A Guide to On-line Support Techniques for Subjects with significant Technical Content
On-line support
for this subject will take the forms of a Web based Forum. This is an
electronic discussion group that will allow you to hold open discussions with
other students involved in this subject, as well as the lecturing staff. This
forum is primarily designed to facilitate discussion between students, although
lecturing staff may also participate in the forum. I would encourage all
students to use this forum to exchange problem solving ideas, to form mutual
self help groups and assist in breaking down the isolation that external
students often feel while studying. It sometimes helps to know that everyone
else is also struggling with the same problem as you are. The lecturing staff
may also post useful hints and updated information to the forum. Thus it may
pay to check the forum on a regular basis.
Attached information posted to the forum will
generally either be a GIF image file that can be viewed and printed with your
standard web browser or an Adobe PDF file that can be viewed with the Adobe
Acrobat Reader. This reader is available as a plug-in for Netscape or Microsoft
Internet Explorer and can be obtained free over the web from the Adobe site at http://www.adobe.com/. Alternatively you can find this reader
locally at http://my.csu.edu.au/ under “IT services /
Download Software”.
Occasionally you may also find a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. Free public domain readers for these formats can also be found at http://my.csu.edu.au/ under “IT services / Download Software”.
There will clearly be a steep learning curve for some of us, myself included, to effectively use these on-line techniques to exchange mathematical & technical ideas. In order to provide some guidelines I suggest forum members always use GIF image files for the submission of handwritten or printed mathematical material. The reason being that all forum members should be able to view and print these files using their standard web browser.
How can I create these GIF image files?
The easiest way would be to purchase a cheap scanner (about $100, including software) for their PC. Students with the ability to word-process equations with packages such as Microsoft Word / Equation Editor can cut and paste their mathematics through the windows clipboard to any paint package, such as Paint Shop Pro, that can write GIF format images. Paint Shop Pro is available over the web from http://www.jasc.com/. The really desperate can try writing their mathematics freehand, using their mouse, directly into the paint package.
How can I view and print GIF images?
Provided all members of the forum provide their mathematics as GIF image files any standard web browser should be able to view and print these files. Most browsers have an option to view a GIF file in the browser.
How can I submit GIF images to the forum?
You may attach GIF files to both forum and e-mail communications.
Submitting questions as simple text files to the forum?
Many students also choose to simply submit their requests directly to the text-based forum in the form of simple mark up code. For example the equation for a circle radius r centred on the coordinates (a,b) can be coded as (x-a)^2 + (y-b)^2 = r^2. Maple syntax provides a good template for transmitting more complicated requests, for example an definite integral question can be expressed as int(x^2, x=0..4).
How can I learn more about how to do all this?
The best way to learn is by doing. Start reading items on the forum and try sending in some of your own. I imagine much of the initial forum discussion will centre on how to use the forum for exchanging mathematical ideas.
Maple
We encourage
students to use Maple as a computational aid for their mathematical &
technical calculations. Students may gain access to Maple by;
1.
Use the thin
client version of Maple8. If you would like
to try web access to Maple8 at CSU then visit http://my.csu.edu.au/
where access to Maple8 on the student thin client Citrix server is available
under “IT services / Thin Client via Citrix”.
With “Non-standard Applications” selected, login to your nearest CSU site
with your CSU username and password to the CSU Domain and then start the
"CSU Student Server" application. This should give you access to
another virtual/remote NT session in which you can run Maple8.
If you wish to print your Maple8 output to your local home printer you can do
this by selecting the “Universal Printer” from the list of available
printers. However, before you print to
the “Universal Printer” you will need to download and install the “EOL
Universal Printer Client” on your local machine. This client is available at http://my.csu.edu.au/ under “IT services /
Download Software”. As an alternative to using the “Universal Printer” for
remote printing you can export your completed work as an RTF
(Rich Text File) to your local hard drive and then import this into a local
word processor such as Microsoft Word for printing on your local printer
2.
On campus
students can use Maple8 in the Jack Cross Computing Laboratories. External
students may have some time during their
3.
Purchasing the
Student Edition of Maple8 for their PC. Maple is available directly from the
Australian distributor CEANET and comes with a good well-written manual.
Contact:
CEANET
Telephone: 61 2 9232 3699
Toll Free (within
Facsimile: 61 2 9232 3332
Email: info@ceanet.com.au
You will find Maple a very valuable adjunct for any subsequent subjects with a
mathematical context. This would be my recommended option for students who can
afford the price tag. I realise that this is very expensive for students, so
also consider the alternative options.
I hope that this technology-ridden letter has not been too much of an information overload. Remember it is possible to complete the most subjects simply by working through the mail package, attending a friendly face-to-face residential school if necessary and completing the required assessment items.
I hope that the on-line and Maple aspects of the subject do provide significant benefits for your learning. In any event, I would appreciate any feedback you may have on these issues.
Enjoy your study
at
Regards,
John Louis