Petri Sallasmaa Petri Salmela

OPTEK

• OPTEK was a TEKES-funded large-scale multidisciplinary research endevour

• The goal of the project is to create innovative solutions and models for using ICT and digital media in schools

• OPTEK is a joint initiative of 13 research units carried out in collaboration with 28 enterprises and schools in 12 municipalities.

• We participate in the project with a part involving mathematics education

OPTEK(2)

Project objectivesThe general goal of the ÅA/UTU part of the project was to study and develop the use of computer based support for teaching and learning mathematics at junior high (grades 7-9) using open source software.

What was studied• Students' ability and desire to read and write mathematics

on the computer with customized software.• The feasibility of using open source software in

mathematics education.

What was done

• Computer-based learning material is built using the open source learning management system Moodle• Interactivity is an important aspect of all parts of the

material, which includes theory, examples, exercises and assignments

• Students solve assignments by writing their solutions as structured derivations using the open source text editor LyX• LyX-editor provides good support for writing

mathematical text

• All examples are also presented as structured derivations

Showing mathematical text in electronical environment

MathematicsOther subjects

Writing mathematics with computer

$x=\dfrac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 -4ac}}{2a}$

<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mi>x</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mstyle displaystyle="true"> <mfrac> <mrow> <mo>&#x2212;<!-- − --></mo> <mi>b</mi> <mo>&#x00B1;<!-- ± --></mo> <msqrt> <msup> <mi>b</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> <mo>&#x2212;<!-- − --></mo> <mn>4</mn> <mi>a</mi> <mi>c</mi> </msqrt> </mrow> <mrow> <mn>2</mn> <mi>a</mi> </mrow> </mfrac> </mstyle></math>

• All material was written with structured derivations

• Student wrote some exercises in format of structured derivation

Structured derivations

LyX

• LyX is an open source text editor, witch provides exelent suport for writing mathematical text

• Suport for writing structured derivations was added

Structured derivation with LyX

Moodle

• Moodle is open source learning management system

• All material (theory, examples, exercises and assignments) was available to student via Moodle

• Students saved all LyX-made assignments to Moodle

Basic idea

Experiment in Puropelto

• System was used as additional material

• The experiment showed that students have ability and will to use computers as a part of mathematics studies

• Results inspired us to make a fully electronic course for 7th grade

Experiment in Punkalaidun

• Whole course was taught with electronic material and everything was done only with computers

• System had not negative effect on students grades, even the system was new to both teacher and students

• Students learnt easily to use the system and most of them liked it

Examples from course

• Theory

Examples from course

• Example

Examples from course

• Moodle exercices

Examples from course

• Interactive exercises (Moodle)

Examples from course

• LyX assigments