两门课程来激发积极的、动手的学习，这两门课程每年总共招收290名学生：第一门课程是基本原理，数学建模课程，计算模型；第一门课程是微分方程式，微分方程式。在这些课程中，新设备将传统的被动、以教师为中心的授课转变为要求学生发挥积极作用的课堂。该实验室由26个彩色X终端、单色激光打印机、计算机服务器和用于统计/数据分析、符号处理和文件准备的软件组成。在项目期间，正在开设以教师为中心和以学生为中心的微分方程式课程，以便为项目评估获得数据。学生主动参与问题解决，即学生主动对问题进行调查，而不是被动地等待方向，这是该项目的一个主要教学成果。有了新的计算硬件和软件，学生不仅能够检查更多的问题，而且他们能够比纸和笔方法更详细地检查更现实的问题。

Through this project, the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science provides a graphics-based, interactive applied mathematics laboratory to stimulate active, hands-on learning in two courses that together enroll 290 students annually: A first principles, mathematical modeling course, Computational Modeling; and a first course in differential equations, Differential Equations. In these courses, the new equipment transforms a traditional passive, instructor-centered lecture into a classroom requiring an active role by students. The laboratory is made up of 26 color X terminals, monochrome laser printer, computer server, and software for statistical/data analysis, symbolic manipulation, and documentation preparation. During the project period, instructor-centered and student-centered sections of the Differential Equations course are being run in order to obtain data for project evaluation. The active engagement of students in problem solving, where students initiate the investigation of the problem rather than passively waiting for directions, is a major pedagogical outcome of this project. With the new computing hardware and software, students not only are able to examine more problems, they ar able to examine more realistic problems in far greater detail than paper and pencil methods.