MATHDL: A Library of Online Learning Materials in Mathematics and Its Applications

Mathematical Association Of America, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

MATHDL is an online library of independently reviewed mathematics learning materials at the undergraduate level. MATHDL is a collaborative project of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the Math Forum. The MAA provides content oversight, materials acquisition and selection, policies, and general administration. Math Forum oversees development of the user interface and manages all platforms needed to host MATHDL content and serve pages. Math Forum plans to host moderated discussion groups for each unit listed in the library. Significant co-funding of this project is being provided by the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the NSF Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences in recognition of the importance of a digital library collection of learning resources in the mathematical sciences. MATHDL is divided into three parts: The Library of Online Mathematics and Its Applications (LOMA), The Journal of Online Mathematics and Its Applications (JOMA), and The Library of Commercial Products (LCP). LOMA contains free online learning materials that have been class tested and reviewed. These materials have been tested with students, submitted with a peer review, and provided with a second review by the LOMA editors. Each unit has a site for the reviews and substantive comments by users and authors, a file of adopters, and a link to a moderated discussion group focused on these particular materials. JOMA is the journal of the library. It is a scholarly online journal that contains innovative new Web-based learning materials in mathematics, articles on the design and use of such materials, articles on student learning using online materials, surveys of existing online materials, and other related articles. LCP is a listing of commercially available learning materials in mathematics and its applications. Each listing includes publication information, a short description of the product, a table of contents (where appropriate), and a link to the publisher's site for more information. The MATHDL Project works closely with other digital libraries. In particular, the close association with Math Forum connects MATHDL to Project NEEDS, ENC, and a host of others. Through the multi-track work of the SMETE.org alliance, MATHDL plans to offer federated searches, user profiling, and common metadata. They plan to cooperate with these organizations in the search for solutions to the problem of curation of aging material.