APPRENTICESHIP IN A TECHNOLOGY-RICH CLASSROOM
Paul R. McCreary
Xavier University of Louisiana
pmccrear@xula.edu
We report on a project to establish an apprenticeship/participation
program in developmental mathematics classes at Xavier University of Louisiana. The medium is computer-based lessons written
in a computer algebra system (CAS) that produces graphic animations from
student responses. Use of the CAS
provides a context in which students, quite naturally, talk with and instruct
each other. One of the project goals is
to have a direct and positive effect on the social and academic maturation of
the students. This goal is supported by peer collaboration, which requires
increased and shared responsibilities among students.
We purposely chose more sophisticated software than was strictly
necessary for generating the graphic animations. This added versatility to the teaching tool; the instructor can
modify exercises on the spot. It also
added depth and value to the students’ learning. For the project, several students were recruited to serve as
interns/student leaders. During the
course of the semester several other students stepped forward to emulate what
they saw the interns doing and to actively seek out students with whom to share
newly discovered knowledge. A typical
activity involved interns collecting friends for an out-of-class session at
which they made mini-presentations to each other.
Bibliography
Chaiklin, S. & Lave, J. (1993). Understanding Practice: perspectives on activity and context. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking: cognitive development in social context. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wertsch, J. (1998). Mind as Action. New York: Oxford University Press.
Wolfram, S. (1999). The Mathematica Book, 4th ed. New York: Cambridge Univ. Press.