This followed two years of discussions concerning the method of incorporating technology into our mathematics classrooms and the technological media we felt would be most appropriate for our students, our budget, and our physical facilities.
Assignments emphasize using the computer as a computational, graphing and exploratory tool.
The success of the calculus program led us to consider how to modify our pre-calculus and upper division courses to include more discovery learning and group work. We developed examples in which computers could be used appropriately for exploring numerical and graphical patterns that would lead students to discover theoretical concepts for themselves. A wide range of software is used in mathematics courses at Redlands. We have found that our students adapt easily to the use of several small packages provided that there is minimal overhead in learning to use them. We introduce Maple to our students gradually over several semesters, beginning with the second semester of calculus.