Quoted from the site: This Web site contains a page for each section of the book Principles of Calculus Modeling, an Interactive Approach. A section page includes a summary of the section, an on-screen applet demonstrating the key point of the section, and what you should know after studying the material of the section. It also includes links to additional in-depth applets, worked examples, videos of problems being worked out by students and teachers, a quiz (with answers) that you can take to test your knowledge, a link to a PDF document with of all the exercises of the section, a link to these same exercises in interactive form with answer feedback, and hypertext links to other supplementary materials on the Web that you might find useful, such as sample exams.
Type of Material:
Reference material with various electronic components in the form of applets, exercises, and videos.
Recommended Uses:
This material can be used as a Calculus textbook suplement. The separately accessible collection of interactive applets and videos is an excellent source for an instructors in-class demonstrations.
Technical Requirements:
A Java-enabled Web browser, RealPlayer, Macromedia Flash.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
To serve as a supplement for a course in modeling with Calculus.
Target Student Population:
Students taking a second year course in Calculus, especially a modeling course.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Students should probably have had two semesters of Calculus.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This site has a wealth of resources relative to Calculus modeling. All the materials are organized in the form of an on-line textbook and can be accessed from a hyperlinked table of contents or directly from the list of topics. The chapters are divided in sections and every section contains:
1. at least one interactive Java applet that illustrates the concept and/or is applied to the exercises and examples.
2. several worked-out examples.
3. videos of students and instructors explaining the material.
4. a quiz over the material in the section.
5. a downloadable pdf file with homework exercises.
6. interactive online exercises at a site called WebWorK. (Guests must use this link:
http://webwork.dartmouth.edu/webwork2/KLDbook/. )
Overall, there are nearly 40 applets and well over 100 videos. Throughout, the quality of this content appears to be excellent.
Concerns:
None.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Teachers of calculus and especially modeling with calculus will be well rewarded by sending their students to this site. Due to its supplementary nature, the teacher will have to provide background information, such as definitions, related theorems, etc. However, much of the material is self-explanatory. The Java applets are accompanied by detailed instructions, and the worked out examples are thoroughly explained.
A simple and effective navigation structure of the site makes this resource very useful as a textbook supplement as well as a tool for self-guided study. The separately accessible collection of interactive applets and videos is an excellent source for an instructors in-class demonstrations.
Concerns:
As mentioned, this material is supplementary to a text in this subject, and, consequently, definitions, theorems, and such will not be found here. Also, answers to the quizzes and homework exercises are not provided. These are small concerns given the vast amount and quality of the resources on this site.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
A significant strength of this site is its organization. It is well designed and easily navigable. The Java applets are quite intuitive and are accompanied by detailed instructions.
Concerns:
The interactive WebWorK site might be a bit confusing at first. The link provided does not take you immediately to a guest login. However, further down that page there is an additional link that works for guests. Also, once logged in, one is confronted with a list of units. What these units refer to and how to navigate to a desired problem set is not clear. However, these are relatively minor concerns.
Creative Commons:
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