Melinda Rudibaugh's students use graphing
calculators, Maple, Derive, and Sensei Cal software,
Electronic Forum, videos and laser discs in her mathematics
and science classes.
In her ESL courses, Barbara Shovers uses the
LEE (Learning English Electronically) software designed by
instructors within the District and MCLI. Also, in a
Macintosh program called Pronunciation Plus, Shover's
students are prompted to speak a word into a microphone
connected to the computer; they can then compare the
waveform representing their voice to that of the correct
pronunciation of the word.
Last spring, David Weaver's Physics (PHY 116) class
worked in teams to create
20th Century Modern Physics,
an Internet resource that has been viewed by users around the
world. In PHY 115 Microcomputer Based Laboratory exercises,
students move in front of motion detectors and then try to
match the data plotted on the computer screen. "Student
response has been tremendous," says Weaver. "They seem to
get a real kinesthetic sense for their relationships between
position, velocity, and acceleration, and they even seem to
understand the calculus descriptions of those relationships
much better." Students also use force probes, thermal
probes, and microphones to collect and analyze real-time
data. Graphing calculators are used to explore relationships
outside the lab; you will likely see Weaver's students at
the State Fair, measuring and analyzing the motion of the
roller coaster. After collecting data in many different
ways, students use spreadsheet templates in Microsoft Excel
to try to match the real data to mathematical models.
Sherri McCarthy-Tucker offers her Psychology 101
classes a "technology smorgasbord." Her students come from a
variety of experience levels with computers, and they may
choose assignments to match their preferences. One option is
to participate in an Electronic Forum (shared with students
at South Mountain Community College) where McCarthy-Tucker
posts a weekly question for discussion. Another option is to
use and evaluate software relevant to Psychology, including
a set of programs which come with the textbook and the
Hypercard program
Research Methods in Social and Natural
Sciences being developed by Bernie Combs (SCC). The most
popular item on the "smorgasbord" is for students to "surf
the Internet" and report on resources discovered on the
World Wide Web. For starting points, they use the Psychology
Hot Links from MCLI as well as the pointers organized by
Mary Long's (SMCC)
The Source.
Kent Duffy reports that the video broadband at CGCC
will soon be expanding to 26 channels. During registration,
the system was used to broadcast information from SIS so
students could easily see which classes had closed. The
college can now handle up to three simultaneous satellite
video conferences. They are receiving a microwave feed from
Arizona State University that can offer upper division
engineering courses. In addition, they receive a digital
feed from the highly-acclaimed aviation courses from the
University of North Dakota.