Subject: Using software (like Maxima?) as a math tutor
From: Richard Fateman
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2012 07:57:08 -0700
For those who think that educational usage of Maxima (etc) is a natural
"low hanging fruit" killer app... Maybe it is, but it hasn't worked out
that way so far.
I direct you to this page from US Dept. of Education...
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20074005/execsumm_algebra.asp
where you can read that (as of 2007)
----------------------
The algebra study included three products that were implemented in 10
districts and 23 schools. ...
Products covered a conventional range of algebra topics. They included
functions, linear equations, and inequalities; quadratic equations;
linear expressions; polynomials; and so on. .....
*Algebra products did not affect test scores by amounts that were
statistically different from zero
*-----------------------------*
*Of course it could have been worse; the software could have lowered the
test scores :)
Perhaps one can argue that these products were simply uninspired and
that they DIDN'T use
Maxima, and that would make all the difference.
RJF