Peer Review

Calculus for Biology I

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Oct 3, 2002 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This webpage has all lecture material, homework, homework solutions, and
computer laboratories for Calculus that would be needed for a Biology course, so
it should be self contained.
Type of Material:: Lecture/Presentation
Recommended Uses:: Teachers and Calculus I students.
Technical Requirements:: Level four or higher browser. To do the homework the following is required:
spreadsheet, wordprocessor, some exercises require more poserful software.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The emphasis is on mathematical modeling of biological systems.
Target Student Population:: Calculus I students (biology...but very pertinent to faculty who should see how
to show students that calculus is relevant and interesting.)
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Understanding of precalculus

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Excellent! This is a very comprehensive site. The Cricket Thermometer
(listening to crickets on the web, then using a linear model for relating to
temperature) is one of several interesting problems. Dr. Mahaffy's laboratory
experiences are well designed; pre- and in-service teachers find them very
interesting. The reviewers view the value of this web site as an excellent
model for teachers of mathematics to apply regardless of the mathematical topic
that is presented.
Concerns:: Prehaps teachers will not take the time to investigate the episodes on the web
site, because they will view the content as too advanced for their use. The
reality is that the applications to lessons for grades 4-20 are bountiful.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The Internet-based course is designed to show how calculus naturally arises in
biological examples from classical and current research. The graphics are
excellent for supporting understanding and the animations provide a
semi-concrete experience for both pre-service and in-service teachers and
calculus students. Dr. Mahaffy's web-based course uses convincing examples and
has a significant portion where technology can aid in teaching more complicated
models. Also, this site is good for expanding teacher's ideas of how to present
the lessons to their own students.
Concerns:: Teachers will need to develop their own rubrics for evaluating the products
completed for the laboratories/homework. Again, this is not a concern, but the
user might preceive it to be of less value, because the rublics are not
included.

This site should not be viewed as a stand-alone learning tool for classes. (It
may be that individuals use it for independent study, but the users' experiences
need to involve group work, teacher instruction, and individual study as they
study calculus for biology.

Users must be actively involved. These are not rote skills that are being
presented. They are mathematical/scientific concepts. If "participants" merely
watch the animations, they will not be helped much toward understanding the
concept/principle being presented. If (future) teachers take the next step
and do the exercises, the teacher's own understanding should be greatly
facilitated.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: Requires the use of a level 4(or higher) Java-enabled browser.

Most of the mathematics/biology homework will be done with the spreadsheet
software, Excel, and wordprocessor, Word.
Concerns:: Some assignments require a powerful symbolic, algebra package developed
specifically for mathematics, Maple. (A tutorial is provided.)

Other Issues and Comments:: High school mathematics teachers used one of the episodes on Dr. Mahaffey's
Calculus for Biology web site. They enjoyed it. Their Internet experience was
supplemented with a group discussion led by a mathematics professor.
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