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 MathAid Teaching Methodology

MathAid teaching methodology combines maximally interactive teaching methods with a system of evaluation and tests. Every product will include two major parts:

  • Basic Blocks and
  • Tests.

Basic Blocks activities teach basic concepts and develop problem-solving skills. One block normally covers one important topic, such as a particular theorem, formula, or standard problem. Basic blocks are designed to build understanding of the topic, to teach solution methods for relevant elementary problems, and to provide the student with the opportunity for control of the learning process. In order to attain these objectives, Basic Blocks are built of the three standard types of lessons:

  • Concepts,
  • Interactive Examples, and
  • Drills
(all three types do not necessary have to be present in each Basic Block).


Concepts are reference material containing central formulas, definitions, claims, and theorems. These are not interactive lessons and serve only as a basic theoretical review and reference.

Interactive Examples are interactive lessons, which usually contain graphical illustrations. They give the student an opportunity for hands-on exploration of a mathematical concept, for example, a function and its dependence on numerical parameters. In some cases, when it is helpful for understanding, Interactive Examples use animation of parameters to dynamically illustrate this dependence in a certain parameter range.

Drills are collections of interactive problem-solving lessons which provide the student with an opportunity for evaluation and meaningful control of the learning process. Drills also serve to build problem-solving skills. The problems which the system generates in the Drill section of a Basic Block correspond to the subject matter covered in the Concepts and Interactive Examples sections of the Basic Block. The system accepts answers to the problems as input from the student. The student may check his or her answer and if it is incorrect, may give and check a new answer an unlimited number of times. The student also has the opportunity to view the correct answer, and in the case of more difficult problems, to obtain a full solution.


Tests contain problems associated with the different chapters and topics of the product. The system gives a teacher (or student) an opportunity to choose the topics covered by the test, the number and degree of difficulty of the test problems, and the time allocated for the test; the system then generates the test according to the user's specifications. When the test is finished, the system generates a report and provides the correct answers and solutions, if desired.


 

It is worthwhile to note that this teaching methodology is particularly conducive to the future expansion of existing products. Products can be easily upgraded by adding new Basic Blocks or Problems or by updating existing ones. This makes MathAid products very flexible and easily adjustable to the user's needs.

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