Facts about TU Berlin

1
Members The Impact of eLTR-Technologieson the
Mathematical Education of Non-Native
Speakers
Lela Engler Sabina Jeschke Esther Manya
Ndjeka Ruedi Seiler Ulrich Steinmüller
2
Content

• Relation between Mathematics and Language
• Mathematical Education of Engineers at the TU
  Berlin
• The Members Project
• Use of Visualization in Mathematical Education
• Mumie and MathletFactory - The Forerunners of the
  Members Project
• Summary

3
Mathematics and Language

• Dual function of language in teaching
  mathematics
• Communication
• Cognitive function

Language functions as a conveyance for
mathematical content and to communicate during
the actual courses
4
Mathematics and Language

• language helps to form concepts
• language influences thinking and perception
  (cognitive function)
• the cognitive function correlates language and
  thinking

5
Mathematics and Language

• Example

Let a and b be the length of the two cathetuses
and c the length of the hypothenus of a
rectangular triangle. Then the following
relation holds a² b² c²

• communicative functionThe sentence above
  contains information that can be conveyed both
  orally or written.
• The cognitive aspect of language creates
  concepts (triangle, cathetus, hypotenus).

6
Mathematical Education of Engineers at the TU
Berlin

• Statistics concerning foreign students
• Total number of students enrolled in 2006
  approx. 30.000
• Approximately 20 foreign students
• Cooperations with 200 international universities
• 60 of all foreign students study engineering

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Mathematical Education of Engineers at the TU
Berlin

• Handicaps faced by foreign students
• language problems
• differences between the educational systems
• social, financial and cultural factors

significantly lower success rate for foreign
students compared to German students
8
Mathematical Education of Engineers at the TU
Berlin

• Support for foreign students at the TU Berlin
• Introduction bei the International Office
• Academic counselling
• Mentoring Programm (additional exercise courses
  for foreign students)
• Language Courses, non-German lectures

9
MEMBERS Basic Concept

• problem analysis of language problems in the
  mathematical education of non-native speakers
• approach new media allow new pedagogical
  strategies and enable new didactical scenarios
• goal use of the new media in support of the
  mathematical education of non-native speakers
  (primarily for students of engineering and
  computer sciences)
• challenge creating the optimal environment for
  teaching and learning mathematics in a foreign
  language for students of engineering and the
  natural sciences

10
Visualization in and for Mathematics

• MEMBERS concentrates on
• furthering the use of visualization and
  interactive technologies in mathematical
  education
• to overcoming language barriers through the use
  of these technologies

11
Visualization in and for Mathematics

• Visual images are often easier to remember and
  recall than words.
• Visualization is helpful in motivating students
  as it supports a quick, preliminary understanding
  of previously unknown concepts.
• Visualized objects can be even be understood
  without any use of language, and visualizations
  are less culture-specific.
• Visual language as a universal language ...

12
Example Addition of Vectors
13
MEMBERS Project Planning

• Analysis of the influence of the language context
  on learning mathematics
• Possible application scenarios for new media in
  the mathematical education of non-native
  speakers
• Implementation within the framework of the
  Mumie/MathletFactory eLearning environment
• Test deployment in mathematics courses for
  engineers

14
Mumie and MathletFactory

• The Mumie project (Multimedia in the Mathematical
  Education of Engineers) developed and implemented
  a second-generation eLearning and eTeaching
  environment specifically adapted to mathematics
• Wide-spread and consistent use of visualization
  and interactive components (Java-applets)

15
Mumie and MathletFactory

• MathletFactory forms an integral part of the
  Mumie project.

• The MathFactory provides a specialized
  Java-library for creating mathematical applets.

classes, objects
code, authoring environment
visualization
computation
16
Mumie and MathletFactory

• Test deployment of Mumie (Tumult)
• First deployment of the interactive learning and
  teaching environment in the course linear
  algebra for engineers during the summer semester
  2005
• Integration of visualization interactive
  components (e.g. Java-applets) into the lectures
  and homework assignments

Result improved success rate
17
Applets integrated into the Mumie Platform

• hier sollte stehen, was das Bild darstellt

18
Interactive Applets - Example

• hier wieder short description

19
Summary

• learning mathematics in a non-native language is
  a huge challenge
• mathematics forms a basis for academic education
  in several fields
• through visualization and interaction, new media
  process a high potential to overcome these
  challenges

hier ein geniales Schlusswort, das mir aber
gerade nicht einfaellt
20

• Thank you for your attention!

21

• Overview
• I Introduction
• II Experiments in eLearning
• III Integration of Tablet-PCs
• IV Outlook Conclusion

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• I Introduction The Role of Experimentsin
  Natural Sciences and Engineering