Final Exam ~ Math 303

The who, what, where, when, why, and how of using technology in the mathematics classroom to help students understand mathematics.

This is a take-home exam. It is open notes and open book. Much, but not all, of it will be done online or on the computer. You will have until the examination meeting time (Tuesday 3:00 p.m.) to complete the exam (due date is Tuesday, December 9 at 3:00 p.m.). This exam is open notes and open book, but not "open discussion." You should not collaborate with classmates on the questions, mathematics, answers, etc. You may ask Dr. Olsen questions. The exam has 4 questions.

Your Final Product

You will "submit" a web page that has your answers to questions 1-4 typed up (in the web page or as a Word file). You should put a link on your main page to your Final Exam answers (so that the committees can access your answers on Tuessday afternoon). I strongly encourage you to make a subdirectory inside your http subdirectory titled "finalexam" to house all your documents. When you have completed your exam, e-mail the URL to jr-olsen@wiu.edu. Bring a backup (e.g., on flash drive) to the exam session if possible. Make sure to complete this before the final exam session Tuessday afternoon!

Questions

1. Describe the four scenarios (I-IV) for using technology to help students learn mathematics. For each, include:
   1. How can you organize your classroom to use technology?†
   2. Who works with the technology,
   3. How is it used,
   4. Where is the technology,
   5. When is it used?†

An outline would work well here. You can be especially brief on a, b, d, and e.
(† If you are keeping track of the 5 W's and the H, the "a. How" could have been the "what." Also, the why should we use technology is a separate question below.)

1. One computer and large display in the classroom for instruction purposes.
2. 3-4 computers in the classroom.
3. Teacher using computer but not directly during the instruction process. (One example of "how it is used" would be to type up quizzes.)
4. Separate computer lab (containing 30 machines).
   
2. What web sites are useful for helping students learn mathematics? (List at least five for each. List more if you can so we can have a nice summary for everyone's benefit.)
   1. Algebra and functions.
   2. Geometry.
   3. Statistics or Probability.

3. What computer programs are useful for helping students learn mathematics? (List at least two for each. List more if you can so we can have a nice summary for everyone's benefit.)
1. Algebra and functions.
2. Geometry.
3. Statistics or Probability.
   
4. Why is the technology used? That is, what mathematical ideas or concepts are illuminated (made clearer) by the use of these programs, calculators, and web sites? List (a total of) at least twelve which you describe in a detailed sentence (Example: "The concept of the range of a function can be taught using the TRACE feature on the graphics calculator by tracing the curve and seeing what y-values are on the graph (and which are not)."). If you wish to list some additional "topics" (not detailed in sentence form), you may.
   1. Algebra and functions.
   2. Geometry.
   3. Statistics.