Applications Of Math Software In Engineering Courses

The author has employed mathematical software in engineering courses for eight years, initially as a lecture aid and, over the past four years, in active learning and productive work by students. The courses involve analyses of functions, including integration, differentiation and graphing, and formulation and simulation of mathematical models. Those activities are performed by students and instructor exclusively at computers using a commercial mathematical software and supported by on-line knowledgebases. Each complete analysis produces a document. Instructor documents and knowledgebases are distributed via a Web server. Student documents are transferred between student and instructor via e-mail attachment. The instructor evaluates student work at a computer in the mathematical software.