Project Background
From 2007 - 2012, the Center for Learning & Teaching at Penn State Berks partnered with mathematics professors Valetta Eshbach and Alice Shaparenko, mathematics tutor Rebecca Yarosz, and The Learning Center, to create a series of online resources, specifically for our Math 110 courses. The online tutorials and interactive practice exercises target particular mathematical concepts that students typically struggle with.
The staff of the Center for Learning & Teaching met with Shaparenko and Eshbach to identify problematic mathematical concepts and develop an appropriate instructional approach. The project was managed under the direction of John Shank, director of the Center for Learning & Teaching. Instructional designers Bo Zigner and Amy Roche conducted the analysis phase and drafted storyboards. Instructional Multimedia Specialist Mary Ann Mengel worked with the SMEs to refine the design and subsequently complete development using Adobe Flash and Adobe Presenter. Assessment of the modules was coordinated by Amy Roche.
The idea for this project was brought to the Center for Learning & Teaching by Dr. Paul Esqueda, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and Anna Donahue, manager of The Learning Center.
Four online modules (which each include a tutorial and interactive practice) were completed as of Spring 2009. Students view a short online tutorial after which they are directed to a related online practice exercise.
Project Portfolio
Limit Definition of a Derivative
Tutorial: Limit Definition of a Derivative
Interactive Practice: Limit Definition of a Derivative
Do-it-yourself Exercises: Limit Definition of a Derivative
Simplifying Derivatives by Factoring
Tutorial: Simplifying Derivatives by Factoring
Interactive Practice (product rule): Simplifying Derivatives by Factoring
Interactive Practice (quotient rule): Simplifying Derivatives by Factoring
Do-it-yourself Exercises: Simplifying Derivatives by Factoring
Distributive Property in Implicit Differentiation
Tutorial: Distributive Property in Implicit Differentiation
Interactive Practice: Distributive Property in Implicit Differentiation
Do-it-yourself Exercises: Distributive Property in Implicit Differentiation
Finding Critical Values
Tutorial: Finding Critical Values
Interactive Practice: Finding Critical Values
Do-it-yourself Exercises: Finding Critical Values
Evaluating Limits of the Indeterminate Form 0/0
Main Menu: Evaluating Limits of the Indeterminate Form 0/0 »Limit of a Rational Function
Tutorial: Limit of a Rational Function
Interactive Practice: Limit of a Rational Function
Do-it-yourself Exercise: Limit of a Rational Function
Limit of a Function Involving a Radical
Tutorial: Limit of a Function Involving a Radical
Interactive Practice: Limit of a Function Involving a Radical
Do-it-yourself Exercise: Limit of a Function Involving a Radical
Limit of a Function Involving a Rational Expression
Tutorial: Limit of a Function Involving a Rational Expression
Interactive Practice: Limit of a Function Involving a Rational Expression
Do-it-yourself Exercise: Limit of a Function Involving a Rational Expression
Limit of a Function Involving Absolute Value
Tutorial: Limit of a Function Involving Absolute Value
Interactive Practice: Limit of a Function Involving Absolute Value
Do-it-yourself Exercise: Limit of a Function Involving Absolute Value