Animating Calculus with Multimedia

第一年微积分课程的全国自然减员率仍然很高。高中毕业生在代数运算和三角运算方面的技能下降，加剧了这个问题。 采用小班教学（30-35名学生）可以更好地评估个人需求并做出相应反应。在许多这些课程中引入技术，进一步为学生提供了支持机制，以帮助他们在代数和三角学方面的有限技能。在绘图和计算机代数系统的使用方便鼓励学生解决自己的许多问题。 在大多数情况下，入学的学生对计算机的使用相当熟悉，并伴随着计算机游戏及其“解决问题”的互动方法而成长。该项目利用这种方法，通过扩展目前的符号代数系统的功能，以更广泛地使用多媒体在教室和学生实验室。声音，视频和动画的结合可以为学生提供更丰富，更动态的学习环境。为此，教育创作软件，Authorware和导演，正在被用来创建交互式多媒体演示，说明了许多微积分和微分方程的课堂演示和介绍每个实验室项目涉及Mathematica的主要概念。这将大大增强Mathematica实验室在过去6年中开发的项目。

The national attrition rates in first-year calculus courses continue to be very high. This problem is exacerbated by the declining skills of high school graduates in algebraic manipulation and trigonometry. The use of small classes (30-35 students) makes it possible to assess individual needs better and respond accordingly. The introduction of technology in many of these classes further provides students with support mechanisms for their limited skills in algebra and trigonometry. The ease in graphing and the use of computer algebra systems encourages students to address many of their own questions. Entering students, in most cases, have a considerable familiarity with the use of computers and have grown up with computer games and their interactive approach to `problem solving.` This project harnesses that approach by extending the present symbolic algebra system capabilities to a broader use of multimedia in the classroom and the student laboratories. The incorporation of sound, video, and animation can provide a richer, more dynamic learning environment for students. To this end educational authoring softwares, Authorware and Director, are being used to create interactive multimedia presentations illustrating many of the major concepts of calculus and differential equations for classroom demonstration and as introductions to each of the laboratory projects involving Mathematica. This will substantially enhance the Mathematica laboratory projects that have been developed over the past 6 years.