A Blended Learning Approach in Mathematics

Abstract

In this chapter we present our work aimed at interweaving e-learning and face-to-face learning in Calculus courses for undergraduate engineering students. This type of blended learning (BL) contains the best properties of e-learning and face-to-face learning and helps overcome many obstacles in traditional teaching. We use our approach in order to improve students’ conceptual understanding of theorems. We describe online assignments specifically designed to help students better understand the meaning of a theorem. These assignments are given to students in addition to traditional lectures and tutorials with the objective that they can learn to learn on their own. Students “discover” the theorem and study it independently, by using a “bank” of examples and a lot of theoretical exercises we supply. The assignments are built in such a way that students receive feedback and instructions in response to their Web-based activity.