Progress in Integrating Technology in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)

Jackson State University, Jackson MS

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal will support Jackson State University to offer training workshops and follow-on activities to develop mathematics faculty expertise in the use of Mathematica as a teaching, learning and research tool in the mathematical sciences and to promote year-long technology aided undergraduate research in the mathematical sciences. Each year, the program will attract 30 mathematics faculty from at least six HBCUs in Mississippi and neighboring states and is intended to achieve the following specific objectives: (1) train 30 HBCU faculty each year for two years to gain expertise in integrating the Mathematica software in the teaching and learning of calculus and upper division mathematical sciences courses, (2) allow each participating faculty member to engage at least one mathematical sciences major from their institution in a year-long research experience and place them in summer research experience at other institutions, and (3) train each participating faculty on how to develop Mathematica course guidelines and manuals integrating programming with Mathematica and course delivery. The proposed program activities are structured to serve as a forum for learning, discussion and exchange of information on the use of technology in teaching, learning, and research in the mathematical sciences. Sessions will be held on the most effective ways of teaching undergraduate courses such as discrete mathematics, linear algebra, differential equations, operations research and matrix theory, and numerical analysis which are inherently numerical with the computer programming platforms such as Mathematica. The participating HBCU mathematics faculty will engage in national and international intellectual conversations to address questions of satisfaction with technology and student learning gains and to disseminate the best practices of technology-assisted teaching and learning of mathematics. The findings of the projects will be shared with academic institutions and intellectual and professional communities through conferences, journal publications, and workshops and on the Jackson State University web sites and departmental web pages.