Patricia Salinas

The Development of a Didactic Prototype for the Learning of Mathematics Through Augmented Reality

This work applies Augmented Reality technology in the educational process through a didactic prototype that promotes visualization skills related to the learning of mathematical content. An initial prototype has been designed and built with the purpose of arriving at 3 dimensional objects performing specific actions, in space and time, executed with 2 dimensional objects. The AR production of mathematical objects with which student may interact offers the opportunity to mentally record the process through which they are generated, favoring visualization skills. In the initial academic phase, an analysis of the first three college calculus courses was carried out. The objective was the identification of a transversal content suitable to be developed in AR environment. Once this content was established and discussed, the conceptualization of the prototype was carried out, identifying first the platform of technological and human resources available for the project. The technical phase was focused on developing the AR technology prototype around the didactic design concept. The adjustment decisions in this process were based around the academic-technical integration meetings. A pilot experience for exploratory purposes was developed with Mathematics I for engineering students during May 2013. The aim was to describe the actions the prototype encourages from the students and to capitalize these results to determine limitations and reaches of this first prototype, from a didactically and technically point of view. The pilot experience confirms that AR technology in education increases the current motivation to learn by students. The work aims to study about the development of didactic resources that serve students in the learning of a visual and tangible mathematics.

Kinesthetic Learning Applied to Mathematics Using Kinect

Abstract Mathematics is one of the main courses in education, learning the basics of this area is essential for any student. But along time Teachers have found several factors that takes the pupil attention away. Here is where Kinesthetic Learning have proven to be a determinant factor on learning this courses, with the inclusion of mechanical, and virtual devices is possible to extend the pupil knowledge, minimize distraction and gain focus on difficult topics and practices. In the past years, technology have become an important part of the educational system in many countries, in most cases the school or university requires the student to bring a laptop or mobile device to school, but in most cases this devices becomes the main distraction. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate that kinesthetic learning offer a new experience in education, allowing better understanding of mathematical concepts, graphs and formulas and allow the student to take action in the learning process. Trying to find a viable way to implement the kinesthetic learning, several test where held containing elements of augmented reality, the results of this demonstrate that AR provides a huge boost on the learning curve but is limited by the “marker” and the amount of movement, here is where Kinect comes in. With this capacity the Kinect makes a perfect hardware piece for Kinesthetic learning, now the main objective is to develop a set of tools involving augmented reality and virtual reality for the understanding and learning of mathematics for College students.

Approaching Calculus with SimCalc: Linking Derivative and Antiderivative

The purpose of this chapter is to present the integration of SimCalc into a new approach to calculus. This is the way in which the freshman course of math at ITESM, Mexico is currently being taught. SimCalc offers, through movement, the image of the derivative (velocity) and its antiderivative (position). This feature allows integrating SimCalc into a teaching approach in the classroom that puts together both core subjects of calculus: derivative and integral. Its mediator role is translated into contextual versions of these concepts at an early stage of the course. Then, situated proofs in this environment are produced and from there, new approaches to develop meaning about the mathematics of variation and change emerge. I describe elements of our experience in the classroom; since it is there, in the classroom, where the students have lived their experience and have triggered a symbolization process that includes body gestures to visual images. The learning objective is set to interpreting the graph of a function through the behavior of its derivative.

Math and Motion: A (Coursera) MOOC to Rethink Math Assessment

The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Math and Motion” presents a different way for the interaction with Mathematical knowledge. In this course, digital technologies are integrated during the process of Mathematical teaching. These technologies are mixed with Mathematical contents to create a didactic scenario. In this scenario, numeric, algebraic and graphical representations are incorporated to the real-life context of linear motion. This scenario offers learning with a real meaning for the Mathematics knowledge. Assessment in this new way of interaction with Mathematics considers new challenges besides its online feature. In Math and Motion, lectures are available in weekly videos, and each week includes an assessment of multiple responses items executed in platform COURSERA. In this paper we describe the didactic design of Math and Motion MOOC and its assessment, as well as the findings during its first delivery in fall semester 2013.

Towards a Visual and Tangible Learning of Calculus

The Augmented Reality Application we present here is an educational resource meant to help transform the teaching of Mathematics. It takes advantage of the didactic potential of this emergent technology in order to create graphical representations for mathematical reasoning. We identified the spatial visualization skill as a cross-curriculum content that has been taken for granted, and we took on the task of designing an educational resource to improve the development of this skill. The application involves some topics that belong to conventional courses of Calculus I, II and III at College.