Using CD-ROM electronic curricula materials developed by grants from the National Science Foundation (DUE-9752226 and DUE-9980715).

Overview

• This course emphasize WHAT mathematics is, HOW mathematicians do mathematics, and how mathematics is used in SCIENCE.
• Different teaching and learning styles including:
  1. LECTURE NOTES: HTML, PowerPoint slides, hypertext textbook, videotapes.
  2. HANDS-ON GROUP CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES: HTML, video clips.
  3. INDIVIDUAL SELF-DISCOVERY EXERCISES: Java applets, Excel spreadsheets.
  4. ASSESSMENT TOOLS: homework assignments, journal questions, concept maps, group interviews.
• Content.
  1. Fractals are used to illustrate generalization, isomorphism, iteration, invariants, arithmetic series, geometric series, limits, graphs, linear scales, logarithmic scales, logarithms, statistics, and dimension.
  2. The scientific applications are developed along with the mathematics, so that there are lessons on the heart, eye, ear, and brain.
  3. These electronic materials are intended to supplement the classroom experience, rather than replace it entirely on the Internet.
• This course can be used as one of the mathematics courses towards satisfying the mathematics degree requirement in Psychology.

Course Policies

1. Attendance: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. If you miss a class you are responsible for ALL the material covered during that class, including lecture material and rules and regulations about the course (such as these rules). Some of the material covered in the lectures is NOT in the CD-ROM.
2. Withdraw: It is the responsibility of the student to withdraw from this class, should that status be desired - the instructor cannot withdraw students from the course. The instructor will not give the grade of "I" in lieu of a grade of "D" or "F". The grade of "I" will be considered only in exception cases (such as serious illness) for students who are presently performing at a C or higher level in the course.
3. Homework Problems: All homework problems must be turned in on the dates assigned. Late homework problems will be accepted up to 1 week late, but they will be penalized. No homework problems will be accepted over 1 week late. You will have the option of redoing each homework assignment to improve your grade on it, BUT if it was not turned in on the date assigned, it will still be penalized. Just to repeat, ANY homework first turned in later than 1 week will count as zero. Homework problems must be submitted on 8.5 x 11 inch paper. Handwritten homework that is not readable is not acceptable. They should have a cover sheet with your full name. You are requested to make a copy of all material turned in for credit to guard against loss or damage.
4. Grade: The grade will be entirely based on the homework assingments and classroom attendance. Assignments not turned in will count as zero. There will be no exams.

Textbook

The textbook will be the CD-ROM which will be distributed to the class.

Materials on the CD-ROM

1. Modules: Each Module is a self-contained unit on one topic that includes an Instructor's Guide and links to its supporting Lecture Notes, Classroom Discovery Experiments, Discovery Applets, Discovery Spreadsheets, Homework Assignments, PowerPoint Slides, reference material in Fractals and Chaos Simplified for the Life Sciences, and Assessment Tools.
2. Lecture Notes: Detailed notes of the classroom lectures.
3. Classroom Discovery Experiments: Instructions, aims, and meanings of hands-on activities to be performed by groups of students in class. These include instructional video clips of the experiments.
4. Discovery Applets: Instructions and results for self-discovery activities implemented in Java applets.
5. Discovery Spreadsheets: Instructions and results for self-discovery activities implemented in Excel spreadsheets.
6. Homework Assignments: Homework problems with worked solutions for the instructor.
7. PowerPoint Slides: Illustrative slides for the instructor to show in class.
8. Fractals and Chaos Simplified for the Life Sciences Hypertext version of the previous print textbook.

Lecture Contents