Friday, May 4, 2012

Bressoud Reviews MAA's Calculus: Modeling and Application Interactive Textbook

MAA Past President David Bressoud reviewed Calculus: Modeling and Application, 2nd Edition in his May Launchings Column. Bressoud has been using the MAA online textbook to teach Single Variable Calculus at Macalester College


"One of the greatest benefits of online textbooks is the ability to embed links to definitions, animations, and software programs. Smith and Moore’s textbook is liberally sprinkled with links to explorations that are available in Maple, Mathcad, and Mathematica. There also are links to WeBWorK, where a library of problems linked to the sections of their book is available. "


Read the full column "Are Textbooks Better Online?"





Calculus: Modeling and Application, 2nd Edition, by David A. Smith and Lawrence C. Moore of Duke University, responds to advances in technology that permit the integration of text and student activities into a unified whole. In this approach, students can use mathematics to structure their understanding of and investigate questions in the world around them, to formulate problems and find solutions, then to communicate their results to others.

This interactive textbook covers two semesters of single-variable calculus. Its features include use of real-world contexts for motivation, guided discovery learning, hands-on activities (including built-in applets), a problem-solving orientation, encouragement of teamwork, written responses to questions, tools for self-checking of results, intelligent use of technology, and high expectation of students.

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